EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, DONALD TRUMP WAS ARRAIGNED
ON A NEW YORK SUPREME COURT INDICTMENT RETURNED BY A
MANHATTAN GRAND JURY ON 34 FELONY COUNTS.
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN ARRAIGNED IN
NEW YORK CITY.
[MELODY OF "ARTHUR'S THEME"] ♪ ♪
GO TO JAIL.
Announcer: IT'S "THE LATE SHOW
WITH STEPHEN COLBERT."
TONIGHT...
BAIL TO THE CHIEF.
FIRST, STEPHEN WELCOMES LIN MANUEL-MIRANDA
AND JOHN KANDER AND A PERFORMANCE FROM THE
BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF "NEW YORK, NEW YORK,"
FEATURING LOUIS CATO AND "THE LATE SHOW" BAND.
AND NOW, LIVE ON TAPE FROM THE ED SULLIVAN THEATER
IN NEW YORK CITY, IT'S STEPHEN COLBERT.
Stephen: HEY!
BEAUTIFUL.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] OH, YES.
TUESDAY, TUESDAY, TUESDAY, BABY.
THANK YOU.
SIT, SIT, SIT.
WELL COMPARED ONE AT ALL TO "THE LATE SHOW."
I'M YOUR HOST, STEPHEN COLBERT.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL DAY HERE IN NEW YORK.
70 DEGREES.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] 70 DEGREES AND SUNNY
WITH A CHANCE OF JAIL.
BECAUSE ABOUT FOUR MILES SOUTH OF HERE, THE FORMER PRESIDENT
WAS ARRAIGNED ON 34 FELONY COUNTS.
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE AT THE COURTHOUSE AROUND 11:00 A.M.,
BUT HE DIDN'T LEAVE HIS BUILDING UNTIL AFTER 1:00 P.M.
WHICH IS PRETTY LATE, BUT IN HIS DEFENSE,
THOSE SPONGEBOB EPISODES JUST KEEP AUTO-PLAYING.
YOU'VE GOT TO SHUT IT.
ONCE HE FINALLY ARRIVED, WE HEARD THESE IMMORTAL WORDS.
THIS MOMENT AT 1:24 P.M.
EASTERN TIME, DONALD J. TRUMP IS UNDER ARREST.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] Stephen: ALL RIGHT, I
UNDERSTAND.
I KNOW.
IT FEELS GOOD.
BUT REMEMBER, HE'S INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN
SO, SO GUILTY.
AT THAT POINT, OF COURSE, HE WAS READ HIS MIRANDA RIGHTS.
THEN HE CLAIMED MIRANDA WASN'T EVEN HIS TYPE, ASKED HER
TO SIGN AN NDA, AND GOT INDICTED AGAIN.
THE JUDGE RULED THAT VIDEO CAMERAS WERE NOT
ALLOWED IN THE COURTROOM, BUT DID ALLOW SOME
STILL PHOTOGRAPHY.
HERE T IS.
TO HIS LEFT IS HIS LAWYER, JOE TACOPINA,
SEEN HERE SAYING, "HOW MANY TS IN ATTORNEY?
HEY, WHEN YOU TRACE YOUR HAND IT KINDA LOOKS LIKE A TURKEY!
BOSS, SHOULD WE GET SANDWICHES?" THEN, FOR A LONG TIME,
ALL WE HAD WAS THESE STILL PHOTOS, SO CABLE NEWS DID THEIR
BEST TO FILL TIME.
THAT IS A PISSED OFF DONALD TRUMP.
HE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A HAPPY MAN IN THESE IMAGES.
NO QUESTION THAT IS AN ANGRY DONALD TRUMP.
IT'S NOT JUST ANGER, THERE'S A WEIGHT,
THERE'S A SADNESS.
HE LOOKS LIKE A DEFEATED MAN.
ALMOST PENSIVE.
Stephen: PENSIVE?
YOU KNOW PENSIVE MEANS "THINKING," RIGHT?
THIS IS WHAT HE ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE!
THERE'S NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON
IN HIS HEAD.
ACTUALLY, THERE IS ONE WAY.
JIM, CAN WE ZOOM IN?
♪ ♪ HOME
THAT LOOKS TASTY.
THEY ALSO RELEASED A COURT SKETCH.
THERE IT IS.
HERE'S THE FORMER PRESIDENT BEING INDICTED FOR STEALING ALL
OF HOOVILLE'S CHRISTMAS PRES PRESENTS.
SURE.
YOU ARE A FOUL ONE.
Stephen: THERE WAS ONE CAMERA IN THE HALLWAY OUTSIDE
THE COURTROOM WHERE THE EX-PRESIDENT FOUND OUT THERE'S A
LOT LESS POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE AROUND YOU WHEN YOU'RE THE
DEFENDANT THAN WHEN YOU ARE THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.
THERE'S A COURT OFFICER I BELIEVE WHO ENTERS BEFORE HIM
DOESN'T HOLD THE DOOR OPEN FOR HIM.
AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT ACTUALLY HAS TO PUSH THE DOOR
OPEN FOR HIMSELF, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME
HE'S HAD TO THAT IN QUITE SOME TIME.
Stephen: WOW.
THAT'S KIND OF SPECIAL.
IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU SEE A DOOR HITTING AN ASS ON THE WAY IN.
NOW, BOOM!
NO?
WHILE IN COURT, THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS OFFICIALLY CHARGED
WITH 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS,
ALL OF WHICH WERE CLASSIFIED AS CLASS E FELONIES.
WELL,LEAVE IT TO THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TOILET.
EVEN HIS FELONIES ARE CLASS E.
NOW, SOME HAVE POINTED OUT THAT CLASS E ARE THE LOWEST LEVEL
OF FELONIES IN THE NEW YORK STATE PENAL CODE.
SO, LITTLE CRIMES.
NOTHING SERIOUS.
KINDA CUTE.
LIKE OTHER CLASS E FELONIES, ARSON IN THE FOURTH DEGREE,
WELFARE FRAUD, OR ABANDONMENT OF A CHILD.
"DON'T WORRY, DAD.
I'LL NEVER TESTIFY AGAINST YOU.
YOU CAN BUY MY SILENCE WITH A HUG.
OR YOU COULD HAVE MICHAEL COHEN HUG ME AND THEN SECRETLY HUG HIM
BACK OFF THE BOOKS."
NOW, SOME JUST SOME.
THANK YOU.
A LOT OF ABUNDANCE WARNED THAT NEW YORK WOULD BE OVERWHELMED BY
AN ANGRY MOB BUT THIS MORNING THERE WERE SO FEW PRO MAGA
PROTESTERS THAT REPORTERS HAD TO LINE UP TO TALK TO THEM.
IT'S NEVER A GOOD SIGN WHEN THERE ARE FEWER PEOPLE AT YOUR
CURRENT RALLY THAN THERE ARE IN PRISON FOR YOUR LAST ONE.
ONCE HE SAW THE WEAK TURNOUT, THE PRESIDENT WAS QUICK TO BLAME
IT ON LOCATION, POSTING ON TRUTH SOCIAL:
"VERY UNFAIR VENUE, WITH SOME AREAS THAT
VOTED 1% REPUBLICAN.
THIS CASE SHOULD BE MOVED TO NEARBY STATEN ISLAND."
YES.
MAKING IT THE FIRST TIME ANYONE HAS EVER SAID,
"WE SHOULD GO TO STATEN ISLAND."
THE FERRY IS SO FUN.
IT'S FREE.
ONE MAGA-LAGA DING-DONG WHO WAS THERE TODAY
WAS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE.
- ON HER WAY TO SPEAK OUTSIDE - -
[BOOING] Stephen: ON HER WAY TO
SPEAK OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE SHE GAVE AN INTERVIEW ABOUT HOW
NOBLE THIS INDICTMENT REALLY IS.
TRUMP IS JOINING SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE PEOPLE IN
HISTORY BEING ARRESTED TODAY.
NELSON MANDELA WAS ARRESTED, SERVED TIME IN PRISON.
JESUS!
JESUS WAS ARRESTED."
Stephen: IT'S TRUE.
HE WAS ARRESTED.
I KEEP FORGETTING THAT JESUS WAS PUT ON TRIAL FOR GETTING
JUDAS TO PAY MARY MAGDELENE NOT TO TELL ANYONE SHE
SPANKED HIM WITH A DEAD SEA SCROLL.
WHICH, OF COURSE, LED TO HIS FAMOUS SERMON.
"HEAVENLY FATHER, PLEASE REMIND THEM TO DONATE GENEROUSLY
AT JesusHChrist.biz OKAY, HERE I GO, ASCENDING
TO HEAVEN LIKE A DOG."
I DON'T REMEMBER THAT PART OF THE...
GREENE WASN'T THE ONLY WACKY CHARACTER TO
VISIT THE COURTHOUSE TODAY.
ONE MAGA PROTESTOR WAS THERE TO BRING THE LOUD.
YOU'RE PRO TRUMP?
YEAH.
YOU'RE HANDING OUT WHISTLES TO--
YEAH, MAKE A NOISE.
MAKE A NOISE.
EVERYBODY MUST HEAR US.
YOU DON'T WORRY THAT IT MIGHT BE DROWNING OUT
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE OR WHATEVER OVER THERE?
I LIKE TO MAKE A NOISE.
I'M HERE TO MAKE A NOISE.
[LAUGHTER] Stephen: I THINK HE MIGHT
"I LIKE TO MAKE A NOISE."
SO, WITH FEWER MAGA THAN PREDICTED AND A WHOLE LOT OF
THE NOISE, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT GREENE FLED HER OWN RALLY
AFTER JUST 10 MINUTES.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT NEW YORK.
