Sabrina Carpenter (Extended)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert Featuring Sabrina Carpenter (Extended) Release Date: December 16, 2024

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Introduction

In this extended episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert, host Stephen Colbert welcomes Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter. Colbert sets the stage by highlighting Sabrina's impressive six Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Solo Performance, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.

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Grammy Nominations and Sabrina's Reactions

Stephen Colbert opens the conversation by congratulating Sabrina on her six Grammy nominations, stating, “You got all the Grammy nominations. As I said, I thought we should kick off with a little toast to that” ([02:40]). He offers her an espresso martini to celebrate, initiating a lighthearted and engaging dialogue.

Sabrina shares her excitement and gratitude about attending the Grammys for the first time:

“I always told myself that I never wanted to go until I was nominated, and I didn't think it would be for all those categories, which is really special. So I'm excited.” ([04:00])

Colbert emphasizes the rarity of Sabrina's experience, noting the importance of enjoying such milestones:

“Are you taking the time? Are you taking the time? Enjoy what's happening with you this year because some people and very few people get to go through what you're going through right now.” ([04:09])

Sabrina reflects on her journey and the emotions tied to her success:

“Singing is all I've ever wanted to do. Writing songs is my favorite thing in the world. So the fact that I could do it and people listen is sentimental, but it's a gift, so I'm very grateful.” ([04:46])

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Musical Influences and Paul McCartney Anecdote

Delving into her musical inspirations, Sabrina shares a heartfelt story about her admiration for Paul McCartney and the Beatles:

“When I was very, very young, my dad played me Rocky Raccoon for the first time. I was so mesmerized by that song and the songwriting of it that I fell in love with Paul McCartney.” ([06:10])

She reminisces about meeting McCartney:

“He was so normal and casual and was so charming, and it just felt like I was kind of entering, like, an alternate universe, like the upside down vibes.” ([06:58])

Sabrina highlights McCartney's impact on her:

“Every room that he enters, he makes everyone feel seen and heard. It was such a beautiful experience for me to see that from someone that I admired so much.” ([07:16])

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Discussing Current Albums: "Espresso" and "Short and Sweet"

Colbert transitions to Sabrina's recent musical projects, addressing her albums "Espresso" and "Short and Sweet":

“Espresso came out in April. You released your album here, Short and Sweet, in August.” ([07:34])

Sabrina appreciates the unique approach of releasing a double album:

“You don't see this. You don't see the double album very often.” ([07:49])

They discuss the artistry involved in creating music videos and Sabrina's comfort with incorporating humor:

“Do you ever think you'd ever want to be a comedian? Cause you're funny?” ([08:06])

Sabrina responds thoughtfully, expressing her focus on singing and song-writing:

“I sing mostly.” ([08:35])

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Comedy and On-Stage Banter

Stephen and Sabrina engage in playful banter, including a light-hearted chugging contest:

Stephen Colbert: “Should we do a chugging contest?” ([03:09])

Sabrina Carpenter: “Sure.” ([03:11])

Stephen Colbert: “I win.” ([03:22])

This segment showcases Sabrina's ability to engage humorously on stage, enhancing the rapport between host and guest.

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"A Nonsense Christmas" Special and Collaboration with Sean Astin

The discussion shifts to Sabrina's new Netflix special, "A Nonsense Christmas":

Stephen Colbert: “One of the things I love about your special is you got one of my favorite actors to play Santa. This is, you were sitting on the lap of none other than Samwise Gamgee. Sean Astin, right there.” ([10:50])

Sabrina shares her positive experience working with Sean Astin:

“He was just so professional. Every guest that was a part of the special, we had so many incredible musicians, so many incredible comedians, artists, our writers, our director, Everyone was just. And we shot it in two days, like a miracle.” ([12:20])

She expresses her admiration for creating a variety show feel inspired by icons like Cher and Dolly Parton:

“I really wanted it to feel like a variety special. Like, I was in love with the Cher show. And you know, Dolly Parton's one of my idols, so growing up, I just watched them and I just felt like, why not make a new one for the kids for Christmas?” ([12:25])

