Stephen Colbert didn’t get the opportunity to interview Pope Francis before the latter’s death in April, but he does have his sights set on another agent of the papacy: Pope Leo XIV. As he put it, the Pope could travel to Chicago and the pair could “get some deep dish” pizza together.
While answering questions for GQ’s “Actually Me” video, Colbert admitted he “really wanted to interview Francis.”
After making his Pope Leo pitch, he added, “We’ll go to a Sox game. I mean, I’ve got nine moths left. If there’s one person I could talk to … I’d even go to Rome. You know what? I would do that for him. I would even go to Rome. I hear it’s a nice place.”
Colbert, who is an observant Catholic, attempted to interview Pope Francis in 2015, when the then leader of the Catholic Church visited New York City. Though he was unsuccessful in his bid, Colbert did record a special episode of his late night show completely devoted to Francis and his visit.
However, Francis and Colbert did eventually meet. In 2024, the comedian joined more than 100 comics from 15 countries at the Vatican. “In the midst of so much gloomy news,” Francis told the group, “you denounce abuses of power, you give voice to forgotten situations, you highlight abuses, you point out inappropriate behavior.”
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The group also included Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tig Notaro and Conan O’Brien.
When announcing his trip on his own show, Colbert chastised Francis for using a gay slur twice in the weeks before the trip. “Why? Why, Pope Frankie, why?” Colbert asked at the time.
Pope Francis apologized, noting in a statement that he was sorry “to those who felt offended by the use of the term.”
