Stephen Colbert Applied To Be A Writer At "Late Night With Conan O'Brien"

(Original airdate: 06/27/03) Stephen Colbert talks about applying to work at "Late Night," his iconic deadpan delivery, and getting his chest waxed. Watch more classic clips @ conanclassic.com.

[@hildefons7155]

While Conan hasn’t changed a bit, Stephen‘s voice came down an octave.

[@Raberuji]

Balls drop, like in the carrell of the bell

[@DammitDavis]

Which is interesting, because Stephen was 39 when this aired. Just looks & sounds so much younger!

[@babarazamsucks]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed that.

[@THECAR99]

@Final Prophecy yes he's like swelling and shrinking and swelling

[@ricmorales3406]

@@THECAR99 just realized young Conan has that good lookin vibe to him. But now he turned into a total creep 😂

[@ElEspectroDeLaMi]

Stephen had just turned 39 when this episode aired in 2003, but his voice at the beginning sounds like he barely hit puberty. He's 57 now (as of this comment), and I'm happy to say he sounds like a 22-year-old.

[@todddowning5820]

😂😂😂

[@LeLe-rf7ju]

I’m surprised that Stephen doesn’t have a farm on his show after he had that brilliant idea 😂

[@bastiaan4129]

Craig Ferguson had a dancing horse, a cussing rabbit, a talking rhino and a robot skeleton, that would've been pretty hard to top.

[@noone3367]

He definitely have sheep for audience so i'm not sure about that

[@Hgh38]

@@noone3367 lmafo

[@darthmon26]

@@noone3367 this comment is underrated

[@andylindsaytunes]

@@noone3367 But you watch his videos for some reason.

[@AlanaClarkLovesRWRB]

Colbert's voice has gotten deeper.

[@salmanghani5972]

This guy will have his own show some day

[@WittyScoop]

And maybe he can invite Conan over

[@kevinlin5323]

And maybe they can switch from time to time.

[@WittyScoop]

@@kevinlin5323 Not bad!

[@brruuhhhhhh]

i dnt think so

[@toughslaut]

He does now!

[@zeeshanzaf6071]

Stephen has gone through adolescence since then .

[@boopsbucket]

It’s fascinating to see Stephen being interviewed before the Colbert Report. After its conception, and before the Late Show, he was in character for nearly every single interview and public appearance. I remember it being to the point that when some backstage footage of him speaking to John Kerry out of character was “leaked” with his permission, everyone FREAKED.

[@jessiethelittleartist3829]

I like this cobert guy, he should have his own show.

[@DigiRangerScott]

Give him 2

[@charliegaudino]

One day.... One day... In the year 2000!

[@benediktjostingmeier4519]

His voice tough. Damn

[@ArzoCanada]

@@charliegaudino lol

[@nd96_]

He’d never make it

[@muraddiab6393]

Conan applied to write for David Letterman right out of college but didn’t get the job. Less than a decade later he’d succeed him on late night

[@losttribe3001]

Hopefully someday this Mr Colvert will become famous. Keep dreaming my friend!

[@felipeangiolucci9870]

He looks too 'nerdy' for that. Never gonna work. I'm sure

[@teslah6794]

he won't, he didn't even got that late night job, he doesn't have a future on that industry

[@Tclans]

Worthy of Colbert humor.

[@Pou-inspace]

@@felipeangiolucci9870 0

[@Mojothreepwood]

Are you not up with current events??? He’s got a successful career as a correspondent on the daily show!!

[@DavidBagga]

A young Stephen Colbert kinda looks like bob saget

[@wmp0074]

I was looking for this comment. lol

[@DannyKlimt]

For the chest hair removal he should have visited the real pro: Jordan.

[@Rattenhoofd]

I feel like Jordan would've insisted on "various" ways of body preparation, and things would go off the rails quickly from there.

[@kadeewhaley4429]

Listening to the Strike Force 5 podcast. Stephen talked about his first time on Conan, and I had to check it out.

[@omarspost]

Stephen's voice is completely different now. How's that even possible?

[@c_3593]

People age you know

[@Ganiscol]

And he is lucky that his voice dropped instead of turning higher, as is the case with many men of age.

[@mikemihalis8341]

Cloned

[@A2Z83]

@@mikemihalis8341 yes

[@emaderaghi]

Age, cigarettes, alcohol

[@BigstickNick]

When Colbert said his chicken joke. I was hoping Conan would say, and thats why we didnt call you back.

[@samd2865]

Conan never insults people even for jokes. UNLESS, you work for him.

[@joyandpeacefullaughter5307]

Colbert was still salty he didn't get that job. Maybe he overheard them making fun of him. The chicken joke made no sense in the context of him needing a job.

[@williamsinger7496]

Who’s here after Strike Force Five Episode 8?

[@swasho2939]

"I applied 10 years ago." * Looks at date of episode in description and sees it was in 2003 * 😲

[@waryaawariiri1812]

Which means he applied in 1993, during his struggling days as he mentioned a few times.