IF YOU CAN MAKE IT HERE, YOU'RE NOT
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE.
AND WE WILL HAVE THE COMPOSER OF THAT SONG, JOHN KANDER,
RIGHT OVER THERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
WITH LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.
CRAZY DAY.
ALL THE CRAZIES WERE OUT.
THERE WAS A GUY DRESSED AS FREDDY KRUGER, HOLDING A SIGN
CALLING THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY A "NIGHTMARE."
HE WASN'T THE ONLY HORROR MOVIE VILLAIN.
THERE WAS ALSO A GUY THERE DRESSED AS LEATHERFACE.
NOW, AS FASCINATING AS TODAY WAS, IT ALSO GIVES ME
THIS UNEASY FEELING.
'CAUSE NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE EX-PRESIDENT,
AND I'M ON THE RECORD AS TO HOW I FEEL ABOUT HIM--
NOW STREAMING ON PARAMOUNT+ A MOUNTAIN OF
"[BLEEP] THAT GUY."
THE MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED TODAY IS LIKELY TO BE THE REPUBLICAN
NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT, EVEN IF HE HAS TO ACCEPT THE
NOMINATION ON THE PHONE THROUGH PLEXIGLASS.
SO ALL OF THIS WAS WEIRD AND TOTALLY UNPRECEDENTED,
YET IT STILL FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
THE SAME WAY IT WOULD BE WEIRD AND UNPRECEDENTED TO SHOOT
A TRANQ DART INSIDE THE SUPREME COURT, BUT IT WOULD
BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO IF THE SENATE CONFIRMED CHIEF
JUSTICE COCAINE BEAR.
SO, ALL IN ALL, THIS IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL.
AND THESE AREN'T EVEN THE BIGGEST CHARGES.
THE BIG ONES ARE BEING INVESTIGATED BY
SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH, SEEN HERE OFFICIATING
A WEDDING ON ZARGON-5.
AMONG OTHER CRIME-INGS, SMITH IS INVESTIGATING
THE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS DOWN IN MAR-A-LAGO,
AND YESTERDAY, WE GOT A SPICY UPDATE.
THE FBI HAS FRESH EVIDENCE POINTING TO POSSIBLE
OBSTRUCTION.
I ASSUME THEY MEAN "OF JUSTICE."
THOUGH IT COULD BE "OF COLON."
SPECIFICALLY, INVESTIGATORS HAVE NEW AND SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE
THAT AFTER THE SUBPOENA WAS DELIVERED, THE EX PRESIDENT
LOOKED THROUGH THE CONTENTS OF SOME OF THE BOXES OF DOCUMENTS,
APPARENTLY OUT OF A DESIRE TO KEEP CERTAIN
THINGS IN HIS POSSESSION.
AND WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE!
HE WAS BUSTED BY HIS OWN SECURITY CAMERAS!
HOW COULD HE MAKE THAT MISTAKE?
TWO OF THE FIVE WORDS HE KNOWS ARE "CAMERA" AND "TV."
IN ADDITION-- [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
[HUMMING "YMCA"] WE'VE GOT A GREAT SHOW FOR YOU
MY GUESTS ARE BROADWAY LEGENDS JOHN KANDER
AND LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.
BUT WHEN WE COME BACK, MY TECH SEGMENT, "CYBORGASM."
♪ ♪ Announcer: "THE LATE SHOW
WITH STEPHEN COLBERT," SPONSORED BY SUBARU.
LOVE.
IT'S WHAT MAKES SUBARU SUBARU.
Stephen: HEY!
GIVE IT UP FOR THE BAND.
LOUIS CATO AND "THE LATE SHOW" BAND RIGHT THERE.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] YOU KNOW WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT?
JUST A MINUTE, YOU KNOW, I AM A HUGE FAN OF CABARET IN CHICAGO
AND HAMILTON OF COURSE AND "IN THE HEIGHTS."
LYLIN-MANUEL MIRANDA AND JOHN KANDER IN JUST A MOMENT.
96 YEARS OLD, STILL BRINGING IT, HE'S GOT A NEW MUSICAL COMING TO
BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, WHICH WILL HAVE A PERFORMANCE
FROM AT THE END OF TONIGHT'S SHOW.
STICK AROUND.
TOMORROW NIGHT THE FOUR NEW ARTEMIS ASTRONAUTS WILL BE ON
THE SHOW.
WEISE IS THE CREW THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING UP AND AROUND THE
MOON.
WE ARE GOING BACK, BABY.
IT'S BEEN 50 YEARS.
WE ARE GOING BACK.
AMERICA IS BACK, BABY.
OH.
FOLKS.
I LOVE TECHNOLOGY FOR SO MANY REASONS.
FOR INSTANCE, THANKS TO TECHNOLOGY, IT NOW
MAKES SENSE THAT I'M SCREAMING AT MY WRISTWATCH TO MAKE
A DENTIST APPOINTMENT.
