Top of The Tops | Audience Questions

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode Title: Top of The Tops: Audience Questions
Date: May 9, 2026
Host: Stephen Colbert
Participants: Becca (Producer), Evie, Audience

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Episode Overview

This special episode features Stephen Colbert and his producer Becca answering candid, quirky, and heartfelt questions from the live studio audience. The conversation dives into everything from favorite desserts and backstage dynamics to personal memories and show traditions. Listeners get an intimate look behind the scenes at The Late Show, sprinkled with the cast's signature humor and warmth.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Joy of Audience Questions

• Stephen expresses his enjoyment:

  • Stephen loves fielding live questions, especially unpredictable or original ones, though sometimes the audience tries to upstage with jokes.
    • “Sometimes you can be the star, but just [by] asking a good question. [...] I love hearing one I've never heard before.” — Stephen Colbert (01:34)

• Becca’s favorite audience question:

  • A man asks Stephen about his favorite cookie, leading to a celebratory discussion on Late Show cookie culture.

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The “Late Show” Cookie Culture

• Writers’ Cookie Exchange:

  • The writers’ assistants hold an annual Christmas cookie swap, inspired by “Best Cookies of the Year” lists.
    • “Every Christmas time, we do a cookie exchange up on the 14th floor with the writers, and we all make a different kind of cookie...” — Becca (02:17)

• Kara’s Almond-Basil Cookie:

  • Stephen’s favorite cookie from the exchange is an almond-basil cookie (with citrus zest; lemon or lime debated).
    • “Unbelievable. And chewy. And there's no flour.” — Stephen Colbert (02:57)
    • “Gluten free. For executive producer Tom Purcell. It was an inclusive made cookie that ended up being a huge star of the year.” — Becca (03:04)

• Recipe Origins & Stephen’s Cookbook:

  • Story of Kara’s cookie making it into Colbert and Evie’s upcoming cookbook, even after a mishap in securing permission.
  • Kara is praised for her dedication, and her aunts' excitement over the cookbook is mentioned.
  • Book title revealed: “Does This Taste Funny?” Available for pre-order, releasing in September.
    • “You can pre order it from any of those websites that you know about that have books named after rivers.” — Stephen Colbert (04:40)

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Culinary Adventures & Inspirations

• Stephen’s Baking Credentials:

  • Stephen downplays his skills, while Becca and Evie vouch for treats like a Guinness gingerbread cake.
    • “No, these are not simple chocolate chip cookie recipes you're bringing to the office. Sometimes it's really nice.” — Becca (05:11)
    • “I'm gonna hook you up with a pear galette that I invented.” — Stephen Colbert (05:16)

• Behind the Scenes Ritual:

  • The glam squad watches “Barefoot Contessa” (Ina Garten) during pre-show makeup.
  • Colbert recounts attending a dinner at Ina Garten’s house and being served her signature panna cotta.
    • “I've peaked. I should get out of show business, right?” — Stephen Colbert (05:53)
  • Praise of Ina and Jeffrey’s relationship ensues (“couple goals”).

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Audience Q&A Highlights

1. SMK: Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potato, French Fries (06:46)

• The classic “Shag, Marry, Kill” posed for potato variants.
  • “French fries. Man, that is sexy and salty. I think you're marrying mashed potatoes and you're killing a baked potato. There you go.” — Stephen Colbert (06:49)

2. The Stage Manager, Mark – Eighteen Years of Support (07:04)

• Stephen speaks warmly about Mark, the stage manager, and their tried-and-true pre-show handshake ritual.
  • “He is one of the things that makes this show and the last show we did such a joy for me. That is my relationship with him. One of gratitude and learning. [...] The last person's hand I shake and I say, have a good show.” — Stephen Colbert (08:02–08:28)

3. Baby Name Dilemma (08:29)

• Audience members expect a baby girl and contemplate naming options: “Stephen,” “Stephanie,” “Charlotte,” and “Evelyn.”
• Colbert’s wife is named Evelyn, but “she’s a bit of a Charlotte” (Sex and the City reference).