[@EmpyreanLightASMR]

Colbert mentions Conan on his show once in a while. I always appreciate that. Didn't happen on the Tonight Show when Conan retired (the late night show).

[@cafeeineaddicted8123]

Heads up if y’all came here after listening to Strike Force Five.

[@marks.3303]

"You had people that actually believe Bigfoot exists." Those were such innocent times.

[@adamarcadia701]

Damn they look so young

[@nickg1601]

And sound young!!

[@DigiRangerScott]

Trump did that to them

[@truthdog1107]

Andrenochrome

[@sayandeeppoddar7324]

I feel weird seeing them so young

[@ryanzimmerman6433]

I think Stephen Colbert's jacket looks baller. Rock that Stephen!

[@gabrielvalencia1395]

Man the audience was dead that night. Colbert is hilarious.

[@paeden5431]

Was he? 🤭

[@ryandoherty9696]

Colbert hasn’t been hilarious a day in his life

[@youtubehandleofficial]

@@ryandoherty9696 thank you for your opinion Ryan. We all really care about what you think.

[@ryandoherty9696]

@@youtubehandleofficial Yeah baby yeah, harder baby harder.

[@paprikaphd]

Anybody else feel the need to find this clip after hearing Stephen talk about it on Strike Force Five podcast?

[@Leandro-te9tu]

So Conan is basically the Fine Arts Academy of Vienna to late night TV...

[@sumedhhabbu989]

Ah hahaha! Damn! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@AttilatheThrilla]

And now the school is closing 😕

[@MarcusJCooper91]

Stephen recently mentioned this on Strike Force Five lol

[@Felix-oy2jg]

crazy how high-pitched colberts voice is :D

[@Davy1288]

Jon Stewart was watching and thought "Hmmmm I like this farm idea... maybe when I retire"

[@DigiRangerScott]

He hasn’t retired. He’s been EPing Late Show and has an Apple show developing

[@sammyswanksmith4807]

Stephen looks about 80 years older now, and sounds like it too

[@todddowning5820]

Stephen did a much better job than he remembers

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

Strange seeing this. He doesn’t look like a guy who’d be a great chat show host, and yet here we are…

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

@@JabbatheMatt yeah I’d have to agree at times.

[@raveoreynolds6049]

I mean, I wouldn't say he's great though. He kind of got lucky in that people started turning to late-night for their political info when he took over. All the other duties of being a chat show host, from doing monologues, bits, or doing interviews, he's all sub-par at.

[@DoctorFurioso]

@@raveoreynolds6049 He was a political humorist for like 20 years before becoming a talk show host. And it's not like it was "luck": CBS knowingly chose him because he was already wildly popular.

[@patreekotime4578]

@@DoctorFurioso To be fair, the Colbert Report peaked early and then drug on for a long time before he left. And without the schtick of his Coalbear personality his talk show just never worked for me.

[@bfun4615]

Stephen Colbert sucks as a talk show host. Now that the Biden administration is in ...sigh....he doesn't have any material. I don't care for Stephen Colbert because of his left wing political polarization.

[@JonnyDIY]

Wow! His voice is soooo different. Do voices keep gettinf deeper and deeper? 🤔

[@NuiYabuko]

Yes, that's usually the case. Things like smoking or drinking can influence the voice as well.

[@jennifersloan4487]

#strikeforcefive #lemonsherbert

[@estefimedinaj]

lol that's where i'm coming from too

[@2kool4u403]

Anybody here from Strike Force Five? hahaha

[@DinoMan_6]

Two of my favorites. Conan never ages though because he’s a vampire hehehe jk. And then Colbert is a Druid.

[@yoman9446]

unless😳

[@jon5310]

Yeah his hair isn't as red anymore

[@winsleyocampo6383]

He never ages but his wrinkles do

[@shaunsmith7774]

A Rangpire

[@DinoMan_6]

@@shaunsmith7774 hehe

[@adriande1]

Who here’s from the Strike Force 5 podcast? ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

[@andreamontgomery6313]

He kind looks like Bob saget

[@Ceejay-gl9ld]

This Colbert guy sounds a lot like Zeep Xanflorp.

[@janmichaelcjamisola]

Peace among worlds, Rick

[@phil-ys3cf]

Stephen's voice was a bit higher back then or am i hallucinating? lol

[@hopejustesen3283]

I think so too!

[@Lilibetrose444]

Just came to check out Colbert's hideous coat. Thanks SF5💥, it's even worse than I imagined

[@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns]

So this is basically the late night equivalent of a certain Austrian being rejected by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts.

[@davidb6576]

With slightly fewer dead.

[@shivamshuklaaa]

Damn this is a dark example.

[@thomasen9771]

They look young

[@zoperxplex]

When Colbert was really into John Travolta and "Saturday Night Fever".

[@JacktheDrummer1824]

Stephen looks like Bob Saget

[@eileenw6002]

Loving these Coco Classics!!

[@kissofdeath4449]

Steven Colbert is up there with Conan level humour but without the iconic Conan crazy.

[@CaptainTedStryker]

What is that crazy book? How do you "play" a character in a book, and why are there photos? So many questions...