AND I LIKE TO BRING YOU ALL THE LATEST TECH NEWS
IN MY TECH SEGMENT: CYBORGASM.
FIRST UP, LATELY WE'VE ALL SEEN A LOT OF A.I.-GENERATED IMAGES.
WELL, NOW, A VIDEO HAS GONE VIRAL FROM A NEW A.I. MODEL
CALLED "TEXT TO VIDEO" THAT GENERATES VIDEOS BASED ONLY
ON A TEXT PROMPT.
SOMEONE DECIDED TO INPUT THE WORDS "WILL SMITH
EATING SPAGHETTI."
AND THIS IS WHAT IT DID.
GOOD LORD!
HE IS GETTING JIGGY WITH THE SPA-GIGGY.
IS HE TRYING TO WIN A CONTEST?
SLOW DOWN, WILL!
YOU'LL NEVER KEEP THAT PHYSIQUE POUNDING ALL THOSE CARBS.
THEN SOMEONE ELSE GAVE THE A.I.
THE SAME PROMPT, THIS TIME ADDING THE WORD "AND MEATBALLS,"
WHICH RESULTED IN THIS NIGHTMARE FUEL.
IT'S LIKE AN IMAGE FROM THE RING OF HELL YOU GET SENT TO IF YOU
SKIP OUT ON YOUR CHECK AT OLIVE GARDEN.
NEXT UP, GM IS CUTTING OFF ACCESS TO APPLE CARPLAY
FOR ITS FUTURE ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
OH, NO, NOW I WON'T BE ABLE TO FAIL TO PAIR MY PHONE
WITH THE RENTAL CAR NIE TIMES BEFORE IT DISPLAYS ALL THE
PREVIOUS RENTER'S EMAILS.
SPEAKING OF FUTURE CARS, THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY
HAS A HOT NEW INVENTION: "SELF-REPOSSESSING CARS
THAT CAN DRIVE THEMSELVES AWAY" IF YOU "MISS A PAYMENT."
OR JUST BECAUSE IT'S PISSED OFF THAT YOU LET ITS CUP HOLDERS
FILL UP WITH DOG HAIR AND PENNIES.
WHAT'S MORE, IF IT COSTS THE BANK MORE TO REPOSESS THE CAR
THAN IT'S WORTH, THE CAR WILL SIMPLY DRIVE ITSELF
TO A JUNKYARD.
THEN I ASSUME THE CAR WILL BE PROGRAMMED TO TELL THE
JUNKYARD GUY THAT ITS OWNER IS POOR SO IT WANTS TO DIE.
THE SYSTEM WILL GIVE WARNINGS FIRST, BUT IF THOSE ARE IGNORED,
THE CAR WILL START DISABLING CRUISE CONTROL,
WINDOW CONTROLS, SEAT CONTROLS.
THEN THE AIR CONDITIONING, REMOTE KEY FOB, AND DOOR LOCKS.
THEN, AN INCESSANT AND UNPLEASANT SOUND MAY BE
TURNED ON "EVERY TIME THE OWNER IS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE."
WELL, I SAY IF YOU CAN PUT UP WITH ALL THAT, NOT ONLY SHOULD
YOU GET TO KEEP YOUR CAR, BUT I WANNA SEE YOU PULL UP IN IT FOR
A DATE.
"HI, I'M RICK.
MY DOORS, A.C.
DON'T WORK AND THERE'S AN ALARM BLARING AT ALL TIMES BUT THAT'S
ONLY BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN IS GOING GREAT IN MY LIFE.
SMASH THE WINDOW AND CRAWL IN.
THE DOORS DON'T WORK."
JUST SMASH IT.
NEXT UP, RESEARCHERS AT CAMBRIDGE HAVE INVENTED
THIS ADDITIONAL THUMB THAT CAN BE STRAPPED TO THE HAND.
THE INVENTORS TOOK THEIR CREATION OUT TO LET THE PUBLIC
TRY IT, AND THEY ALL SEEMED PRETTY DELIGHTED, ESPECIALLY
THIS GUY, WHO IS POSSIBLY NOT THINKING ABOUT ALL THE SEX STUFF
HE'S GONNA DO WITH IT.
AND THEY ALSO SHOWED OFF HOW MUCH HAVING AN EXTRA THUMB
CAN ADD TO YOUR LIFE.
♪ ♪ AMAZING.
THIS REPRESENTS A MASSIVE BREAKTHROUGH IN "HOLDING ONE
ADDITIONAL THING."
NEXT UP, SOME IN THE PORN COMMUNITY ARE WARNING THAT
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COULD RENDER X-RATED ENTERTAINERS
OBSOLETE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
MAKES SENSE.
SCIENCE FICTION HAS LONG CAUTIONED US ABOUT THE DANGERS
OF SEXUALIZED A.I.
OPEN THE POD-BAY DOORS, HAL.
WHY?
