You know this year is crazy when the late show host says “here’s another dumb thing the president did” while he sips alcohol practically alone at his studio.
Hahaha so true Edit: except the comment above mine.. very few youtubers can hold a flame to Colbert, and even they write scripts for themselves before they shoot anything 😂
Tasunke See? That’s better. At least the shitflinging isn’t political now. You’re making so much progress, Tasu-chan! We might be able to release you from the facility if you keep it up!
This feels like when you're at school and a majority of your class is gone either because of a field trip or testing or something, so your teacher is just kind of chilling talking to the handful of students that are still in class.
This is so weird, but so cozy. It’s like when it’s snowing outside, school doesn’t call off, but most of the kids call in, so it’s just your teacher and a select few students and you all just goof off the entire day and have good discussions. I think that’s the reason why I’m feeling this weird coziness feeling in the midst of an infectious virus.
nearly 4 years now and it is so weird to see this... it was a brick by the way, Stephen, but most of us got through it okayish... a few people died, quite a few are still fighting with the consequences, some with physical conditions, and many of us with psychological consequences... the world will change a lot from it, some good some bad... but don't worry, there's a lot of war and other shit coming up, so it can still get worse!
Stephen: play me some calming music Jon: plays famously sad piece of music used in every art-house apocalypse or holocaust movie ever when all hope is lost Stephen: *drinks*
@@qwerty_and_azerty - I was a classical music major in college. This was one of my favorite pieces to perform. Batiste throwing that out actually made me smile. It's been a while.
I love that Hollywood and the Entertainment industry are being serious about the ramifications of Coronavirus. I wish our government would do the same. Stay safe, folks. 💜
trump literally put travel bans on europe and donated billions of dollars to the cdc i think the government is trying their hardest under the circumstances
Here in St. Louis almost every event including sports, music, theater, and convention has been canceled. And the mayor has forbidden any events of 2,000 and over.
@@tmante0 only after thousands are confirmed sick and even then testings and treatments aren't given to those who need it and you're still made to go to work if you're sick so. Meanwhile other countries are already taking the necessary measures. America? Not so much
@Tom Cizzle - Hey Tom. I'm conservative and tRump is an idiot that has to go! It is only Faux News and Trumptards that are the real problem. Have a good day.
I'm actually digging this whole no-audience thing. It's raw and immediate. It feels more like the original Letterman vibe, ad hoc, and guerilla. Love it.
I'd laugh if they started filling the theatre with Mannequins and huge stuffed animals, cardboard standups...or wacky flailing inflatable arm tube men. LOL
I think this no audience thing is a true test to the late night hosts as entertainers, can they keep the same energy and delivery of jokes without feeding off an audience? All entertainers Do is Respond to the energy in the room!
I hope he isn’t too discouraged from the events. I am super thankful he’s up there putting on a show. That’s some damn good commitment to his work. That, or contractual obligations. Either way, as long as he’s not putting his health at risk, I hope he keeps the shows coming.
@Fate speaking of movies. I know why people are tense and fight each other while buying stuff at the store while its flooded with people prepping for a disaster. I felt something in the air dude, it was calm but packed, milk, water, tissue... gone. When they restock it.... gone If someone was to start shit, everybody would start losing their cool because the line was long as shit with only two clerks literally running out of money. Now i understand
@@frostywasp1743 yeah, usually the protagonist is cool under pressure but most of us would be the other people, the ones terrified and uncertain and on tenterhooks, and well, fear leads to anger, and anger leads to the Dark Side. Fortunately, I went to the store today and everybody seemed to be making a conscious effort to be calm, friendly and cooperative and even generous, which was wonderful to see. But, how long that would last if things got much worse is anybody's guess...you also have people fighting over toilet paper and dying of alcohol poisoning.
honestly this makes want to watch late shows even more because I just want to see how they react to a situation so tragically unique. I googled if snl was going to be on this week and apparently they're doing repeats. Honestly I really wanted to see how a show like that would go without an audience. You put it very well, "fascinatingly spooky and fascinatingly depressing."
Honestly, these audienceless shows are kind of interesting. Keep em coming. We need entertainment during these times, thanks you for fighting the good fight!
Best episode so far. They should all be more like this-- Stephen and John with music and ideas going back and forth. Odd how a room of brilliant writers doesn't achieve the same vibrance of this rehearsal. Networks put too much stock into following a formula.
This feels like one of those apocalyptic movies where the last surviving humans still dress for dinner “just cause.”. Anyone remember the final scene from Night of the Comet?
