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CNN Live Today

Interview With Stephen Colbert

Aired October 08, 2003 - 10:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, there is no shortage of material for comedians across the country and "the daily show has been having a lot of (AUDIO GAP) his stuff a little bit earlier. Joining us this morning. Good morning, thanks for being with us.
STEPHEN COLBERT, "THE DAILY SHOW": Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: This is like almost too easy. This is like writing a script for "The Daily Show."

COLBERT: It's incredibly exciting. We've all got the recall fever...

KAGAN: Do you?

COLBERT: ... at "The Daily Show." This is a glorious explosion of democracy. You know of voting is good then voting every 11 months is better. You know why do we have to wait four years? Why not four months? Why not every four minutes? Why not have every elected official have electrodes implanted in their chest? And if they don't please us in every way, every morning, we stop their hearts.

KAGAN: Why not?

COLBERT: That's cleaning house.

KAGAN: Well and the good news for you guys is, you know, this isn't over. Had Schwarzenegger loss that would have been a little fun two months. But now the games go on.

COLBERT: Yes, now the really sexy part starts.

KAGAN: Yes.

COLBERT: The legislating fiscal responsibility. That's got a lot of punch to it. I'm sure there'll be a lot of coverage of that.

KAGAN: Maybe they're going to have to transfer you to Sacramento and you can be the Sacramento bureau chief for "The Daily Show."

COLBERT: It's a beautiful place to live.

KAGAN: It is, it's a very nice place.

COLBERT: It's the Golden State, as I understand it.

KAGAN: Yes, it is. It's my home state. So I'm a little defensive.

COLBERT: Oh, really? Well congratulations. And how do you feel about your home state this morning?

KAGAN: It's given us plenty to talk about. We'll put it that way.

Some other Californians are in the running there as well. Let's talk about how they did. Larry Flynt.

COLBERT: Robbed.

KAGAN: Robbed!

COLBERT: The man was robbed. He's a strong constituency. I certainly have always been a supporter of him for $3.95 once a month.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: For the articles, right?

COLBERT: Absolutely. Just the letters.

KAGAN: Just the letters. OK.

Gary Coleman. He got more than 12,000 votes.

COLBERT: He got Emmanuel Lewis' vote, he got Punky Brewster's vote. That's cheap, I'm sorry.

Good for him. Why not? I don't see in what way he's not as qualified as Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think he just got as many votes in proportion to his size compared to Arnold.

KAGAN: Well speaking of proportionate size how about Angelyne getting more than 2,000 votes?

COLBERT: She the one who does all the posters?

KAGAN: Posters or the billboards.

COLBERT: oh, like the billboards around? All I know of her is that she's just -- all I've seen is the billboards. I don't think she has any previous political or acting experience. So -- I don't think she has any qualifications for the governor of California.

KAGAN: And finally, did you see even Gallagher had somewhat of a showing.

COLBERT: That's good.

KAGAN: This is your fellow comedian.

COLBERT: I think he should have just taken Gray Davis and sledged him over the head.

KAGAN: Very good. Now what could be next for this? Are you going to keep rolling with this at "The Daily Show"?

COLBERT: Yes. We'll probably cover the recall of the recall next, because inevitably there will be one. Now that the floodgates are open. I hope we move on to all 50 states.

KAGAN: OK. So this is just the first of all states to go?

COLBERT: I can't imagine why it wouldn't be. And then on to the White House.

KAGAN: And what are you guys doing for the day after today on "The Daily Show"?

COLBERT: Sleeping, hopefully. I'm not used to actually staying up and doing the show really live at 11:00. You people have really hard jobs. I'd much rather be a fake reporter than a real one. It turns out that you work really hard.

KAGAN: Well you fake it well.

COLBERT: Thank you very much.

KAGAN: We love our friends at "The Daily Show." Stephen Colbert, thank you. And say hi to Jon Stewart.

COLBERT: Well we're huge fans of CNN. We just say what you guys say five minutes later.

KAGAN: Five minutes later and a little bit funnier, hopefully.

COLBERT: Sometimes.

KAGAN: Sometimes. And sometimes not. Stephen, thank you. Good to have you on with us.