4. Most Memorable Daily Show Segment (09:14)

• Colbert recalls a segment involving the American Family Council and a Minute Maid ad, joking about a supposed “gay agenda.” He relished playing a caricatured straight man:
  • “No, guys like us don't hate gay people. We're just angry at the ones that turn us on.” — Stephen Colbert (09:34)

5. Eclipse Plans and a Missed Family Gathering (10:04)

• Colbert shares eclipse-watching plans, referencing a memorable party at his home in South Carolina during the 2017 eclipse.
• He had planned a family gathering for his father’s centennial and another eclipse in December 2020, but COVID-19 canceled the event.

6. Favorite Cookie – Detailed (12:00)

• The recurrent cookie query resurfaces, with Stephen giving a detailed and humorous answer:
  • Store-bought pick: Malamars (“They're a seasonal treat”).
  • Homemade favorite: Oatmeal cherry cookies — made by soaking dried Bing cherries in Mount Gay Rum for 24 hours, reserving the rum for later drinks, then baking the cookies.
    • “You step on a baby's finger for one of those cookies? Unbelievable. I'll send you some.” — Stephen Colbert (13:11)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Audience Questions:
  • “I love hearing one I've never heard before.” — Stephen Colbert (01:34)
• On Cookie Exchanges:
  • “Every Christmas time, we do a cookie exchange up on the 14th floor with the writers…” — Becca (02:17)
• On Collaboration and Friendship at Work:
  • “This fella is my rock. He has got the broadest shoulders for me to lean on at all times.” — Stephen Colbert on Mark, the stage manager (07:55)
• On Baking Dedication:
  • “No, these are not simple chocolate chip cookie recipes you're bringing to the office.” — Becca (05:11)
• On Favorite Homemade Cookie:
  • “I take dry pitted bings and then I soak them for 24 hours in Mount Gay Rum. And then I drain them the next day and I save the cherry rum for little drinks. And then I make the cookies with that. And mama. Oh, baby.” — Stephen Colbert (12:37)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:13 – Episode Start: Stephen Colbert and Becca introduce the theme of audience questions
• 02:17 – Discussion of Late Show’s annual cookie swap
• 03:09 – Kara’s almond-basil cookie makes it into the Colbert family cookbook
• 04:35 – Cookbook release info: “Does This Taste Funny?”
• 05:29 – Colbert’s baking, glam squad, and Ina Garten dinner story
• 06:46 – Audience asks Shag, Marry, Kill for potato varieties
• 07:04 – Discussion about Mark, the beloved stage manager
• 08:29 – Baby name suggestions and “Sex and the City” reference
• 09:14 – Most memorable Daily Show report recounted
• 10:04 – Eclipse-watching stories and family gathering memories
• 12:00 – In-depth answer: Stephen’s favorite cookie creation

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Episode Tone

Effortlessly warm, witty, and personable — Colbert and his team combine backstage camaraderie with culinary passion and heartfelt interaction with their audience. The spirit is jovial, a touch nostalgic, and highly inviting to listeners who want an inside peek into the world, quirks, and traditions of The Late Show family.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

Parle tu francais habla sepanol Parle italiano.

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[Stephen Colbert]

Hello, I'm Stephen Colbert and welcome to the Late Show POD Show. I'm here with my producer. Her name is Becca. Becca, what have we got for the people today?

[Becca (Producer)]

Hello, Stephen. Tonight we've got audience questions on the podcast.

[Evie]

What?

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay, this I enjoy. You know, most nights I enjoy this. Sometimes there's a weird audience and they ask joke questions.

[Becca (Producer)]

Oh, trying to be the star.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. Well, I mean, I don't want to be in some of the star, but like, sometimes you can be the star, but just asking a good question. They're trying to try to be funny or like, you know. But I really enjoy going out there and answering the questions. I love hearing one I've never heard before.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah. And there's some really good ones in this one. One of my favorites. Spoiler alert. We got a guy asking, what's your favorite cookie? I think that's a fantastic question to get to know somebody, Right?