@@severestatements5428 so, is this what you do? just go to random popular channels and post the same comment over and over, advertising your own channel, on videos that have nothing whatsoever to do with the topic you're discussing?
To me, this was the funniest monologue in months. Something about the awkward silence after the jokes had me rolling. Keep it up Stephen. I love it! Maybe I'm weird!
Huh! Looks like something from my music appreciation class stuck with me! Because I had the same thought, but didn't understand WHY I thought that song was was about death.
Wow. When life gets stressful and the world seems crazy, we watch this show for a distraction and to feel less alone. Having these shows slowly shut down feels a little like the band playing as the titanic sank. Please don’t stop, Stephen. We need you.
Imagine the band all using a video conference platform to join. I have paid for “couch tour” from home broadcasts from several singer songwriters, and they are fun. There’s a different, less slick feel that is endearing and intimate.
i feel like we're living in the beginning of a dystopian novel. like when the book starts 5-10 years after the world fell apart and this is the very beginning part of the story you only ever hear about in snippets throughout the book.
The year is 2022. .03% of the human populace has survived the waves upon waves of devastating plague. A wild eyed and disheveled Stephen Colbert laughs quietly to himself as he delivers his monologue in what remains of his tattered studio. The darkened cameras and nonexistent audience sit in rapt attention. "Today the New York Nicks celebrated their second consecutive 14-way tie as the conference champions. My sympathies go out to the 15th place team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. heh..."
🤔🤔 I guess. Idk. He'll just look like someone's grandpa screaming into the void about how great he is at everything and how nobody knows more than him. Ok on second thought I do too.
I’d like to see these rehearsals more often. Felt way more authentic, personal, spontaneous and real. Totally different show but still funny and far more candid like improv. A live off-script talk show would be a bold brave programming move more akin to RU-vid vlogging than tv. Refreshing change for a tired predictable format? Only courageous, genuinely funny intelligent hosts and guests need apply.
If Stephen did choose to do that, it would immediately place him among the greats of late night in my mind, following in the footsteps of the great Craig Ferguson. He seems perfectly comfortable in this more candid setup. It could happen, and I desperately want it to.
Charlie I agree but he didn’t seem comfortable at all. It would be more like early ‘Letterman but Stephen is witty, talented, funny and intelligent enough to pull it off. The risk factor would be huge, but so would the entertainment payoff. I think the guests would be truly afraid. Lol. A format like that could make or break celebrities quick. Almost Live from Seattle in the 80s was like this and it was hit and miss though. Like SNL also. At least this show now is consistently good, even though it’s completely scripted, over rehearsed, and totally fake like every other talk show these days.
Who else would pay to see Stephen go off the cuff with Neil Degrasse Tyson for an hour over a few glasses of bourbon. Absolutely no need for a laugh track or cued audience laughter. Take my money.
Snaakie God I hope you're right. The British government is almost as incompetent as the American one, so people seem to be bracing for the apocalypse, though the 'keep calm and carry on' mantra seems to be pervading in some quarters yet! Kudos to the Colbert team for this though, I'm laughing and crying at the same time ;)
This period of The Late Show was strange and quite scary. We didn't know what we were in for.. Now, over 2 years later, I'm very happy that that period is over
I strongly agree with Conlan Mueller... any audience-laughter deficiency is far compensated-for... by the LOL breaking-up which arises... from watching this first-time-ever historic clip
This makes me realize that a trump rally without an audience to enable him would just be a borderline senile man rambling into the abyss... now THATS something I’d like to see
I think this particular episode will go down as historic. It truly captures the bewilderment and apprehension we all felt when the pandemic started. School children in the year 2100 will watch this to prepare themselves for the next "once in a century" pandemic.
I don’t understand your comment? Why in hindsight would you not want trump to pursue a travel ban on heavily infected COVID parts of the world in the early stages? Why would open borders of heavily infected countries at the very beginning of the pandemic benefit America? Why wouldn’t you prefer to close borders to much more Covid prevalent parts of the world to get a head start on the safety of America? Can you elaborate on why Stephen Colbert has a good point regarding any aspect of this concept?
Global Warming other forms of human impact on the enviroment are quickly disregulating the ecosystems, wich increases the chances of the next pandemic happening still on our lifetimes.
I don't think they'll have a choice for awhile, unless they build plastic enclosures for each audience member to have their own personal space. We have entered the time of cholera when we must not breathe on each other.
