The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Recap – 2-2

Colbert is only up against Kimmel for the first half of this week with Fallon taking a two-day break. He had a strong Monday show when he had a great segment with Kermit the Frog. He kept the jokes going on Tuesday, being able to poke fun at all the Iowa Caucus news. Here’s how Tuesday’s show went down.

Monologue

It looks like Colbert and company switched up the background slightly. The set is the same, but the new background is a pleasant starry sky. Colbert greeted his raucous crowd by wishing them a happy Groundhog Day. Never one to shy away from solid wordplay, he said he felt like he said that yesterday. Punxsutawney Phill didn’t see his shadow, so that means we’ll be having a short winter.  Colbert was able to turn that news into a bit about being a Groundhog denier. He just wants to see some more facts about why a groundhog has weather predicting abilities. It was an extra short monologue for Colbert’s Tuesday show. The groundhog bit was about all of it.

To the Desk

Colbert commented on the change of scenery. It used to be a cityscape, but now its the starry sky. Eventually Colbert got to the caucus news, but no before talking about news about The Bachelor. Following a brief riff about The Bachelor, Stephen poked fun at the fact that there are still 15 presidential candidates, although his graphic still shows Huckabee and Martin O’Malley who suspended their campaigns last night. Last night, Hillary won by three tenths of a percent. If the Iowa caucus rules sounded ridiculous already, they got even more ridiculous. There were 6 precincts that decided between Hillary and Bernie with a coin toss. Yes…a coin toss. Someone has to get the Iowa caucus in line. Colbert joked that the decision of voting for president in Iowa was similar to trying to decide who has to drive to Taco Bell.

But the news out of the caucus was about Trump and Cruz. Trump came in second behind Ted Cruz, which is great for Colbert who gets to make fun of Trump on a daily basis. He showed off some of the headlines from the New York press that ridiculed him this morning. The caucus news provided Colbert with plenty of comedic ammunition. Having the election season is really benefiting Colbert this year.

The Guests

David Schwimmer 

David Schwimmer is there to promote the white hot FX series The People Vs. OJ Simpson. Schwimmer is playing Rob Kardashian in the miniseries. Colbert greeted Schwimmer with some news about their past. The two went to school together and were in the same improv group called The No Fun Mud Piranhas. Colbert even brought a picture and Schwimmer was rocking Kylo Ren hair. The two then talked about their humble beginnings. Schwimmer waited tables for seven years before he got his break. Eventually they talked about Kardashian’s relationship with OJ. The two were great friends and were the best men of each other’s weddings. The OJ trial happened when Schwimmer was in the first year of Friends. 

Schwimmer talked about his time in improv club with Colbert and said that he could never keep up with Colbert. That told him that he should go into acting and no longer pursue improv comedy.

Second Desk Segment 

Colbert has been filling time between guests with a second desk segment. I like the idea in theory, but it’s often too late for people to stay up for. Sometimes the second bit is stronger than the first. Tuesday’s bit was about the BoHo chic store Anthropologie. There was a tin decorative trashcan that retails for $100. Colbert poked fun at the trash can and a fatigued apple picking ladder. This isn’t the most relatable bit. Who even shops at Anthropologie? Who’s even been inside an Anthropologie? Colbert turned it into a segment where he sold some of his own garbage in the company called Covetton House. Yep, this segment deserved to be in the second slot.

The Guests (again)

Pastor Joel Osteen

Pastor Joel Osteen is reportedly one of the most influential Christian leaders in the country. He talked about his new book called The Power of I Am. It’s basically a self-help book within a frame of christianity. A refreshing approach to his preaching is that he doesn’t ask his congregation for money, and says he doesn’t accept a salary. Then how does he survive? Colbert should’ve pressed that line of questioning.

The episode concluded with a pleasant alternative musical performance by M. Ward. Check back in tomorrow when Colbert welcomes Dr. Phil and Mark and Jay Duplass.