COLBERT: Thanks, bye.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 8, 2003 - 10:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, there is no shortage of material for comedians across the country and "the daily show has been having a lot of (AUDIO GAP) his stuff a little bit earlier. Joining us this morning. Good morning, thanks for being with us.
STEPHEN COLBERT, "THE DAILY SHOW": Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: This is like almost too easy. This is like writing a script for "The Daily Show."

COLBERT: It's incredibly exciting. We've all got the recall fever...

KAGAN: Do you?

COLBERT: ... at "The Daily Show." This is a glorious explosion of democracy. You know of voting is good then voting every 11 months is better. You know why do we have to wait four years? Why not four months? Why not every four minutes? Why not have every elected official have electrodes implanted in their chest? And if they don't please us in every way, every morning, we stop their hearts.

KAGAN: Why not?

COLBERT: That's cleaning house.

KAGAN: Well and the good news for you guys is, you know, this isn't over. Had Schwarzenegger loss that would have been a little fun two months. But now the games go on.

COLBERT: Yes, now the really sexy part starts.

KAGAN: Yes.

COLBERT: The legislating fiscal responsibility. That's got a lot of punch to it. I'm sure there'll be a lot of coverage of that.

KAGAN: Maybe they're going to have to transfer you to Sacramento and you can be the Sacramento bureau chief for "The Daily Show."

COLBERT: It's a beautiful place to live.

KAGAN: It is, it's a very nice place.

COLBERT: It's the Golden State, as I understand it.

KAGAN: Yes, it is. It's my home state. So I'm a little defensive.

COLBERT: Oh, really? Well congratulations. And how do you feel about your home state this morning?

KAGAN: It's given us plenty to talk about. We'll put it that way.

Some other Californians are in the running there as well. Let's talk about how they did. Larry Flynt.

COLBERT: Robbed.

KAGAN: Robbed!

COLBERT: The man was robbed. He's a strong constituency. I certainly have always been a supporter of him for $3.95 once a month.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: For the articles, right?

COLBERT: Absolutely. Just the letters.

KAGAN: Just the letters. OK.

Gary Coleman. He got more than 12,000 votes.

COLBERT: He got Emmanuel Lewis' vote, he got Punky Brewster's vote. That's cheap, I'm sorry.

Good for him. Why not? I don't see in what way he's not as qualified as Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think he just got as many votes in proportion to his size compared to Arnold.

KAGAN: Well speaking of proportionate size how about Angelyne getting more than 2,000 votes?

COLBERT: She the one who does all the posters?

KAGAN: Posters or the billboards.

COLBERT: oh, like the billboards around? All I know of her is that she's just -- all I've seen is the billboards. I don't think she has any previous political or acting experience. So -- I don't think she has any qualifications for the governor of California.

KAGAN: And finally, did you see even Gallagher had somewhat of a showing.

COLBERT: That's good.

KAGAN: This is your fellow comedian.

COLBERT: I think he should have just taken Gray Davis and sledged him over the head.

KAGAN: Very good. Now what could be next for this? Are you going to keep rolling with this at "The Daily Show"?

COLBERT: Yes. We'll probably cover the recall of the recall next, because inevitably there will be one. Now that the floodgates are open. I hope we move on to all 50 states.

KAGAN: OK. So this is just the first of all states to go?

COLBERT: I can't imagine why it wouldn't be. And then on to the White House.

KAGAN: And what are you guys doing for the day after today on "The Daily Show"?

COLBERT: Sleeping, hopefully. I'm not used to actually staying up and doing the show really live at 11:00. You people have really hard jobs. I'd much rather be a fake reporter than a real one. It turns out that you work really hard.

KAGAN: Well you fake it well.

COLBERT: Thank you very much.

KAGAN: We love our friends at "The Daily Show." Stephen Colbert, thank you. And say hi to Jon Stewart.

COLBERT: Well we're huge fans of CNN. We just say what you guys say five minutes later.

KAGAN: Five minutes later and a little bit funnier, hopefully.

COLBERT: Sometimes.

KAGAN: Sometimes. And sometimes not. Stephen, thank you. Good to have you on with us.

COLBERT: Thanks, bye.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com