SO YOU CAN SEE UP MY POD-BAY, YOU DIRTY LITTLE SPACE SLUT?
Stephen: BECAUSE OF THE SPEED AT WHICH A.I. IS MOVING,
THERE IS NOW CONCERN THAT PORN VIEWERS WILL SOON PREFER
THE RAUNCHY ROBOTS MORE THAN ACTUAL REAL-LIFE PERFORMERS,
PROGRAMMED TO BE "PERFECT".
WELL, THAT'S A LEGITIMATE CONCERN.
HOW CAN ANY REAL HUMAN PORN PERFORMER EVER MEASURE UP
TO THE SMOKING HOT VIDEO FOOTAGE LIKE THIS.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH BROADWAY LEGENDS JOHN KANDER
AND LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.
♪ ♪ Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW."
MY GUESTS TONIGHT ARE BROADWAY LEGENDS, WITH OVER 20 MUSICALS
UNDER THEIR BELTS.
ONE OF THEM WROTE THE SCORES FOR "CABARET"
AND "CHICAGO."
THE OTHER ONE CREATED "IN THE HEIGHTS" AND "HAMILTON."
PLEASE WELCOME TO "THE LATE SHOW,"
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA AND JOHN KANDER!
JOHN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
LIN, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.
YOU DON'T GET THAT EVERY NIGHT.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] JOHN KANDER, LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA,
LOVELY TO SEE BOTH OF YOU.
YOU ARE BOTH GIANTS OF THE MUSICAL THEATER WORLD.
JOHN, YOU HAVE BEEN AT IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW, SIR?
John: 96.
Stephen: 96.
BORN IN 1927 THEN?
John: YES.
Stephen: THIS THEATER WAS BUILT IN 1927.
YOU GUYS ARE TWINS.
John: I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER NOW.
Stephen: WHEN DID LIN COME ON YOUR RADAR?
John: I CAN REMEMBER THAT EXACTLY.
I WENT TO SEE AN OFF-BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF "IN THE HEIGHTS"
BECAUSE A FRIEND OF MINE WAS IN IT.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HI HIM.
AND I SAW THIS MIRACLE ON THE STAGE.
AND I STAY BEHIND TO-- I'M NOT A VERY AGGRESSIVE
PERSON, BUT I DID STAY BEHIND BECAUSE I WANTED TO MEET HIM.
AND FIND OUT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.
[LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE]
WELL, THAT'S REALLY TRUE.
Lin-Manuel: THAT'S REALLY TRUE AND HE INVITED ME TO LUNCH
AND I WAS SO SCARED.
HERE I AM EATING LUNCH WITH THE GUY WHO WROTE SOME OF MY
FAVORITE MUSICALS, AND WE SAT DOWN AROUND THE CORNER FROM YOUR
HOUSE THROUGH THE FIRST THING HE SAID TO ME WAS "DO YOU EVER FEEL
WHEN YOU'RE WRITING A SONG LIKE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE
DOING?" AND THAT IMMEDIATELY LEVELED THE
PLAYING FIELD AND THEN WE JUST STARTED TALKING ABOUT
SONGWRITING.
WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT 15 YEARS LATER.
John: AND IT'S FUNNY, OUR SERIES OF LUNCHEONS WERE
SOMETHING THAT JUST SORT OF EVOLVED.
I LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM.
AND STILL AM.
AND WE BECAME FAST FRIENDS.
AND SO HERE WE ARE.
Lin-Manuel: HERE WE ARE, INSIDE THE TV.
Stephen: THERE IT IS.
THERE YOU GO.
WELL, SEE YOU GUYS STARTED WORKING TOGETHER AFTER THOSE
LUNCHES AND NOW YOU'RE WORKING ON "NEW YORK, NEW YORK."
WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?
Lin-Manuel: "NEW YORK, NEW YORK" TAKES ITS NAME IN THE
BAREST SLIVERS OF PLOT FROM THE ORIGINAL SCORSESE FILM.
BUT IT REALLY IS A LOVE LETTER TO NEW YORK CITY, IT TAKES PLACE
JUST AFTER WORLD WAR II AND IT'S ABOUT MUSICIANS COMING TO THE
CITY, CITIZENS COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO BECOME
THEMSELVES IN NEW YORK.
THE SONG THAT JOHNSON BRILLIANTLY WRITES, THEY ARE
LOOKING FOR THEIR MAJOR CHORD WHICH IS MUSIC, MONEY, LOVE.
NOT NECESSARILY THAT ORDER.
Stephen: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TITLE SONG.
JOHN, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT WRITING "NEW YORK, NEW YORK"?
I KNOW THAT THE FORM OF THE SONG THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE NOW IS
NOT THE ORIGINAL FORM OF THE SONG.
John: THANK GOD.
[LAUGHTER] Stephen: I WOULD AGREE.
I HAVE HEARD THE ORIGINAL.
John: YOU HAVE?
Stephen: I HAVE.
