> Asked by co-hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes about what he will do when he leaves the desk at the Ed Sullivan Theater, Colbert kept mum on the specifics, but said, “I’ll tell you, the person who did the thing I most admire — I mean, not most admire, but the thing that really struck me is, you know what [Bill] Hader did when he left ‘SNL’? He went and wrote for ‘South Park’ for a season.”
> “I said, ‘Man, that’s the perfect thing to do.’ Just go serve something that you love already,” Colbert said. “See, can I be of service to people whose work I really admire? I thought that’s a great thing to do. Don’t even worry about your status of your previous gig. Just go do something you love.”
249
FriskyCobra866 days ago
+54
How do you say “Meanwhile” in High-Elvish?
54
Q_OANN6 days ago
+10
Wwwhautt are you duwing here?
10
pizzlepullerofkberg5 days ago
+4
You need to take Wilshire to the 405 to the 10 East and get off in Mordor where you belong!
4
Less-Engineer-96376 days ago
+14
I lúmessë
14
porkchop-sandwhiches6 days ago
+3
“I’m John Malkovich”
3
bestieverhad6 days ago
-46
wow, such a hubristic way to think. does he really think he's 'serving' the lotr books and the fans? should we be thanking him? he's taking on something he's vastly unqualified to do and isn't needed to further his career
-46
Decent_Neat_91716 days ago
+18
Doing something you love doesn’t mean it has to further your career.
18
reverend-mayhem6 days ago
+12
Dude, he out-Tolkeined Peter Jackson, the director of 6 LotR universe movies. He’s crazy qualified to write a movie script.
And I don’t think you understand his meaning of the word “serve” – he’s not saying it as some God’s gift to the plebians; he means it as to offer himself up in service to something bigger… to not necessarily have the next thing he does be “Stephen Colbert Presents” & instead to just contribute to something because he loves it regardless of his production position or status.
12
bestieverhad6 days ago
-8
If he really is as big a fan as he is then he'd recognise how singular Tolkein's vision and hand is in writing anything Middle Earth related. Just because he knows more than Peter Jackson doesn't mean he'll do a good job. And yes I meant serve in the exact way you did, he's just not qualified to write anything for LOTR - no one is.
-8
NailingCatsToTrees_6 days ago
+6
Nobody is going to force you to watch it.
6
MagnetoWasRight246 days ago
-30
Love Colbert and Hader, but wish he wasn't referring to the season where South Park introduced PC Principal and the whole theme was how "PC" was responsible for the rise of Trump.
-30
LesMiserablePeach6 days ago
+39
Bill Hader started on South Park a long while before that, he left SNL in 2013
39
ThatsNotGumbo6 days ago
+33
Exactly, Hader wrote the “Do you like fish sticks?” Joke leading to one of the most iconic episodes in the entire series.
33
MagnetoWasRight246 days ago
-2
Oh shit I had no idea, I don't keep up with SNL (and I've also generally lost track of time) so I just assumed it was the season I remember him doing a major voice on.
-2
LesMiserablePeach6 days ago
+13
Yeah I'd actually say he was a big part what I consider the show's second golden age.
Pretty fun clip if you've never seen it:
https://youtu.be/oc75aNxEGgQ?si=9p3m2-jgfiujmt7h
13
_Football_Cream_6 days ago
+126
I'm glad Stephen is finding happiness. I can only imagine how f****** *stoked* he is to do a LotR project considering what a nerd he is.
That said, I hope he eventually finds an outlet for some type of political comedy. I loved the Report so much. It genuinely helped me navigate politics as a teenager when I grew up in an area that was just programmed to be Republican in a funny but enlightening way. He was a good role model, someone that was a good person but made me think and question things, as well as laugh. I enjoyed The Late Show for what it was but never hit hard enough or felt like 'can't miss' TV quite like the Report.
126
Akronite146 days ago
+19
The podcast route would be easy money, if he wants it.
19
QueezyF6 days ago
+15
Call it The Colbert Rapport, easiest layup in history.
15
Vegetable_Engine14286 days ago
+3
What about The Colbert Rapaport, and Michael Rapaport is his cohost.
3
AprilB9161 day ago
+1
Good idea! I loved when Michael filled in for Wendy Williams. He's hilarious.
1
Balmong76 days ago
+10
I was watching Report unironically as a middle schooler and then I said something to an high school friend I admired and he was like “wait you know that’s a satire right?” And like I swear to god that was the day I learned media literacy lol.
