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Stephen Colbert is taking The Late Show to New Zealand

By Matt Moore

MATAMATA, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 04: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tours Hobbiton on October 4, 2018 in Matamata, New Zealand. The Prime Minister has announced funding to support the Matamata-Piako District develop opportunities in tourism and infrastructure with an initial investment of up to $1.7 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. The visit comes following the Prime Minister's appearance on US TV Show the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where Jacinda Ardern revealed she had auditioned for a role in The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings films. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images,)
MATAMATA, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 04: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tours Hobbiton on October 4, 2018 in Matamata, New Zealand. The Prime Minister has announced funding to support the Matamata-Piako District develop opportunities in tourism and infrastructure with an initial investment of up to $1.7 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. The visit comes following the Prime Minister's appearance on US TV Show the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where Jacinda Ardern revealed she had auditioned for a role in The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings films. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images,) /
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The Late Show is going international as Stephen Colbert announces he’s headed to New Zealand.

Stephen Colbert is ready to make good on a promise a year in the making. The Late Show host announced he’ll be traveling to New Zealand next month.

Around this time last year, Colbert interviewed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Ardern invited Colbert to New Zealand and promised to make the comedian an official citizen of Hobbiton, the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit set in New Zealand. Colbert accepted the invitation but never actually made the trip.

That all changed on Wednesday night. With the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was in town. She made a surprise visit to the Ed Sullivan Theater to sit down with Colbert and work through his travel schedule.

Colbert’s love of all things Lord of the Rings is well documented. He recently proved once again that he is a trivia master on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Becoming an official citizen of Hobbiton would be a nice addition to Colbert’s cameo in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

It will be the first time Colbert takes The Late Show out of the U.S. He should have no problem getting acclimated having been to New Zealand before as well as visiting the home of his beloved Lord of the Rings.

Of course, you can’t talk about late night shows going international without talking about Conan. The “Conan Without Borders” episodes have set the standard for comedy travel specials. Conan O’Brien has never made it to New Zealand but did visit neighboring Australia.

Colbert will likely have a much different approach than O’Brien while traveling abroad. Both comedians are talented improvisers and have an excellent team of writers behind them to prepare bits. But whereas O’Brien tends to play the fool, Colbert has perfected playing overconfident and ignorant for laughs. Also, fans can expect Colbert to bring his political humor to New Zealand as well.

Stephen Colbert answers more Lord of the Rings questions. light. Related Story

Stephen Colbert is traveling to New Zealand next month. Fans will likely get some updates from The Late Show‘s social media accounts once he lands and starts filming. Check back with Last Night On for information on when it all airs on CBS.

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