[@danielwang2956]

6:28 Ahh yes the Task Manager Photoshop, every Windows PC has one

[@evildevil97]

Look! It's both of Letterman's successors!

[@JackSlayter]

Stephen Colbert is a smart guy, he deserves his own show

[@awake1251]

His voice is so much higher haha

[@Max_j9578]

Why are there so many hateful comments? Why watch the video if all you want to do is complain about it?

[@Hgh38]

I think is Colbert has been way too much political these days especially after the pandemic. In the past his talks used to have way better quality but now it is just him flaming republicans.

[@TheHuxleyAgnostic]

@@Hgh38 Rofl. He spent his entire time on the Daily Show and the Colbert Report mocking Republicans.

[@Max_j9578]

@@Hgh38 that's his comedy. it always has been. it was the whole point of even Stev(ph)ens and the Colbert Report

[@NuiYabuko]

​@@TheHuxleyAgnostic It's always kind of funny when people act like he has become political like that wasn't his whole shtick.

[@J155P]

Rachel Maddow is such a good guy.

[@nonoo]

So they both were around 40 back then?

[@finkretana]

i was just talking with my friends that if conan is off the air, colbert is the only good thing left... spooky

[@davidb6576]

Seth too!

[@brianmorton9419]

His voice is different that long ago and conan’s is the same

[@djdannyd816]

Conan And Stephen Colbert 🔥

[@ARIGHETTI]

Colbert was funnier back in the day. Nobody can beat Conan and Graham Norton.

[@vanillajack5925]

Strangers With Candy was the best

[@tomcoolinmiami]

Collision of the comedy planets. Colbert and Conan.

[@Hgh38]

Colbert Sucks or is getting worse

[@themusicaljunkie37]

This guy is good... He should get a show on a comedy channel then years later get another a late night show on another channel.

[@awesomedez]

Imagine that alternate reality

[@1r0nm4n4]

Guess what.. Stephen hit puberty

[@evilishies]

3:05 really missed a chance to say "some of the biggest foot experts"

[@qrste81]

Why does everyone talk crap about Stone Phillips? What did that guy ever do?

[@johndanielson3777]

Is this Colbert the character or the real Colbert?

[@fidtgs6032]

stephen reminds me a bit of young robert downey jr

[@jdxawe]

It’s so weird when a host interviews another host

[@AhmedOnly1]

I miss Colbert Report.

[@perineum6]

I'm going to put that on our website immediately...18 years from now.

[@grapesofwraith1066]

And in just 16 years from this interview, these 2 would be spending time sticking their heads into a box together!

[@wheelsongenius]

Stephen Colbert and Steve Carrell both have specific examples of getting chest hair removed.

[@AroxHonolulu]

They have half their energy now... and so do I.

[@mbanerjee5889]

They're so cute 😁

[@BA-rh5hy]

I sincerely thought it was bob saget

[@andrewokamoto]

This was before Stephen Colbert became Stephen Colbert. He came into himself.

[@edwardfranklin18]

It's 'Big-Feets' not "Big-Foots"

[@KristianKumpula]

It's adorable that Conan thought you can edit images via ctrl+alt+delete

[@NHatemN]

The guy loves typewriters, and he hates computers.

[@MrFeithLes]

Why are there no comments here?

[@dhruvyadav780]

Because you were first man.

[@adamarcadia701]

It’s literally just been posted

[@MrFeithLes]

@@adamarcadia701 i wrote it at 7 seconds lol😁

[@mhmrules]

Just as well.

[@alneri8327]

I thought J J Abrams was a director not interviewer.

[@fake_satan2600]

3:18 that is true except it's not bigfoot, *IT'S US*

[@saphricpcgaming5182]

Young Colbert kinda has Robert Downy Jr's face.

[@NewMessage]

I'm starting to think he's never gonna get that call back.

[@jordanweimer788]

This was the day Colbert was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

[@rumissaxo1458]

Back when Colbert was funny.

[@colwilliamnoydb4134]

And Raven walks into a bar and drunk Conan tries to pick him up. Then Colbert is hired on the staff.

[@davidb6576]

A lot of the Repug sleep brigade made comments earlier. I thought those guys would be busy with the English translation of Mien Kampf...

[@idalarsen2540]

Help 💀😂😂😂😂

[@Johnny-Cage]

Does this mean Stephen Colbert will be on the next episode of CNAF?!?!?

[@SAM-zn3ct]

I miss pre-Trump Colbert

[@VattuLandia]

Wow stunning

[@TW-akatim212]

Stephen was a hottie. ♥️

[@zelmoziggy]

Look who had the last laugh.

[@giovannifusco00]

Thank God he wasn't hired

[@Dukenich]

Hmm... I wonder where Stephen is now. 🤔

[@dineshv2785]

6:29 ctrl alt del

[@Hellodarknessmyold]

Stephen, certainly didn’t want to talk at what he perceives is failure (not getting the Conan gig).

[@NoalFarstrider]

Jon Stewart should do that show.

[@Mixboy2105]

Ctrl+Alt+Del? Haha I found an error #fancorrections