Stephen Colbert Hosts Michigan Cable Access Show, Interviews Eminem - East Idaho News
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Stephen Colbert Hosts Michigan Cable Access Show, Interviews Eminem

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M ColbertEminem 070215?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1435831764600Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTubeWhile the set for his new CBS late-night program is being built, Stephen Colbert is apparently itching to get behind a chat show desk — which, he explained, was why he recently hosted a Michigan public access show called Only in Monroe.

The footage was posted on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert YouTube channel Wednesday night.

While not in his Colbert Report persona, Colbert was certainly in character, deadpanning through the 41-plus minute program as any local host would, on location in the local access channel’s studio, which Colbert said was the perfect channel “to binge watch 2014 city council meetings. Spoiler alert: don’t get too attached to that free parking on Cass Street.  It doesn’t end well.”

Colbert also performed live spots for local eateries and interviews with local newsmakers, including “a local Michigander who is making a name for himself in the competitive world of music…Marshall Mathers.” 

Colbert acted as if he’d never heard of Mathers — who is of course rapper Eminem — sometimes to Eminem’s apparent disbelief, and checked the Detroit native’s Michigan bona fides by quizzing him on fellow Michigan native Bob Seger’s songs.  Eminem played along, singing the hooks from a few, though most he didn’t know.  “You claim to be from Michigan, but you don’t know these songs,” Colbert chided him. 

“So, where do you hope this goes,” Colbert asked about Mathers’ music. “Is it a career? A hobby?” He also warned Eminem, “This is a tough business, do you have a fallback position? Carpentry?  You just have to make plans for when the dreams die.”

“I’m so confused right now,” said Eminem at one point, who was there to promote the boxing movie Southpaw. “I’m trying to figure out if you’re serious…” 

Em clearly was in on the joke, however.  He even read entries from the Monroe Community Calendar, and waved goodbye with Colbert through an absurdly long end credits sequence.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert premieres September 8 at 11:35 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

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