May 25, 2016 - James McAvoy, Nick Swardson, Brian Greene

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Episode GuideEPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 150 (Wednesday, May 25, 2016)
GUESTS: James McAvoy | Nick Swardson | Brian Greene
SEGMENTS: How Much Does A Gender-Neutral Bathroom Cost? | May 25th: Hillary’s Emails, Cap’s Boyfriend and James Bond | A Sneak Peek At Charlie Daniels’ Next NRA Ad | James McAvoy | Nick Swardson | Brian Greene
SUIT REPORT: Grey Suit | White Shirt | Turquoise/Navy Striped Tie

Stephen channels his Inner Wilford Brimley parodying Charlie Daniels’ bizarre NRA video.

How did you guys like this episode? A lot packed in at the top, followed by some pretty solid interviews. Stephen hints broadly that he would be Captain America’s ideal boyfriend - after all, Cap keeps his shield at his place anyways. Our fearless host also voices his support for a female James Bond - aka “Jane Bond” - and gives us some sexy/manly love interest character names to consider. I don’t see a female Bond happening, but I suppose it’s a fun idea to consider.

We then transition to a parody of Charlie Daniels’ recent and strange spot on an NRA ad - and Stephen is happy to oblige us with an almost exact replication, but with a little more of Daniels’ pearls of wisdom.

James McAvoy appears and turns out not to be English, but a (hot) young man from a project in Scotland. He also can “read minds,” and the two take turns predicting what members of the audience are thinking. It wasn’t the funniest bit, but with time might become a nice recurrent segment for the show. Good first attempt.

Next up is Nick Swardson, whose stand up and work on Reno 911! I love, and he does disappoint in talking about filming on location in “spooky” Savannah, Georgia, fans buying him too many shots, and his experience of talking down a friend having an existential crises at his high school reunion.

Finally, astrophysicist Brian Greene is on to celebrate the one year anniversary of discovering “the largest Super Nova ever detected in human history,” and treats the crowd to a brief experiment demonstrating how a star explodes.

We’ll have more for you in a bit, but let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Astrophysicist Brian Greene “sciences” at the audience, simulating a star’s explosion.

  • Debbie

    Brian Greene is back!!

    I love the enthusiasm he has for his science, and I love that Stephen hasn’t completely given up on having non-actors as well. I find most actors kind of boring, with one or two gems (usually the people who have something other than acting to care about), so it’s good to see other types of people.

    • Gina

      I agree with you! I hope they don’t give up on non-actors too.

  • Rita

    I love Brian Greene! I have missed these types of guests so much! God, I wish that they at least once a week have a nontraditional guest on. The scientist, authors etc were one of my favorite things about the show.

  • K.V. Lady

    If Stephen is going to be a Bond Guy, then I imagine that every actress in Hollywood wants to audition for Jane Bond, especially Helen Mirren, Jane Fonda, and Sally Field!
    The spoof of the NRA video was hilarious.

    • Vansen

      I think Helen Mirren actually plays a Bond-type operative in Red and Red 2. It would have been great to see Colbert as arm candy for a character like that.

  • The Late Show version of the NRA commercial was hilarious. It took me a few seconds to register that it was Stephen! Great make-up job. I adore James McAvoy, so I was really into his interview. He is so charming and down-to-earth. Stephen seemed to enjoy interviewing him. I’m so glad that Brian Greene was back for another appearance and setting world records! I agree with other commenters who like seeing non-actors featured on the show. I think that is so important. Greene is a fascinating man.

    • Erika Bade

      I love James McAvoy too, and was so excited to see him have a charm-off with Stephen, two of the most charming celebrities out there! 🙂 It didn’t disappoint, and I think they had a lot of fun together. I didn’t really like the premise of the mind reading thing, the jokes weren’t that great, but I really enjoyed their little side comments and playfulness during it, which made up for the rest. Speaking purely as a fangirl now (fangirl alert!) I think I became enamored with James and Stephen right around the same time actually, when I finally realized that charm and humor is what definitely “gets” me the most hehe. What’s your favorite McAvoy movie? Becoming Jane isn’t the best one, but his character is so swoon worthy! Mostly because he played it so well. (end fangirling)

      • Hi Erika! The mind reading bit did fall a little flat, but I agree that the side comments and playfulness between Stephen and James made up for it. He is swoon worthy in “Becoming Jane!” My favorite McAvoy movie is “Atonement,” hands down!

        • Erika Bade

          I really want to see more of him in stuff like Becoming Jane or Atonement……or even Penelope! Too much action lately!

  • Vansen

    The cold open was great-short and sharp, and the opening monologue was fantastic. Colbert’s comments on Trump and Clinton were brief, but clever and on the mark, and the bits on Captain America and Jane Bond were a lot of fun. I like that he threw in a reference to civil unions, and the sentiment that the US is long overdue for a female Bond (*cough* President). The series of potential “Bond boys” was classic.

    One of the things I really like about Colbert is that he’s not afraid to subvert gender stereotypes, or to play around with ideas of masculinity, as he did in the Captain America and Jane Bond bits.

    It was nice to see Brian Greene again, and hopefully he’ll be one of the LSSC regulars. In my opinion, the cerebral/activist/humanitarian guests are one of the show’s standout qualities, setting it apart from the competition, and I’m sure the production team knows it. Hopefully, we’ll continue to see more of these types of guests.

    • Rita

      “One of the things I really like about Colbert is that he’s not afraid to subvert gender stereotypes, or to play around with ideas of masculinity” - I love that about him!

      • Vansen

        It’s one of the things I really like about Jon Stewart as well. And possibly one of the many reasons they work so well together. 🙂