Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert
Episode: Stephen Presents: Katherine LaNasa (Extended) | 'The Pitt'
Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Stephen Colbert
Guest: Kathryn LaNasa
Producer/Co-host: Becca
Episode Overview
This episode features an in-depth interview with Emmy-winning actress Kathryn LaNasa, best known for her role as Nurse Dana on HBO Max's hit series The Pitt. The conversation covers LaNasa’s personal and professional journey, her connection with Colbert, the emotional resonance of her recent successes, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes about her career and life. The tone is warm and candid, balancing humor with heartfelt moments about resilience and artistry in the face of adversity.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Pitt: Fan Reactions and LaNasa’s Role
- (01:23–02:44) Colbert and producer Becca discuss binge-watching The Pitt and their admiration for LaNasa's portrayal of Nurse Dana.
- Stephen Colbert (02:00): “Watching Kathryn LaNasa do that part was like the first time I heard ‘One’ by U2…I went, they can’t have written this. This is too much of a classic.”
- (02:55–03:36) They relate the show’s high-paced atmosphere to classic medical dramas like ER and 24, appreciating “quality, quality TV.”
2. Kathryn LaNasa’s Personal Journey to Emmy Night
- (05:03–09:19) LaNasa recounts her emotional journey before landing her role in The Pitt, her struggles with unemployment, battling cancer, and finding new paradigms for handling regret and imperfection.
- Kathryn LaNasa (05:23): “About a year before I got The Pitt, I was in a dark place. I had been unemployed for a while. I had cancer…if I just did everything perfectly…I would insulate myself from loss and bad things.”
- She shares how a viral clip of Colbert discussing grief helped her reframe her perspective:
- Kathryn LaNasa (05:23–07:05): “I saw that clip of you talking to Anderson Cooper…you say that grief and our loss is part of what makes us human…and if we’re really going to love life, we have to love all of it.”
- “In the depths of my despair, I heard you.”
- She talks about channeling that grief into her performance and being “gobsmacked” by her Emmy win, feeling she “whiffed” her speech but took in the room’s joy regardless.
3. The Legacy of Imperfection and Joy
- (09:06–09:23) LaNasa reflects on Colbert’s encouragement after her win:
- Stephen Colbert (08:53): “Do you know how much joy you brought the room?”
- Kathryn LaNasa (09:07): “That moment was such a testament to how we think we need to do everything perfectly…just be like, yes, I won.”
- (09:23) Colbert underscores the value of honesty and joy in her acceptance.
4. Acting as a Nurse — On-Set Training and Realism
- (09:28–10:47) Discussion shifts to LaNasa thanking “valiant nurses” in her Critics Choice speech and what she learned in the medical boot camp for the show:
- Kathryn LaNasa (10:07): “[I learned] not much...I can trach pretty well. I can do an intubation pretty well. That’s about it.”
- Humor arises over the technical jargon of medical scenes:
- Kathryn LaNasa (10:25): “I’d done so little of that…they said, ‘and then you hang a bag’…all it means is you take the bag and put it on the hook!”
5. Accents and Roots — Louisiana to Pittsburgh
- (10:49–11:22) LaNasa describes losing her Louisiana accent after attending an international high school.
- Kathryn LaNasa (11:10): “I went to North Carolina School of the Arts…when I was around 14, and I kind of just naturally lost [the accent].”
- (11:28–12:08) Colbert shares tales of comedy gigs in Baton Rouge, bonding over crawfish. LaNasa jokes she became allergic after eating too much.
6. Uncertainty and Renewal in Hollywood
- (12:12–12:57) Addressing The Pitt’s season two uncertainty:
- Kathryn LaNasa (12:22): “Yes, I was worried. We bought a house…then I got a call, and I’m like, please don’t fire me, I just bought a house.”
- The relief of learning her job was safe and recognizing “it had taken me so long to get ahead.”
7. Personal Life & Classic Hollywood Stories
- (13:08–14:47) Colbert brings up LaNasa’s husband, Grant Show (of Melrose Place fame); she says she never watched the show and quips, “I think that’s why I got him.”
- (14:08–15:39) On being married to Dennis Hopper, dinner with Roddy McDowell, Lauren Bacall, Bette Davis, and her favorite anecdote:
- Kathryn LaNasa (14:47): “My great joy was freaking out Vincent Price with my ultrasound…he was so freaked out by that.”
- She shares how Vincent Price’s influence led Dennis Hopper into modern art collecting.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Life and Loss:
- Kathryn LaNasa (07:05): “Sometimes you lose…life is gonna bring us great beauty and great joy, but it’s also gonna knock us on our ass and bring us grief and loss.”
- On Emmy Night:
- Kathryn LaNasa (08:57): “Do you know how much joy you brought the room?”
- Stephen Colbert (09:06): “That’s where the joy came from.”
- On Medical Training for the Role:
- Stephen Colbert (10:42): “Got a little too technical for you?”
- Kathryn LaNasa (10:43): “Yeah, back it up, sister.”
- On Her Marriage to Grant Show:
- Kathryn LaNasa (13:23): “I think it’s why I got him…he was just a guy with bad pants.”
- Classic Hollywood Anecdote:
- Kathryn LaNasa (14:47): “[Vincent Price] was so freaked out by [the ultrasound]. So that was my great joy.”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 01:23–02:44 — Binge-watching The Pitt and LaNasa’s performance
- 05:03–09:19 — LaNasa’s cancer, loss, and Emmy night
- 10:01–10:47 — On-set “doctor/nurse school” and nursing skills
- 10:49–11:22 — Accent stories and family background
- 12:12–12:57 — Uncertainty about her role’s future on The Pitt
- 13:08–14:47 — Marrying Grant Show, Dennis Hopper, and celebrity dinner tales
- 14:47–15:39 — Vincent Price and Dennis Hopper's art collection
Tone and Takeaways
The exchange is genuine, funny, and occasionally poignant, with LaNasa demonstrating vulnerability, gratitude, and wit. Colbert’s empathy and humor elevate the conversation, making for a compelling look at the unexpected ways grief, chance, art, and human connection shape both life and performance. For fans and newcomers alike, this episode offers both entertainment and inspiration.