I HEARD THAT TERRY GROSS INTERVIEW.
I THINK YOU DID A GOOD JOB ON THAT REWRITE OF THAT SONG.
HOW DID IT COME ABOUT?
John: WELL, FRED AND I-- Stephen: YOUR WRITING
PARTNER FOR SO MANY YEARS.
John: WE WERE ASSIGNED TO WRITE A SCORE FOR WHAT WE CALLED
"NEW YORK, NEW YORK."
MARTIN SCORSESE WAS DIRECTING IT AND LIZA MALLEY AND
ROBERT DE NIRO WERE IN IT.
AND WE WENT DOWN TO MURTY'S OFFICE AND WE PLAYED OUR SCORE.
I THINK THERE WERE SEVEN, EIGHT SONG, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
HE AND LIZA WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY.
AND WE STARTED TO GO HOME.
OVER ON THE COUCH WITH SOMEBODY WE HADN'T MET, AND THAT WAS
ROBERT DE NIRO.
ALL WE SAW OF HIM WAS AN ARM THAT WENT UP.
SCORSESE SAID EXCUSE ME JUST A MINUTE.
ROBERT DE NIRO WANTS TO SPEAK WITH ME.
HE WENT SAT ON THE COUCH AND THAT I SAW TWO ARMS DOING THAT.
AND THEN SCORSESE CAME BACK AND IN THE MOST EMBARRASSED WAY SAID
THAT DE NIRO FEELS THAT THE TITLE SONG, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED
WITH HIM, IS NOT AS STRONG AS "THE WORLD GOES ROUND" WHICH IS
ASSOCIATED WITH LIZA'S CHARA CHARACTER.
HE REALLY COULD HARDLY GET THE WORDS OUT.
HE SAID WOULD YOU GUYS MIND GOING BACK AND TAKING ANOTHER
CRACK AT IT?
Stephen: HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
John: FREDDY AND I AND OUR POLITEST STIFFNESS SAID
OF COURSE.
[LAUGHTER] Stephen: OF COURSE THEY
LIED.
[LAUGHTER] John: ANYWAY.
WE LEFT WE WENT BACK TO FREDDY'S APARTMENT, AND WE WERE SO PISSED
OFF.
THAT SOME ACTOR WAS GOING TO TELL US.
Stephen: SOME ATOR.
BOBBY D SOMEBODY OR OTHER.
John: ANYHOW, WENT INTO FREDDIE STUDY AND IN 45 MINUTES
WROTE THIS OTHER SONG THAT WE NOW KNOW AS "NEW YORK, NEW YOR
YORK."
AND WE TOOK IT BACK.
AND THEY CAN'T DO IT AND LIKE THE SONG.
THE POINT OF IT ALL IS THAT DE NIRO WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE ORIGINAL SONG WE WROTE WAS SO EMBARRASSING.
ACTUALLY SAM DAVIS, OUR MUSIC COORDINATOR, SNEAKED INTO THE
UNDERSCORING.
Stephen: SO IT IS SOMEWHERE IN THIS MUSICAL?
John: I AM NOT TELLING YOU WHERE.
Lin-Manuel: BY THE WAY, I THINK THAT'S THE SECRET OF THE
SONG'S SUCCESS AND WHY IT HAS BECOME A NEW YORK ANTHEM.
BECAUSE THEY WROTE IT WHILE THEY WERE A LITTLE PISSED OFF AND I
THINK EVERY NEW YORKER IS A LITTLE PISSED OFF.
Stephen: WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
Lin-Manuel: THAT HAS JUST A LITTLE [BLEEP]
YOU IN IT.
Stephen: THE LINE "IF YOU CAN MAKE IT THERE, IT'S ONE OF
THE MOST FAMOUS LINES IN THE SONG AND ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH NEW YORK NOW.
WHAT IS THE MOMENT YOU REALIZED YOU HAD MADE IT?
LIN, LET'S START WITH YOU.
Lin-Manuel: I ALWAYS SAY I'LL NEVER MAKE A BIGGER LEAP IN
MY LIFE THEN GOING FROM SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AT MY OLD
HIGH SCHOOL TO BROADWAY COMPOSER, WHICH WAS THE LEAP I
MADE WHEN "IN THE HEIGHTS" MADE IT FROM OFF-BROADWAY TO
BROADWAY.
I WAS STILL SOBBING.
Stephen: YOU WEREN'T EVEN A PERMANENT TEACHER.
Lin-Manuel: I RELIED ON TEACHERS AT MY OLD HIGH SCHOOL
TO GET SICK FIVE TIMES A MONTH AND THEN I COULD PAY MY RENT.
SO THAT WAS THE BIGGEST LEAP I'LL EVER TAKE IN MY LIFE.
BUT I THINK THE MOMENT WAS KIND OF, I THINK THE MOMENT YOU
REALIZE YOUR NEW YORKER IS WHEN YOU CAN WALK INTO YOUR BODEGA
AND THEY JUST START MAKING THE ORDER.