10
jajjguy6 days ago
I wouldn't rule out the possibility that lotr is about to become a lot funnier and more political.
Remember what happened when Marvel hired that guy who'd made the silly vampire comedy to make a Thor movie?
0
EggZealousideal13756 days ago
+4
He made the best then worst Thor movies in that order.
4
mormonbatman_5 days ago
+2
His second Thor movie was probably pretty good before it got recut.
2
EggZealousideal13755 days ago
+2
Really? Was there a Waititi cut somewhere in the world? I had high hopes for Love and Thunder
2
mormonbatman_5 days ago
+2
There's always a cut:
https://www.listnook.com/r/marvelstudios/comments/vlyk2a/chris_hemsworth_and_taika_waititi_reveal_thor/
2
_Football_Cream_5 days ago
+2
Idk Stephen is a *huge* LotR nerd. I think whatever he's going to make, he's going with the intention of making it in Tolkien's vision as much as he can rather than inject himself that much with a bunch of comedy and politics.
2
jajjguy5 days ago
+1
A boy can hope
1
No-Stranger29366 days ago
+32
Personally, having both him and Jon back on Comedy Central would've been nice, but I don't know if Paramount would allow that or if he'd even be interested in doing the Report again.
32
OnTheFenceGuy6 days ago
+15
A) they can’t afford it
B) the execs cowtow to MAGA, so unlikely they would allow any of this, back to back
15
apadin16 days ago
+3
I’m honestly shocked Jon still has a show considering how critical he’s been of Paramount, but I guess they understand the reason Comedy Central even exists is for the Daily Show and reruns of South Park
3
EmotionalRescue9186 days ago
+3
Since both CBS and.Comedy Central are owned by Paramount, I doubt the option is on the table from Colbert’s side, either.
It’d be great if it somehow did happen, though.
3
SomewhereNo83786 days ago
+31
the SNL environment does not seem healthy for long-term performers or writers.
31
[deleted]6 days ago
+7
[deleted]
7
pjslut6 days ago
+7
Are you sure about that?
7
Dramatic_Equipment476 days ago
+2
What do you mean?
2
SomewhereNo83786 days ago
+13
It seems like sort of a toxic workplace, long and grueling hours
13
stohelitstorytelling6 days ago
+9
It's a show that's made on a weekly basis. That's just how that is. Agreed it's terrible to live inside it, but it's also just the job. Have you ever watched the South Park documentary? It's just the job.
9
SomewhereNo83786 days ago
+2
and that might be great for a fresh face looking to break into the biz, but it’s not something I would want as I move into mid-career
2
tokyogodfather26 days ago
+1
What’s Southpark doc??
1
Ok-Temporary-82436 days ago
+7
Either you're in the "in" crowd or you're not. If I recall, Bowen left because Lorne refused to let him take a leave of absence to do other work. Which is funny cause Pete gets to come and go as he pleases
7
mio266 days ago
+1
Every place where works has to be done extremely fast is toxic. Because people don't care "HOW" you do it but whatever works is done or not as there is no time to be nice. In case of specific SNL you have to take into account that it's place which can make you so many people try to get in. And when they are actually chosen already past disappointments (which are natural in this work) make them mean to newcomers or rising stars who are potential threat. And last things naturally mean people are often very good at comedy.
So to sum up, toxic work balance plus double mean people: you can imagine that it is not place for weak mentally people.
1
tokyogodfather26 days ago
+2
Except for those beautiful monsters built for it like Kenan. But he was born a sketch comedy artist
2
Flashy_Jello_95206 days ago
+2
Tina Fey said it was a schedule built around cocaine.
2
bluehawk2326 days ago
+5
I just wish we'd get something more from Bill. Dude clearly has the chops to be a great director
5
aleks511054 days ago
+1
his first movie starts shooting this month and i’m so excited
1
Whimsy_and_Spite6 days ago
+4
I wonder if he's going to move down to New Zealand while they're working on the movie. I guess he doesn't have to, it would work long distance, but if I were him I wouldn't mind getting some distance from the USA for a while.
4
tokyogodfather26 days ago
+3
Oh he will. He has all the things that people need - a Master at what he wants to do (Jackson) , friends and family involved (His son and no doubt Evie his wife will go), plus people in New Zealand already know and love him from all the spots he did there with the former Prime Minister and for the previous LOTR.