I actually really enjoyed the energy here. I feel like this will be a bit of an artifact of the times when this will passes. Everything feels a bit surreal and dissociated, and this captured it really well.
Will someone please let Stephen know that I laughed out loud several times. He's obviously disoriented by not having an audience, but he's doing fine. Classy comedy at its finest.
I actually thought that is what Stephen said at first. I was like, "Did Tom Hanks really just make a pun about his own Coronavirus"? Then I rewinded :(
This show really brought out the showman in John, he was relaxed and on point. Nothing he said seemed forced, as it often does. Maybe the lack of a crowd changes the pacing, and he likes it better. I think Colbert shone in this. He should consider it like a podcast. All the talk show guys should. And they really just need a couple people around to snicker and gesture. Just offer someone to bounce off of. Although it is obvious why Colbert loves to perform for a crowd. Remember when he ran for president? He has been a joy to watch since before the Colbert Report. I think having the relaxed, bourbon in hand, feet on the desk, attitude, contributes to the feel of a club we all belong to. Which we are a part off, this global audience of self-isolators. Colbert makes it fun. Let’s hope he can continue because we all desperately need him right now!
I agree with your take. I usually really enjoy the dynamic between Stephen and John, but I love it in this. I definitely wouldn't want to see the usual style go away, but I'd certainly love to see something like this (small or no audience, casual, even just taping the rehearsal again) come back more in the regular schedule. Maybe as a monthly show.
Agreed- This video made me a fan. I really enjoyed the "crassness" of it. It was genuine. I appreciate he is having scotch rather than pretending hes drinking water, the conversation between he and John and the lack of audience. Very enjoyable change of pace. Would welcome it as the norm.
I rarely laugh out loud during this show, but the lack of laughter cues made me laugh the whole time. I agree that it's a much more relatable experience to see *Steven and john* perform this way. Reminds me of the Eric Andre show *Edit
I agree that this was surprisingly graceful, especially for a rehearsal. It has a livingroom or speakeasy atmosphere, and was relaxed in a very easy to appreciate way. It just goes to show that Colbert is really talented and surrounds himself with a good crowd, because he doesn't need the flash to make it work.
When he kissed his hand, smiled and and said “see ya suckers!” and then looked down at his hand and applied some purell, that was one of the more darkly funny moments on television. Not sure if it was meant to be a joke or not.
Honestly intended a joke or not the subjective humor can be quite melancholic. Personally I love this. There is a lot of truth in this relative to the late show .
Because the normal show is polished to a shine, to look and sound better than life, representing something that is only possible using technology. This times there was a person sitting there, walking out of the spotlight, taking a second to think, in short: Being real. Even the cuts were obvious, allowing us insight into how the material was pieced together, allowed us to experience that there were mistakes hidden from us, that there's not an ubermensch there who can do the whole show perfectly in one take as the usual hidden cuts suggest.
I think the reason it feels so much more inclusive is because usually we get to see a taping of him talking to his audience - now he is talking directly to us in front of the screen, just us. Makes one feel less voyeuristic and more like the partner of a conversation. ^^
Because it feels more like having a conversation, than a show. Sure, he's speaking, but it feels very inclusive, almost like you could step in and contribute.
I really like this “confessional” style - the lack of audience actually really helps emphasize the experimental nature of the work and the interplay with his crew. It humanizes a guy I already liked as a person.
This felt more down to earth, a private glimpse of one of my favorite late night comedians doing his stuff. Sure, having an audience gives every comedian energy to feed off of. But he's every bit as humorous without them. Monday, do the show in comfy clothing. Interview John, or your writing team.
Yes, each day interview a different member of the staff. Have them bring a piece (bit of writing, costume, graphic, music, joke drafts, whatever) that they worked on and do a show-and-tell. I'd like to see what went into the making of "Fury Road to the White House 2020" intro, for example.
Not necessarily unprecedented. Outside of living memory at the very least though. The unprecedented part is that we can all talk to each other in real time while it happens.
I’m sure this was 13 minutes in Purgatory for you, Mr. Colbert, but you are one of our country’s most popular parasocial relationships. You can’t stop. You can go as nuts as you need to, but you just can’t quit.