BECAUSE YOU ARE THERE EVERY DAY.
Stephen: THEY KNOW.
JOHN, WHAT IS YOUR-- WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF BEING A
NEW YORKER, JOHN?
DO YOU HAVE A THING YOU ASSOCIATE WITH REALLY BEING A
NEW YORKER?
John: YEAH.
SOME OF IT I THINK IS, I WAS SITTING IN THE OTHER ROOM,
SOMETHING I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL TODAY I THINK I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
A NEW YORKER, EVEN THOUGH WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN KANSAS CITY.
Stephen: WHAT IS THAT INEFFABLE THING?
John: OKAY.
THIS IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE SHOW REALLY AND IT'S SOMETHING I
BELIEVE TRULY DEEPLY.
I THINK THAT NEW YORK CITY IS THE GREATEST SOCIAL EXPERIMENT
THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
[APPLAUSE] Stephen: WHAT ARE THE
ELEMENTS OF THE EXPERIMENT?
John: I THINK EVERYBODY LIVES IN NEW YORK AND
EVERYBODY'S NATURAL ENEMY LIVES IN NEW YORK.
TRULY.
AND THE FACT IS FOR THE MOST PART, THEY DON'T KILL EACH
OTHER.
AND IF YOU THINK OF OTHER BIG CITIES IN THE WORLD.
YOU THINK OF LONDON AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD WHO LIVED THERE AND THE ENGLISH.
THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN PARIS WHO LIVED THERE FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD AND THE FRENCH.
IN NEW YORK, THERE IS ONLY OTHERS.
[APPLAUSE] Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A
QUICK BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE LIN MANUEL-MIRANDA AND JOHN
KANDER, EVERYBODY.
STICK AROUND.
Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WE ARE BACK WITH TWO OF THE BIGGEST NAMES ON BROADWAY, THE
COMPOSERS OF THE NEW MUSICAL "NEW YORK, NEW YORK," JOHN
KANDER AND LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.
YOU SAY THAT YOU'VE BEEN WRITING SINCE YOU ARE QUITE SMALL.
I WANT TO GET TO WHAT YOUR FIRST SONG WASN'T JUST A MOMENT.
LIN, DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST SONG HE WROTE?
Lin-Manuel: I THINK IT WAS INTO MY FISHER-PRICE TAPE
RECORDER.
IT WAS CALLED "THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS ARE IN TOWN."
IT WAS ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT GARBAGE PAIL KIDS BECAUSE I
COLLECTED GARBAGE PAIL KIDS CARDS AND THEY WERE COMING TO
TOWN.
Stephen: JOHN, WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST SONG?
DO YOU REMEMBER?
John: YEAH.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL I WROTE IN SECOND GRADE.
I DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL MANY YEARS LATER THAT MY SECOND GRADE
TEACHER HAD CALLED MY FOLKS AND SAID "I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU
THAT JOHN WROTE A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
IS THAT ALL RIGHT?
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE JEWISH."
[LAUGHTER] Stephen: WHAT DID YOUR
FOLKS SAY?
WAS THAT OKAY?
John: IT WAS FINE WITH THEM.
THEY TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ME THAT THERE WAS MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
[LAUGHTER] Stephen: YOU WROTE FOR SO
MANY YEARS.
YOU WROTE FOR OVER 40 YEARS WITH YOUR PARTNER, FRED.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO CONTINUE TO COMPOSE AND CREATE SONGS WITHOUT
HIM?
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DISCOVERIES YOU
MADE?
John: WELL, AFTER FREDDIE DIED, 2004, THERE WAS SOME LEFT
OVER PROJECTS WHICH I VOWED TO FINISH.
AND I BEGAN TO WORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE, WITH MYSELF, AND I THINK
I FOUND OUT THAT I COULDN'T NOT RIGHT.
I COULDN'T NOT WRITE, AND THAT'S REALLY THE WHOLE SECRET.
IT'S LIKE A HABIT THAT YOU JUST CAN'T GET RID OF AND I HAVE BEEN
REALLY, REALLY LUCKY THAT I GET TO PLAY IN THE SANDBOX WITH
PEOPLE LIKE HIM.
[APPLAUSE] Stephen: LIN, I KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY JOHN AND FRED EBB AND I UNDERSTAND
YOU WROTE "THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS," EXTRAORDINARY SONG
FROM "HAMILTON" IS A LOVE LETTER TO THEM.
Lin-Manuel: YEAH, THAT IS MY NOD TO THEM.
IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT STYLE FROM THE REST OF IT BECAUSE, AND
AGAIN HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE DON'T RECOGNIZE OUR
OWN STYLES.
I TOLD JOHN THIS AND HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
THE ONLY REAL TELL IS AT THE END OF THAT SONG IF YOU LISTEN, IT
GOES "I WANT TO BE IN THE ROOM" AND THEN HE GOES CLICK, BOOM,
SHHH" AND THAT IS ALL THAT JAZZ.
