Podcast Summary: "So You Think You Ameri-Can" | Felipe Torres Medina

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert
Date: November 8, 2025

Episode Overview

In this witty and satirical episode, Stephen Colbert explores the quirks and challenges of the US citizenship test. The highlight is a playful segment featuring Felipe Torres Medina—a Colombian-born writer for the show who recently became an American citizen. Through comedic banter and a mock game show titled "So You Think You Ameri-Can," the episode examines what it truly means to be American, pokes fun at national customs, and spotlights both the complexity and absurdity of the citizenship process.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Immigrants and American Identity

• Stephen opens the show with a comic ode to immigrants, naming not only actual people but also fictional characters ("the Geico gecko. He's British. You can tell because he can lick his own eyeball.”—[04:07]).
• Colbert highlights the difficulty of being an immigrant, especially in light of recent changes to the citizenship test by referencing political developments.
• He delivers a tongue-in-cheek warning:

  "Right now being an immigrant is, how do you say, mucho hardo. And it just got hardoer because Trump is making the U.S. citizenship test longer and more difficult."
  (Stephen Colbert, [04:13])

2. Satire of Citizenship Test Reforms

• Colbert mocks the logic behind making the test harder:

  “Al Qaeda could easily memorize 100 questions. But you know what they could never do? 28 more questions.”
  (Stephen Colbert, [05:25])

• He lampoons the new requirements and the American inclination for grandstanding.

3. Felipe Torres Medina’s Personal Journey

• Felipe is introduced as both a writer for the show and the author of a new book on his immigration journey, "America. Let me in."
• The tone is celebratory, with friendly ribbing:

  "Now you are an American citizen and you can no longer take days off work claiming they are a Colombian holiday. The feast of Saint Shakira is a real thing."
  (Stephen Colbert, [05:57])

4. "So You Think You Ameri-Can"—The Mock Game Show

• Felipe participates in a rapid-fire, joke-filled faux quiz to test his “American-ness.”

• Sample Q&A Highlights:

  • Q: "What is the supreme law of the land?"
    A: "The Constitution."
    Stephen: "I'm afraid the answer is fries for the table."
    (Felipe & Stephen, [06:28])
  • Q: "Who is the father of our country?"
    Felipe: "George Washington."
    Stephen: "Correct. We would also have accepted Pedro Pascal, who is the zaddy of our country."
    (Stephen, [06:36])
  • Q: "What species is the Philadelphia Flyers mascot?"
    Felipe: "Gritty? … All of them."
    Stephen: "Correct."
    (06:43)
  • Q: "Who is the Swedish ambassador to America?"
    Felipe: "Urban Allen."
    Stephen: "That is the correct answer, but you lose the point because an American would not know that."
    (06:48)

• Conclusion of the Game:

  • Felipe wins, proving his “American-ness.”
  • He receives a highly patriotic, tongue-in-cheek T-shirt ("George Washington riding a bald eagle and saying, ‘what the is a kilometer?’").
  • Quote:

    "And with a score of 3 to 2. You did it, Felipe. You are truly an American citizen."
    (Stephen Colbert, [07:38])

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “I for one don’t think a bunch of nerdy civics trivia truly prepares you to live in modern America. So we here at The Late Show have created a new fully Americanized test. And because it’s all American, a TV game show.”
  — Stephen Colbert ([06:06])

• "The feast of Saint Shakira is a real thing."
  — Stephen Colbert ([05:57])

• "What is the supreme law of the land?... I'm afraid the answer is fries for the table."
  — Stephen Colbert ([06:28])

Important Timestamps

• 04:00 – Stephen introduces the episode’s main topic: immigration and the citizenship test
• 05:57 – Introduction of Felipe Torres Medina and discussion of his background
• 06:06 – Launch of the "So You Think You Ameri-Can" mock game show
• 06:28–07:38 – Game show questions and comedic answers
• 07:38 – Felipe is crowned “truly an American citizen”

Tone and Style

The episode maintains Stephen Colbert’s signature blend of sharp satire, playful banter, and warm camaraderie. The humor is quick and often self-referential, with both Colbert and Felipe frequently skewering American customs and bureaucracy while celebrating the journey of new Americans.

Quick Recap

• Theme: American identity and the citizenship process—satirized and celebrated
• Highlights: Mock citizenship game show, comic riffs on US trivia, a heartfelt yet hilarious welcome to a new citizen
• Tone: Light, clever, and irreverently patriotic

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary offers a well-rounded glimpse into the humor, heart, and critique that defined this installment of The Late Show Pod Show.