[Stephen Colbert]

And his enthusiasm for my answer was surprising because I thought I was gonna hit him up with a curve ball.

[Becca (Producer)]

He was adorable. I have to say.

[Evie]

He was.

[Stephen Colbert]

I liked it.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah, he was adorable.

[Stephen Colbert]

I checked on him as the show went on to see if he Was having a good time.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah. Yeah. That's nice. Yeah. You really. Can you really see everybody?

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, you can see every balcony's a little harder, but if you're in the arch level, I can see you. I know what you're doing.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. No, we take cookies pretty seriously here at the Late show up in the cowboy nook, which is what we call the writers assistants. And I, me and Kara and Maya, every Christmas time, we do a cookie exchange up on the 14th floor with the writers, and we all make a different kind of cookie, usually from the New York Times cookie, like Best cookies of the Year issue. And then we all eat them and compare which recipes we like.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, I discovered one of my favorite cookies of all time through that, which is Kara's almond basil cookie, which also has lime zest in it.

[Becca (Producer)]

I think it's lemon.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, a little bit of lemon zest.

[Becca (Producer)]

Lime zest in it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Unbelievable. And chewy. And there's no flour.

[Becca (Producer)]

No. Gluten free.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's gluten free.

[Becca (Producer)]

Or executive producer Tom Purcell.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly.

[Becca (Producer)]

It was an inclusive made cookie that ended up being a huge star of the year.

[Stephen Colbert]

Unbelievable. And Evie and I did a cookbook and the cookie showed up in it. And I wrote Kara. We were on vacation. I had to get the final recipes in and I wrote Kara. And she was off in Sardinia with her boyfriend or something like that, or Corsica. He's a Corsican, like Duke or something, isn't he?

[Evie]

Isn't there something like that?

[Stephen Colbert]

Isn't like Corsican nobility?

[Becca (Producer)]

He has ties. He has ties to Corsica. It's cool.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, but not just Corsica. Like, you know, like, he's like a count or something, isn't he?

[Becca (Producer)]

I don't know. I'll have to ask.

[Stephen Colbert]

I think he's got.

[Becca (Producer)]

Okay. Really nice guy.

[Evie]

So lovely fella.

[Stephen Colbert]

So I kept on writing her saying, hey, can I include this cookie? Like, it's so great. I'll give you credit. And all that kind of stu. And then it never heard. So I just went it. I put the cookie in and my daughter, who's a friend of hers, is

[Evie]

like, dad, you cannot put her cookie

[Stephen Colbert]

in without her permission. I'm like, I did my best.

[Becca (Producer)]

Cara is one of the hardest working people at this show. So good at her job, so amazing. But if it's a break, she will not be on outlook.com. that's a guarantee. So that's. It was not that she was ignoring you. She was simply not.

[Stephen Colbert]

I wasn't insulted.

[Evie]

I wasn't insulted.

[Becca (Producer)]

And I know that she's thrilled that it's in the cookbook. And Kara's aunts are very excited that it's in the cookbook. I know. They're big fans. Yeah. But I'm so excited to see the cookbook. Yeah, I can't wait.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, me too. I think we gave our last notes last night. I think we're done.

[Becca (Producer)]

Wow. Very exciting.

[Stephen Colbert]

All been turned in. Now it gets sent off to layout galleys and then printing.

[Becca (Producer)]

Where can people find. When's it gonna be available for the people listening?

[Stephen Colbert]

September.

[Becca (Producer)]

Okay, great.

[Stephen Colbert]

But you can order it now.

[Becca (Producer)]

Does this taste funny? Right?

[Stephen Colbert]

Does this taste funny?

[Becca (Producer)]

Great name.