3
nullibicity6 days ago
+5
Doing something you love for work is something they used to think was a realistic goal in the before times.
5
Zap_brannigann6 days ago
+4
Why didn’t I think of that.
4
jerryonthecurb6 days ago
+1
I feel that I should say something about bootstraps or avocado toast here
1
iwellyess6 days ago
+5
Agreed. If I was a millionaire I’d do whatever the f*** I want too.
5
zebratape6 days ago
+10
It kind of helps to be a multimillionaire too
10
SimonRitchie6 days ago
+7
Yeah, makes it much easier to just "do something you love"
7
tokyogodfather26 days ago
+1
He still has to hide it from all the snakes and copycats until it’s too late for them. He even said that
1
Variable_Shaman_38256 days ago
+4
Should have added the caveat "Make enough money so that you can do what you love."
4
tokyogodfather26 days ago
+2
Wow. So much to unpack here:
But most importantly: is Stephen Colbert and Peter Jackson making FRIEREN: Lord of the Rings edition?!!!
My hands are shaking !!
Also , kudos to Variety for not hiding the info behind a paywall.
TIL that Bill Hader - a creator I absolutely love - worked on 2 projects I absolutely love - Southpark and SNL (of course I knew about SNL), and inspired another creator I absolutely love, Colbert!
2
Interesting-Quiet8326 days ago
+2
barry was great. tom bombadial as an assassin?
2
SoFloFella506 days ago
+2
I hope he does what makes him happy and if he does political satire, he does it on PBS.
If Hollywood and New York really give a shit they will all flock to PBS and abandon the stranglehold the right wing billionaire class have on the media.
I won’t hold my breath.
2
Yuleogy5 days ago
+2
Straight white male privilege: “Just do something you love.”
I’d love to return to my career, but men in tech have little respect for women in tech.
Thanks, Hader. I’ll grow a d*** next time.
2
GuybrushThreepwood996 days ago
+3
I feel like Colbert probably has enough money that he can just chill for a little while and do passion projects. I have doubts if his lord of the rings movie will be any good, or even get made, but I respect him trying at least.
3
tokyogodfather26 days ago
+2
It will be good. He has everything he needs to make it amazing. Have you seen FRIEREN, arguable one of the best most thoughtful fantasy anime series of all time about a party of heroes retracing the steps of the journey where they saved the world? I’ve rewatched it countless times it’s won tons of awards on its themes of death and grief and joy. Imagine Wandavision but uplifting. It helped me get past my father’s death.
This project sounds like FRIEREN for LOTR, and you know Colbert will add just enough comedy to make it the sadness that much more poignant. And he has not just Peter Jackson; if you saw his last interview of Elijah Wood, you know the entire cast loves Stephen Soo much. He was on the set of the original movie sometimes
I am geeking out sooo hard!!
2
nicbongo6 days ago
+1
Must be nice.
P. S. Steven, Tolkien is turning in his grave.
1
MasterSnacky6 days ago
+2
That don’t put gas in my tank
2
romeoalpha6 days ago
+2
And I drive a broncooooooo
2
This-Breadfruit-19586 days ago
+1
Whatever they put on after him, I’ll never watch it.
1
gagraybeard6 days ago
+2
You’re so right. Ever heard of Byron Allen Productions?
2
Oo__II__oO6 days ago
+3
"Comics Unleashed" is the most unseen show that's been on since 2006.
3
mittenknittin6 days ago
+2
When I saw the story today about the replacement, I literally said "who?"
2
happyscrappy6 days ago
+3
There was a period of over a year where you couldn't watch the late show past the midpoint without seeing an ad for "comics unleashed coming up next". When the late late show ended CBS put allen into that s***. Now he'll just move up an hour.
It was really obvious that this would be the replacement for the late show. If you search my comment history (don't bother, really) you can see I mentioned it was coming a while back. And I'm not saying this was some kind of amazing soothsaying. It was clear putting this show in place was the perfect antidote for CBS' concerns about the cost of producing the late show. No one will watch this garbage, but CBS won't care simply because they cut their costs so much by airing it.
3
tubulerz16 days ago
-3
If he has so much reverence for the works of Tolkien, then why is he involved with another one of these shameless cash grabs ?
-3
JonathanBadwolf6 days ago
+1
Yeah, do something you love like being a detriment to the thing you love by writing your name over it in crayon.
I really hope the project is gonna be good, but man since The Hobbit and Rings of Power I have zero confidence left.
74 Comments