Lu Ri So people watching on RU-vid don't count as people watching because it's on RU-vid? 🤷♂️ Got it. 👌 Describe this artificial boost and special treatment for us please.
they shall be the youtube equivalent of steel pennies: "life must continue on, but we need to make a few changes for the war effort" (in this case, the war is against the disease)
Considering how stale the late night format has gotten, this might be the best thing to happen to it in a while. It’ll be fun to see how the show adapts
Except most shows are going off-air. You would have *loved* the writers' strike, though! All the evening comedy shows were the most spontaneous, inventive tv.
.@@alphabryan4703 Don't talk like a forking "Thronie", "genius"! "Drumpf" might be beyond-salvageable, but I managed to find meaning in his script addressing the notorious-yet-barely-known pathogen as “foreign virus” against whom "the United States is standing as united as strong as ever"( paraphrased). Ideally, whilst SARS-Cov-2 may not even be a terrorist, let alone an invading military-force: It's far more deadly!( But not high-profile because OPTICS!) And hence: The reason your favourite "Conan" is “still going strong” is not to exhibit his "Trump-ism"[ existent even before the eponymous creature was born], but is only able to do so because HE. AIN'T. IN. NEW YORK. FOR. YEARS. NOW!
Amen man. Everybody would tune in if they just would loosely plan and wing the show. It’d be more authentic than the terrible jokes with courtesy laughter
Guys, Italy under lockdown here: you're doing the right thing by avoiding close proximity with other people..It sounds awful now but is for the greater good.
@Earthling Carnivore No. Italy is a living example of why we need to be careful now, to try to prevent the spread of the virus. That's not fearmongering. That's common sense.
@@freddytheplatypus826 Read the Guardian or any other reputable news source. There are so many articles out there. Do your own research instead of expecting someone else to do it for you.
It’s like watching our internet dad talk through this we us together ...not 100% happy thoughts and coddling, but familiar and caring and we need that. Seriously thanks.
It's pretty interesting(aka horrifying) and amazing that this is the FIRST real massive national emergency Trump has had to deal with.....that he didn't cause. And it's a crisis he CANNOT lie his way out of. NO amount of lies will solve a damn thing. This crisis requires nothing but competence and a willingness to listen astutely to expertise.....things I've never ever seen from Trump. So..............now what? Do we seriously just have to watch to see IF Trump can rise to the occasion? Because, spoiler alert, he can't. So....now what? Seriously?
@@avedic Maybe he didn't actually "cause" it; but he's solely responsible for dismantling any systems we had in place to respond to such an emergency. The deaths of those who succumb to this pandemic are all on his head.
I found this one surprisingly hilarious due to Stephen sharing with us his anxieties and being homest with us!!! Super funny in the face of this terror lol.
Anyone over the age of 30 knew this was coming. The signs are everywhere. New world order. 1 world government. Why blow up the buildings during population control with missiles when you can study a virus for 30 years, one the spreads through the air, vaccinate yourself then release it in the busiest place in the world during the Chinese New Year. China has been fighting with Italy and Iran to build a pipeline. Now Italy and Iran are the most affected. Bill gates openly talked about population control. Global warming is a real thing and the more the population the more the pollution. We are all dead in 100 years if we don't cut back on population. Gates talked about this type of virus. North America has discussed the Amero currency replacing the dollar. They tried to make it happen 25 years ago. Surprise surprise, the virus is dropping the value of the dollar, the stock market is crashing slowly, and the country within a month will be put on pause losing even more money while using the rest of the taxes to try and keep the market afloat, putting us more at risk if the market does crash. Look at the dollar bill in the states. Do people still think it's a coincidence that you can fold the bill so you can see the twin towers being hit by planes and collapsing, the way the bill shows an illuminati pyramid with the eye on top and the fact it says new world order in Spanish??? Lol they've always given people the signs. People jus think wanted to scream conspiracy and laugh it off
You weren't imagining laughter Stephen, you heard me from my part of the world. I'll always be in your audience no matter how many empty seats there are. Best regards to you and your team. Keep up the great work.
I actually thought this was really funny! The silence after the jokes made them seem even wittier & dry - there's something really funny about awesome lines/bits falling 'flat' haha. I laughed at the jokes...then laughed again when there was no audience reaction! Maybe it's my British humour...but I loved this 😂!
It’s October 2023 and this is rather surreal to watch. Covid is still here but nothing like back then. And I’m so glad it’s nothing like back then. It was really scary there for awhile and just glad that is over.
it doesn't help that he looks like he's on the brink of tears, i think it's the eye contact. Normally he looks between the camera and the audience, instead he just stares awkwardly at the camera which makes like he's staring into the abyss of depression.