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Closing Remarks

As the interview wraps up, Colbert highlights Sabrina's Grammy-nominated album "Short and Sweet":

“Her Grammy nominated album, short and Sweet is out now.” ([13:29])

Sabrina concludes by promoting her work and upcoming projects, maintaining the engaging and upbeat tone of the conversation.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Sabrina Carpenter on Gratitude:

  “Singing is all I've ever wanted to do. Writing songs is my favorite thing in the world. So the fact that I could do it and people listen is sentimental, but it's a gift, so I'm very grateful.” ([04:46])

• Sabrina Carpenter on Meeting Paul McCartney:

  “He was so normal and casual and was so charming, and it just felt like I was kind of entering, like, an alternate universe, like the upside down vibes.” ([06:58])

• Stephen Colbert on Sabrina's Grammy Nominations:

  “Are you taking the time? Are you taking the time? Enjoy what's happening with you this year because some people and very few people get to go through what you're going through right now.” ([04:09])

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Conclusion

This episode offers an intimate glimpse into Sabrina Carpenter's artistic journey, her inspirations, and her reflections on recent successes. Through candid conversations and humorous exchanges, Stephen Colbert and Sabrina provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of her work and personal experiences in the music industry.

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For more clips and exclusives, visit The Late Show YouTube channel. Stream "A Nonsense Christmas" and Sabrina Carpenter's albums on Paramount+.

Transcript

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[Stephen Colbert]

It's the Late Show Poncho with Stephen Colbert.

Welcome back to the show, ladies and gentlemen. My next guest is a singer songwriter who was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. She just released a new holiday special, A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter.

It's the most nonsense time of the.

Year.

If you're hot and you're young and your stockings well hummed by the chimney with care it's the most nonsense time of the year they'll be singing and jesting celebrity Guesting huge packages under the tree I'll be playing my bangers with elf doppelgangers. So please, please, please have faith in me.

Please welcome to the Late Show, Sabrina Carpenter. There you go. Thank you so much for being here. So lovely.

[Amazon Prime Ad]

Thanks for having me.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, my goodness. First of all, I thought we should kick off. This building is beautiful, isn't it?

Yeah. Wow.

This is the Ed Sullivan Theater. This is where the Beatles played in the United States for the first time. Right over there. Elvis played for the first time on tv Right here where you're sitting.

Wow. That's no competition. That's so nice. That's great.

Now they'll say Sabrina Carpenter was in that band.

They will surely say that. Thank you. Thank you.

Well, you got all the Grammy nominations. As I said, I thought we should kick off with a little toast to that. In honor of mi espresso, how would you like an espresso martini?

Would you feel that, too? I would love that. Wow.

There you go.

How long? Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Has that been sitting there? No, it's cold.

James brought it here moments ago. Yeah. I have fresh Ones made between every act of the show. Wow. That's tasty.

That is very good.

This is going to be a good interview.

Should we do a chugging contest?

[Sabrina Carpenter]

Sure.

[Stephen Colbert]

Just.

I win.

You. That's so terrifying how fast you drank that.

Well, these deaths come at a price. Okay. You're nominated for a whopping six Grammys. We got best new artist album of the year, Best pop vocal album, Best pop solo performance record of the year, and song of the year. That is. That is not too shabby for your first time being nominated. Is this also gonna be your first time attending?

This is. I'm very drunk now.

Let me take that away for you. There you go.

This actually truly is my first time. I always told myself that I never wanted to go until I was nominated, and I didn't think it would be for all those categories, which is really special. So I'm excited.

That must be a crazy feeling. You're just on a rocket ride right now. Are you taking the time? Are you taking the time? Enjoy what's happening with you this year because some people and very few people get to go through what you're going through right now. And it's really important to take the time and enjoy it.

When you're young, you sort of just vibe it out. Like, you don't really. I don't know how to describe it. It's like, when it's happening, I probably, in five years will look back on, like, this moment and be like, wow, so much happened at once, but it's hard to process it in the moment. I'm just trying to make eye contact with you and be like, as present as I can.

You're doing it.

You know what I mean?

You're doing it. Yeah.

