Stephen Colbert’s New Zealand week kicks off tonight
By Matt Moore
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be showing footage from its visit to New Zealand all week long.
Stephen Colbert has taken The Late Show to new heights as host. Now he has taken the late night show to a new location thanks to a recent visit to New Zealand.
“Stephen Colbert: The Newest Zealander” will be showcased all week on CBS. Colbert will roll out clips and footage from his trip to New Zealand. Colbert made the journey after finally accepting the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
It marks an unprecedented occasion in the history of The Late Show. Stephen Colbert had previously yet to take the show on the road. But by following the lead of his friend and late night innovator Conan O’Brien, Colbert is hoping that fans are eager to see him bring his unique sense of humor abroad.
Thanks to CBS, we already know a little about what to expect from Colbert’s first travel special. He will sit down and interview Prime Minister Ardern, tour the country’s famous landscape, and take rugby lessons from local legends of the game.
Of course, a visit to New Zealand isn’t complete without a tie-in to The Lord of the Rings especially for a superfan like Stephen Colbert. A visit to New Zealand is something of a pilgrimage for Colbert who has demonstrated his extensive knowledge of all things J.R.R. Tolkien countless times.
Expect Colbert to give Late Show viewers a tour of Hobbiton, the set used in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films that is now a tourist destination. Colbert will also no doubt remind audiences of his cameo in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
In fact, Colbert was reunited with director Peter Jackson while in New Zealand with The Late Show. Reports are that Colbert filmed scenes for Jackson’s Lord of the Rings television series coming to Amazon that takes place well before the adventures of Frodo.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs Monday-Friday at 11:35 PM ET on CBS. Footage from “Stephen Colbert: The Newest Zealander” clips will be featured all week in addition to regular shows with guests like Adam Driver, Lena Waithe, and Kamala Harris. Enjoy the show and be sure to check Last Night On for all the highlights.