[Stephen Colbert]

You can order it, pre order it from your local bookstore. You can pre order it from any of those websites that you know about that have books named after rivers.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah. Cause you're a great cook, Stephen, and you're a great baker.

[Stephen Colbert]

I enjoy it. I don't know if I'm good, but

[Evie]

Evie's a good baker.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not that very good baker. Evie's a better baker.

[Becca (Producer)]

You've made some, like, Guinness stout gingerbread cake. That was really good.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's a difficult process because you gotta boil stout.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And reduce it without burning it. It's. And then a whole bunch of blackstrap molasses.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's so good.

[Becca (Producer)]

No, these are not simple chocolate chip cookie recipes you're bringing to the office. Sometimes it's really nice.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm gonna hook you up with an pear galette that I invented.

[Becca (Producer)]

Oh, boy.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes. With a. With a brandy caramel sauce.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yum. Oh, man. Okay. Delicious.

[Stephen Colbert]

Come on. Well, we know every night when we're doing the show, as we're getting ready, I'm getting made up. When I'm with the glam squad, we watch one recipe for mine and garden.

[Becca (Producer)]

I love that so much.

[Stephen Colbert]

So great. And one of the ones I know is the panna cotta with the rum caramel and the sea salt flakes on top. And I had dinner with an Ina's place recently, and she served the panna cotta with the rum caramel and the sea salt flakes on top. And I'm like, this is it.

[Becca (Producer)]

That's the hype.

[Stephen Colbert]

I've peaked. I should get out of show business, right?

[Becca (Producer)]

That's what you get in for. Yeah, absolutely. Wow. That's a really special treat. I love her. How could you? Yeah, she's the best.

[Stephen Colbert]

And just as gracious and lovely in person as she appears to be on the show. Like, there's no difference between the person who's inviting you into her kitchen on the show. And the person who hugs you when she opens her doors. Just such a genuine person.

[Becca (Producer)]

Was Jeffrey there? Was Jeffrey there as well?

[Stephen Colbert]

Of course, yeah.

[Becca (Producer)]

Oh, nice.

[Stephen Colbert]

He's really the draw.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah, well, sometimes he's busy and she's just having fun, and then. And then Jeffrey comes home later and, you know, that's what I love about it.

[Stephen Colbert]

I like it when Jeffrey gets sent on a mission.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Jeffrey's got a job. He's got to go buy the cheese or the wine or the flowers or whatever it is.

[Becca (Producer)]

Yeah. Couple goals. Yeah. Oh, that's beautiful. All right, well, we've gone off road here, as we love to do.

[Evie]

So what is it tonight? Oh, questions.

[Becca (Producer)]

It's audience questions.

[Stephen Colbert]

Audience questions. Do enjoy.

[Evie]

Are there any questions I can answer before we get going here, folks? What? Huh? Wow. What's the question, sir Mary Kill. Mashed potatoes, baked potato, French fries. Hold on. I'm thinking you got to. French fries. Man, that is sexy and salty. I think you're marrying mashed potatoes and you're killing a baked potato. There you go. You're a stage manager. Mark, what is our relationship like? We have known each other for 18 years. This man has got. Come back here so everybody can see you. This man has. I'm taller than he is, but this fella. This fella is my rock. He has got the broadest shoulders for me to lean on at all times. You know, he's such a gift to me. He's show folk, too. Yeah. And so he understands the weird life that we live. And he can know what's going on with me without me saying a word. He can read my mind.

[Stephen Colbert]

And.

[Evie]

And he is one of the things that makes this show and the last show we did such a joy for me. That is my relationship with him, One of gratitude and learning. Thank you, Mark. And he's also the last person whose hand I shake before the show starts every night. The last person's hand I shake and I say, have a good show.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's it.

[Evie]

Anybody else? Yes. Young men in the oatmeal sweater. We have a baby girl due in July. Steven's a beautiful name. Stephanie. Stephanie. Okay. Yeah.