Yeah. But I feel so lucky. Singing is all I've ever wanted to do. Writing songs is my favorite thing in the world. So the fact that I could do it and people listen is sentimental, but it's a gift, so I'm very grateful.

Well, you seem appreciative of the girl.

[Amazon Prime Ad]

Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes. The specialness of the moment doesn't seem to be lost on you because we have a clip here of you reacting to the nominations. Let's look at two of those. Jim.

The 67th Grammy Awards nominations are just moments away. Nominees for best pop solo performance.

[Sabrina Carpenter]

Beyonce, Sabrina Carpenter. The nominees for record of the year.

[Stephen Colbert]

Are.

Now and then the Beatles, Marina Espresso. So what is that like to hear Beyonce's name and the Beatles name and then your name?

It's weird. Yeah, it's weird. It's. And it's amazing. Those are people that have inspired me my whole life. And we should all have dinner.

Well, you're up for Song of the Year for your song. Please, please, please. And is it true that the Beatles, like, inspired you to start writing your own music?

So, technically, when I was very, very young, my dad played me Rocky Raccoon for the first time. And I was so mesmerized by that song and the songwriting of it that I fell in love with Paul McCartney. I was convinced that was my husband, my future husband, but he was quite old, and I was so young. I didn't understand that he was much older than me. Because I was looking at all these photos, I was like, no, he's young. He's like, young. He's only 10 years older than me. I didn't understand math. I was a child. So when I grew up, I just fell in love with his songwriting. And I'm.

And when you grew up.

Yeah, and then I met him in a.

You met him. There you go.

There you are.

With Paul. That's nice.

Yeah.

Would you guys. I'm just curious, like, you know, when you meet somebody like Paul McCartney, not that there are a lot of people like Paul McCartney, what do you talk about?

So I just actually formed tears in my eyes. And then he was just so normal and casual and was so charming, and it just felt like I was kind of entering, like, an alternate universe, like the upside down vibes. You know what I mean? Like Stranger Things. But a lot happier than Stranger Things.

A little bit. Just a little bit happier than this Stranger Things.

But he was so sweet. And the one thing I say about him is every room that he enters, he makes everyone feel seen and heard. And it was such a beautiful experience for me to see that from someone that I admired so much, and it just. Yeah. Eh. He's great. Yeah. I'm obsessed with him.

Well, here's the album. Okay. Here's the album. Espresso came out in April. You released your album here, Short and Sweet, in August.

Oh.

I like the double album. You don't see this. You don't see the double album very often.

We just had to do the.

That's very nice. You gotta have the shot.

Gotta have the gateway.

Do you enjoy shooting the videos and everything? Because that's a whole. That's a whole other art. And you seem really comfortable doing the comedy of it.

Yeah.

Do you ever think you'd ever want to be a comedian? Cause you're funny?

No, no, actually, because when I make A joke, and it doesn't land. People are like, oh, she's a singer. She can sing. And when a comedian makes a joke and it doesn't land, it's like.

I wouldn't know.

What else do you have?

I hear terrible things. I hear. It's awful. I just wouldn't.

What?

I wouldn't know. I wouldn't know.

Do you have a backup plan?

I sing. I sing mostly. Yes. Yeah.

What do you sing?

What kind of fool am I who never fell in love? Do you not know Sammy Davis, Jr. No, I do.

I'm just confused how you pulled that out.

So, like, I'm always waiting for somebody to ask me to sing at a moment's notice. I can do all of Jesus Christ Superstore for you right now. You want. Okay, there you go.

I don't. I want to do.

We should do a duet together.

We should do Christmas duet. The end of.

We should do a Christmas hair. We should do a Christmas album together. But you already have one. You already have your Christmas special.

We do. We've done Baby, It's Cold Outside.

Oh, yeah.

But it's such a problematic song.

It is a problematic song. It's like, let me pour you a little bit there. Like, no, you don't want to leave here. Let me lock the door and steal your phone. It's really troubling. I can't believe.

Yeah, we shouldn't do that. We could find another.

Okay, so you've got. You've got a new special on Netflix, as we showed in the clip, a Nonsense Christmas, which I like. I've got a pitch for you because in honor of mi espresso, have you thought about possibly me eggnog? That would be. You don't have to chug this one. Just something, you know, for the publicity tour. There you go. Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm, mm, mm. Yeah.

