{"id":473356,"date":"2026-05-07T17:21:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/473356\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T17:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:21:16","slug":"stephen-colbert-grilled-by-jimmy-kimmel-jimmy-fallon-jon-stewart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/473356\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen Colbert Grilled by Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cNo fucking way, you got a question from Jay Leno?\u201d says Stephen Colbert.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tAs his own late-night tenure nears its end \u2014 a cancelation that shocked the industry and its host \u2014 THR reached out to fellow hosts, past and present, including Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O\u2019Brien, to help bolster our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/tv\/tv-features\/stephen-colbert-interview-late-show-end-1236585528\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">exit interview.<\/a> So, on this Friday afternoon in late April, Colbert is huddled in his writers room on the top floor of the Ed Sullivan Theater building, sifting through queries from the only other folks who\u2019ve walked in his shoes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tWith a few exceptions, including Leno, whom Colbert has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/tv\/tv-features\/stephen-colbert-interview-late-show-end-1236585528\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">fond memories of<\/a>, it remains a tight-knit group. In fact, Kimmel, Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver were the only ones Colbert connected with immediately post-firing. \u201cI came up to my office [after making the on-air announcement], and flipped on my phone and we did a quick exchange,\u201d Colbert recalls. \u201cMy favorite was Kimmel, who just said, \u2018That\u2019s a hell of an Emmy campaign.\u2019 I said, \u2018Busted.\u2019 And then I think they might have laid bets on who was next.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tTheir questions for Colbert ahead of his May 21 sign-off are hilariously on brand. Kimmel, for instance, lobs an absurdly silly question about obese patients getting MRIs at the zoo, while Jimmy Fallon inquires about Colbert\u2019s favorite musical guests, Leno is eager to hear about his standup aspirations and Meyers wants to know about interview answers that have stuck with him. O\u2019Brien, for his part, asks, simply: \u201cJust who the hell do you think you are?\u201d <\/p>\n<ul class=\"pmc-fallback-list-items lrv-a-unstyle-list lrv-u-margin-t-2\">\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of Jay Leno<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"912\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Jay Leno\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2186379298-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: David Becker\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t<br \/>\u201c<strong>Have you ever thought about a road version of your best jokes for a live audience?\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013<strong>Jay Leno<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tStill waiting for the best jokes, Jay. But I can\u2019t imagine never [having a] live audience again. We did the show for 15 months without a live audience during COVID, and it was fine. People seemed to like it, compared to nothing, I suppose. But to me, it was like going onstage and reading sheet music as opposed to playing an instrument. It was like theoretically a comedy show. So I think that\u2019s a great idea, Jay. Please send me a list of what my best jokes have been. And let\u2019s hit the road together. You drive.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of Trevor Noah<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"866\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Trevor Noah\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2251277923-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Noam Galai\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201c<strong>Is there anything you were never able to do because you had a late night show, and do you see yourself doing it now?\u201d -Trevor Noah\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tExercising. I think my wife has waited long enough. It\u2019s time for abs. I want to be swole. You\u2019re not even going to recognize me. I\u2019m going to be ripped. You\u2019re going to be able to bounce a quarter off my ass and get back two dimes and a nickel. Brace yourself. It\u2019s finally happening.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of Jimmy Kimmel<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"906\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Jimmy Kimmel\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2213138262-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Tommaso Boddi\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201c<strong>Is it true that hospitals are sometimes forced to send patients who are too obese for their MRI\/CT machines to be scanned at the zoo?\u00a0\u201d -Jimmy Kimmel<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tYes, it is. And that\u2019s your tax dollars at work.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of Seth Meyers<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"901\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Seth Meyers\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2192046270-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Alberto Rodriguez\/GG2025\/Penske Media\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201c<strong>What\u2019s an answer a guest gave that will stay with you the longest?<\/strong>\u201d \u2013<strong>Seth Meyers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tI interviewed Keanu Reeves one night. And out of nowhere, I don\u2019t know why, I asked him, \u201cWhat do you think happens when we die?\u201d And he paused in that way only Keanu can, and he said something beautiful, actually. He said, \u201cThe people who love us will miss us.\u201d It\u2019s pretty simple, deceptively simple, because it blew up. I mean, it was one of the most watched clips we\u2019ve ever had on YouTube. And we went, \u201cOh wait, let\u2019s ask that question of everybody and see how they do.\u201d Then we built the Colbert Questionert around it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of Jon Stewart<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"935\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Jon Stewart\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2219095124-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rodin Eckenroth\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201c<strong>How do you know when the fudge is done?\u201d -Jon Stewart\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tIf you are a coward, you can go buy a candy thermometer and do it that way. I think it\u2019s 315 degrees or something like that.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of James Corden<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"917\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"James Corden\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2229008145-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Adela Loconte\/Variety\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201c<strong>What have you been doing to mentally and emotionally prepare for your daily life after the show?\u201d -James Corden\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tI try not to make eye contact with the people in the building too much. I\u2019ve always discouraged it, but now I\u2019m really being a hard-ass about it. Don\u2019t look me in the eye because I\u2019m a weeper. And I like the show a lot, but I love the people I work with, and that\u2019s going to be hard.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of Jimmy Fallon<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"665\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Jimmy Fallon\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2189140654-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kristina Bumphrey\/Billboard\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201c<strong>You\u2019ve had the best seats in the house for over 10 years. What\u2019s the one musical performance that you and the crew still talk about?\u201d -Jimmy Fallon\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tWe just recently had Hozier and Lake Street Dive do Joe Cocker\u2019s Woodstock version of \u201cWith a Little Help From my Friends,\u201d that was pretty fantastic. Joe Walsh was like, \u201cHey man, I want to come on.\u201d And Joe Walsh doing \u201cRocky Mountain Way\u201d burned this theater to the ground. The damn Doobie Brothers, just structural damage to this building. Fallon\u2019s right. We\u2019ve had the best seats in the house for over 10 years. But honest to God, on a nightly basis, our band, Louis Cato and the Great Big Joy Machine, will do something that blows you away, and the people at home only hear the tail end of it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFrom the Desk of Conan O\u2019Brien<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"757\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-hollywoodreporter-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Conan O'Brien\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2266353108-EMBED-2026.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Chad Salvador\/WWD\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201c<strong>Just who the hell do you think you are?\u201d -Conan O\u2019Brien\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tFor a while, I thought I was a guy who was going to write for Conan O\u2019Brien, but you did not accept my application. I think I\u2019m Conan O\u2019Brien\u2019s friend. It\u2019s hard to tell from this question. I think I\u2019m Conan O\u2019Brien\u2019s best friend, actually. Is that possible? That I\u2019m his best friend?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cNo fucking way, you got a question from Jay Leno?\u201d says Stephen Colbert. As his own late-night tenure&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":473357,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[265],"tags":[4949,18,117,19,17,39009,18180,9163,7613,38647,5712,4951,125772,69553,101475,128],"class_list":{"0":"post-473356","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-conan-obrien","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-james-corden","14":"tag-jay-leno","15":"tag-jimmy-fallon","16":"tag-jimmy-kimmel","17":"tag-jon-stewart","18":"tag-seth-meyers","19":"tag-stephen-colbert","20":"tag-thr-cover-story","21":"tag-thr-original-video","22":"tag-trevor-noah","23":"tag-tv"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116534450606756603","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=473356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473356\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/473357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=473356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=473356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=473356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}