After the end of the ‘The Late Show’, we look at some of the iconic moments when German news and celebrities graced the screen the US’s most-watched late night tv programming.
Last week saw the end of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, marking the end of a popular US televised talk show that was watched by millions of Americans and had millions of fans worldwide.
“The Late Show” franchise began more than 30 years ago, and was one of the most-watched late night tv shows in the US. Segments of the show were also available to be seen on Youtube for fans in Germany and around the world.
US-based broadcasting company CBS announced in July of last year that it would end the show, adding it was “purely a financial decision.” But fans and media critics instead suspected political motives – Colbert regularly mocked US President Donald Trump on his show, and the show’s cancellation announcement came as CBS’s corporate ownership was changed in a way seen as favourable to the Trump administration.
With “The Late Show” now officially retired, here’s a look some of the show’s iconic moments that brought German news topics and German celebrities to the Ed Sullivan theatre.
‘Controlled by Russia’
Back in 2018, Germany was thrown into the spotlight when Trump remarked that the country was “controlled by Russia”.
In a comedic monologue, Colbert covered Trump’s visit to meet European leaders, during which he added: “I’m not ready to say that [Trump] is a Russian agent, but I have an agent and he doesn’t d as much for me as Trump does for Russia.”
But arguably the best part of The Late Show’s coverage of the story came directly from German media – in a one minute clip that showed a German news presenter crack-up after trying to deliver Trump’s quote as part of a news report.
Meanwhile pigeons
As The Local reported in mid-2024, a German village held a referendum and decided on a plan to kill more than 700 pigeons.
The story was mentioned in a recurring segment on the show called “Meanwhile” which covered wild and unexpected news updates.
Speaking about the plan for a falconer to lure pigeons into a trap, hit them with a stick and then break their necks, Colbert addressed the country of Germany and asked, “You okay?”
The pigeon bit starts at 2:50 in the video clip below.
Diane Kruger’s French and German Accents
Beyond the daily headlines, “The Late Show” featured interviews with prominent celebrities.
In one unforgettable interview Colbert asked Germany born actor Diane Kruger about which situations she might use either a German, French or American English accent.
In an imagined moment of frustration at an electronics store, Kruger lets an angry German accent fly. (The bit begins about six minutes into the video below.)
Werner Herzog
Colbert also interviewed celebrated German filmmaker, author and actor Werner Herzog.
Speaking about the idea of himself having become a famous character around the world, Herzog says, “All of us are in some sort of theatre we create for ourselves.” (You can watch part of the the interview here or below.)
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
