Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert Episode: Will Ferrell's Colbert Questionert | Oh Canada
Release Date: April 30, 2025

1. Opening Monologue: The 100th Day of Trump's Presidency

Stephen Colbert kickstarts the episode by marking the 100th day of Donald Trump's presidency, drawing parallels to Franklin D. Roosevelt's inaugural 100-day benchmark established in 1933. Colbert humorously critiques Trump's performance, highlighting his controversial policies and diminishing popularity both domestically and internationally.

• Polled Public Opinion:

  • "Only 23% would give him an A, 45% would give him an F, the remaining 32% want to kick him right in the D." [02:15]

• Media Critique:

  • Referencing Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal, Colbert mocks Trump's tendency to "do too much," likening it to Pizza Hut's overloaded meat lovers pizza.
  • "The whole White House motto seems to be that if something is worth doing, it's worth doing too much." [04:50]

International Relations: Canada’s Stance on Trump

Colbert shifts focus to Canada, emphasizing the nation's disapproval of Trump. He discusses the recent election of Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, who campaigned on an anti-Trump platform, resulting in a landslide victory that assigns Trump the lowest possible grade from Canadian voters.

• Election Outcome:

  • "Canadians gave Trump their lowest letter grade, Z, as opposed to their highest grade A plus." [07:30]

• Prime Minister Carney’s Rhetoric:

  • "President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never, ever happen." [09:10]

Colbert humorously references Trump’s failed attempt to engage the Philadelphia Eagles, noting the low turnout of players at his event and comparing it unfavorably to historical presidential events.

• Eagles Event Attendance:
  • "Less than half of the 53-man roster attended. That's kind of embarrassing for the President." [12:45]

International Incidents and Political Gaffes

The monologue continues with news of a massive power outage in Spain and Portugal, connecting it to internal U.S. politics by critiquing Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary, for mishandling sensitive information.

• Power Outage Commentary:

  • "The outage took down the entire electrical grid of Spain and Portugal. As Spain's Prime Minister put it, 'We have never had a complete collapse of the system.'" [15:20]

• Defense Secretary Hegseth's Critique:

  • Colbert mocks Hegseth’s response to calls for his resignation, highlighting his appearance on Fox News and unprofessional behavior.
  • "Hegseth knows his real job is to yell about stuff on TV, which is why he is keeping our war fighters battle-ready by ordering a makeup studio installed at the Pentagon." [18:50]

Navy Secretary’s Historical Blunder

Highlighting another political misstep, Colbert points out that John Phelan, Trump’s Secretary of the Navy, mistakenly cited the date of the Pearl Harbor attack, confusing December 7, 1941, with June 7, 1941.

• Date Confusion:
  • "He was there to honor those who died during Pearl Harbor on June 7, 1941. Now, fans of knowing stuff may recall that the actual date was December 7, 1941." [21:10]

Colbert concludes the monologue by poking fun at Phelan’s apparent lack of military experience, referencing his blunder and the altered Navy slogan.

• Slogan Mockery:
  • "Which explains why he's changed the Navy slogan to 'Why is everything so wet?'" [22:30]

2. Interview with Will Ferrell

The highlight of the episode is an engaging and humorous interview with Will Ferrell, America's beloved comedian and actor. Colbert employs a series of quirky and playful "bunker buster" questions designed to elicit genuine and amusing responses from Ferrell.

Notable Highlights:

• First Question: Best Sandwich

  • Ferrell: "I'll probably go with the classic salami and grapefruit on rye with a light sheen of mayonnaise." [30:15]
  • Colbert's Reaction: "That's nice. I'm getting hungry." [30:40]

• First Concert Attended

  • Ferrell: "Roddy Ricch." [32:05]
  • Colbert's Follow-up: "Who's Roddy Ricch?" [32:10]

• Scariest Animal

  • Ferrell: "The penguin." [34:20]
  • Colbert's Commentary: "Don't turn your back on a penguin." [34:25]

• Earliest Memory

  • Ferrell: "I was four years old and I attempted to rob a liquor store with my hand in a paper bag as if it were a gun. And I made off with $36." [38:50]

• One Song for the Rest of Life

  • Ferrell: Chooses to sing Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” humorously demonstrating his rendition.
  • Colbert's Joke: "You can pay for that." [40:10]

• Final Thought: Describe Life in Five Words

  • Ferrell: "Conquer my fear of penguins." [42:00]
  • Colbert: "Congratulations, Will. You're known." [42:05]

Throughout the interview, Ferrell showcases his signature comedic style, blending absurdity with charm, while Colbert adeptly navigates the conversation, enhancing the humor and engagement of the segment.

3. Closing Remarks

Stephen Colbert wraps up the episode by thanking listeners and encouraging them to visit The Late Show YouTube channel for more exclusive content and clips.

• "Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert." [43:30]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Stephen Colbert on Trump's Policy Overreach:

  • "The whole White House motto seems to be that if something is worth doing, it's worth doing too much." [04:50]

• Canadian Prime Minister Carney on Trump:

  • "President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never, ever happen." [09:10]

• Colbert Mocking Pete Hegseth:

  • "Hegseth knows his real job is to yell about stuff on TV." [18:50]

• Will Ferrell on the Scariest Animal:

  • "The penguin. Because you know the old phrase, don't turn your back on a penguin." [34:20]

• Will Ferrell on Life After Death:

  • "We turn into trees. We spread our branches and contribute oxygen." [39:00]

Conclusion

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert masterfully blends sharp political satire with lighthearted celebrity interaction. Stephen Colbert delivers incisive commentary on current political climates and international relations, seamlessly transitioning into a delightful and humorous interview with Will Ferrell. The combination of topical humor and playful dialogue ensures that both politically inclined listeners and fans of comedy find the episode engaging and entertaining.

For those who haven't tuned in, this episode offers a perfect mix of insightful political humor and the charismatic banter between Colbert and Ferrell, making it a standout installment in the podcast series.