[Becca (Producer)]

Charlotte or Evelyn.

[Evie]

Oh, Evelyn. Because, Evelyn, this is my wife right here.

[Stephen Colbert]

Evelyn.

[Evie]

Right here. Right over there in the Almost Rider. Evelyn. Evelyn. I think you have to go with Evie. Okay. The thing is, my wife is named Evelyn, but she's a bit of a Charlotte.

[Becca (Producer)]

Why?

[Ross Advertiser]

I get that.

[Evie]

What does that mean? Sex and the City. Oh, I'm a bit of a Charlotte. Good Luck. Good luck.

[Stephen Colbert]

Good luck.

[Evie]

Thanks. Yes, sir. What is your most memorable Daily show besides the cross? Besides the what? Besides the cross burning that you talked about. Oh, the crossburn. My favorite. My most memorable Daily show shoot. I did a lot of them.

[Stephen Colbert]

I did.

[Evie]

I don't know, I might have done hundreds of them. I can't remember because I was there for a long time. I was there before John was there. I do remember that they sent me out on one. There was something called the American Family Council, which was a sort of fundamentalist Christian lobbying group that was afraid that there was a gay agenda behind a lot of things. And there was a minute made ad where Pluto no Bluto and Popeye and olive Oil are in it. And instead of drinking spinach, Popeye and Bluto drank orange juice instead. And they became friends and ignored olive oil. And the people at this organization thought that it was promoting a gay agenda. And so I went in in character. Cause like, I used to kind of do a character. And I went in and I said, why are they doing this to us? You know, I watch it, I feel it, I see what they're doing. And I don't hate gay people. And the guy said, neither do I. And I said, no, guys like us don't hate gay people. We're just angry at the ones that turn us on. That was a lot of fun. It went on from there. It was like a three parter. It was a really long one. I really enjoyed it. Anybody else? Yes, ma'. Am. How are you going to watch the eclipse? How am I going to watch the eclipse? Out my window. I can't go. We got a show that day or else I would go in 2017. I'm from South Carolina and we have a little place down there. And the totality went over our house in 2017. So we had a big party. We had like, you know, a taco truck and everything out in the yard and watched it. It was fantastic. Only two and a half minutes. It's like four and a half minutes this time because the moon's a little closer. So it's going to be a longer one. I really wish I could. I loved it so much in 2017 that I looked up where the next eclipse would be, and it was going to be on December 14, 2020. And so I booked a flight to go down there and I booked a place for all me and my brothers and sisters to stay because December 14th would have been my father's 100th birthday. So I wanted to all go down there and celebrate my father's 100th birthday down there and Covid. Yeah. Yeah. So anyway, anybody else? Yes.

[Becca (Producer)]

Favorite cookie in Y.

[Evie]

Favorite cookie and why. Now we're getting somewhere. Great question, Evie. What's my favorite cookie and why we'd like so large? I do like Malamars because they're a seasonal treat. That's my favorite store bought cookie. My favorite cookie to make is. Oh, it's the cherry. It's the oatmeal cherry.

[Becca (Producer)]

Correct.

[Evie]

Do you know it's an oatmeal cookie made with cherries instead of raisins. Do you know this cookie? Hello. This is a cookie that I thought I sort of invented last summer. Because what I do is that I get dried cherries, like dried Bings. Pitted. Dried. You're. You can't believe I'm going to tell this story. I take dry pitted bings and then I soak them for 24 hours in Mount Gay Rum. And then I drain them the next day and I save the cherry rum for little drinks.

[Stephen Colbert]

And.

[Evie]

And then I make the cookies with that. And mama. Oh, baby. You step on a baby's finger for one of those cookies? Unbelievable. I'll send you some. Okay. All right. We ready to do the show? Y' all ready to do the show? Y' all ready to do the show, everybody? Great. Thank you for listening to the Late Show POD show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of

[Stephen Colbert]

me, come to the Late show.

[Evie]

You can YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

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