You know, I hadn't thought about it until now, and it's already shot and it's out.

Damn it. I'm gonna take this away.

That's really good. Wow.

It is. Have you not. Have you. Have you not. Do you. Not with a nog.

No.

Do. It's a simple question, Miss Carpenter. Do you. Not with a nog. Are you surprised that I used a bad word? Is that what it is?

No, I'm not. Because they told me I can curse back, and I forgot because usually people are telling me not to curse. And so I came out here, and it looks like a church a little bit in here.

It really does, doesn't it?

So I was like, don't curse the Lord's upon us. And I was like, I shouldn't do that. And you just did that.

I just did do that.

Yeah, I do. With the nog, now that you mention it.

Well, you should.

[Amazon Prime Ad]

Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, you should. I tell you, one of the things I love about. One of the things I love about your special is you got one of my favorite actors to play Santa. This is. You were sitting on the lap of none other than Samwise Gamgee. Sean Astin, right there. What?

He's amazing.

What was it like to work with Sean?

It was such a gift. He. I mean, unfortunately, I met him already dressed as Santa, so I never saw.

He always dresses like that.

Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, I never saw his original form.

Go on, go on, go on. So, no, I understand. That's his final form. His final form, Exactly.

That's all I know him as. Santa.

Do you know Ms. Samwise Gamgee? You ever seen Lord of the Rings? Have you ever seen the Lord of the Rings movie? Answer the question.

Do you want to know how I knew him?

How?

In Stranger Things is what? Oh, yeah.

He's great in Stranger Things. Speaking of the upside down, for me.

I was like, bob wants to be Santa. Like, that's epic. But you sure you are from a different generation?

I love you so much. I am from a different. I'm actually from two generations out of you. Exactly. No, I know Sean mostly from Rudy. Do you know Rudy?

Rudy, yeah, Rudy.

Yeah, exactly. And he was Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the rings by J.R. artol.

So good as Santa. And genuinely, he was just such a delight. He told me that his daughters really, really persuaded him to do it and.

Cause he was gonna say no.

No, I don't think that. I think he just was. At first, he was like, oh, what is this? And they were like, if you don't do this, your whole career's over vibe. And I was like. And I was like, well, they're not wrong. I mean, it's different.

It's soothing. It must be nice to know that you have children threatening their parents.

That's all I have. It's all I have. And I'm really grateful for them. He was just so professional. Every guest that was a part of the special, we had so many incredible musicians, so many incredible comedians, artists, our writers, our director, Everyone was just. And we shot it in two days, like a miracle. And I really wanted it to feel like a variety special. Like, I was in love with the Cher show. And you know, Dolly Parton's one of my idols, so growing up, I just watched them and I just felt like, why not make a new one for the kids for Christmas? And we did it and I'm very grateful.

That's beautiful. Yeah. Sabrina, thank you so much for being here. Her Grammy nominated album, short and Sweet is out now. Sabrina Carpenter, everybody. Thank you for listening to the late show pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

[Sabrina Carpenter]

Now streaming on Paramount. Plus I'm Madeline Matlock. I'm a lawyer. Like the old TV show Kathy Bates. People assume I'm a harmless old lady. Is not the Matlock. She's a freaking genius you're expecting. Back when I tried cases, we just prayed the horse and buggy got to court on time.

[Stephen Colbert]

Maddie, I appreciate your honesty.

[Sabrina Carpenter]

Well, that's me. Honest to a fault, Matlock. New series streaming on Paramount. All new episodes CBS Thursday, 98 Central.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, Coulter, we have a job for you. Send me the info.

[Sabrina Carpenter]

Now streaming on Paramount. Plus Mr. Shop.

[Stephen Colbert]

I know the reward. It's not much. I'm going to help you.

[Sabrina Carpenter]

Justin Hartley is America's number one new hero.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you.

I'm here to help. If it were any one of us.

Out there, he wouldn't hesitate.

I'm going to do everything I can.

[Sabrina Carpenter]

Tracker new season streaming on Paramount. New episodes, CBS Sunday at 8, 7 Central.