THAT IS A STRAIGHT UP STEAL.
Stephen: STICK AROUND.
MORE LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA AND JOHN KANDER TO COME.
Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY, WE ARE BACK WITH THE GREAT JOHN
KANDER AND LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.
JOHN, WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR HEROES?
YOU ARE A HERO OF LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA.
WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR HEROES?
John: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRVING BERLIN.
IT JEROME KERN.
EVERY GENERATION HAS ITS OWN NOT JUST MUSICAL HEROES BUT
INFLUENCES AND WHAT REALLY KIND OF DAZZLES ME, WHEN WE WORK
TOGETHER, THAT WE ARE SEPARATED BY NOT JUST TWO GENERATIONS, BY
THREE GENERATIONS.
AND YET THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF WRITING AND WORKING IS ALMOST
ABSURDLY EASY.
Lin-Manuel: YEAH.
Stephen: REALLY?
EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES WHEN YOU APPROACH THE START TO A SONG,
YOU THINK "I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING?"
John: BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
Lin-Manuel: BUT WE GO THERE TOGETHER.
Stephen: WHAT IS THAT FEELING LIKE WHEN YOU REALIZE
YOU'VE GONE FROM NOT KNOWING TO KNOWING SOMETHING?
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?
WHAT IS THAT MYSTERIOUS MOMENT WHEN THE BLANK PAGE TURNS INTO
NOT AN ACCUSATION BUT A POSSIBILITY.
Lin-Manuel: WE TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME ACTUALLY.
John: IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU NEVER KNOW MUCH.
YOU REALLY DON'T.
BUT SOMETHING BEGINS TO HAPPEN AND IF YOU'RE WORKING WITH
ANOTHER PERSON, YOU BEGIN TO PILE IDEA ON IDEA.
AND IT'S AN ADVENTURE.
AND IF YOU DON'T PUT SOME GOD UP THERE TELLING YOU THAT'S NO
GOOD, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND JUST DO IT.
Lin-Manuel: YEAH.
AND HIS HANDS ARE REALLY FAST.
A LOT OF WHAT WRITING IS TO US IS JUST EATING BAGELS AND
TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S ON TV AND THEN AT A CERTAIN POINT WE WILL
TURN TO THE PIANO AND TALK ABOUT THE IDEA WE HAVE.
HIS HANDS WILL START GOING I WILL JUST START TRYING TO WRITE
WORDS TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT'S COMING OUT OF HIS HANDS ON THE
FIRST SONG WE WERE TOGETHER, THE OPENING NUMBER OF "NEW YORK, NEW
YORK," WE ROTATE ABOUT AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES.
I FILMED US SINGING THROUGH IT FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THERE'S A
MOMENT WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER.
[BLEEP] THAT IT EXISTS NOW.
[APPLAUSE] John: HE JUST SAID
SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
UNDERSTAND WITH PEOPLE WHO MAKE ART, IF YOU WILL.
ONE OF THE GREAT, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT MAKING STUFF
IS SOMETHING IS THERE THAT WAS NOT THERE BEFORE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT AN EGO TRIP THAT IS.
Stephen: JOHN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
LOVELY TO TALK TO YOU.
LIN, AS ALWAYS.
THANK YOU.
"NEW YORK, NEW YORK" IS ON BROADWAY
AT THE ST. JAMES THEATRE.
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA AND JOHN KANDER, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH A PERFORMANCE FROM
"NEW YORK, NEW YORK."
STICK AROUND.
AND NOW PERFORMING "BUT THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND",
ANNA UZELE AND THE ORCHESTRA FROM THE BROADWAY MUSICAL
"NEW YORK, NEW YORK."
♪ ♪ ♪ SOMETIMES YOU'RE HAPPY ♪
♪ AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE SAD ♪ ♪ BUT THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND ♪
♪ SOMETIMES YOU LOSE ♪ ♪ EVERY NICKEL YOU HAD ♪
♪ BUT THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND ♪ ♪ SOMETIMES YOUR DREAMS ♪
♪ GET BROKEN IN PIECES ♪ ♪ BUT THAT
DOESN'T ALTER A THING ♪ ♪ TAKE IT FROM ME ♪
♪ THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE ♪ ♪ A SUMMER, A WINTER ♪
♪ A FALL ♪ ♪ AND A SPRING ♪
♪ AND SOMETIMES ♪ ♪ A FRIEND STARTS ♪
♪ TREATING YOU BAD ♪ ♪ BUT THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND ♪
♪ AND SOMETIMES ♪ ♪ YOUR HEART BREAKS ♪
♪ WITH A DEAFENING SOUND ♪ ♪ SOMEBODY LOSES ♪
♪ AND SOMEBODY WINS ♪ ♪ AND ONE DAY IT'S KICKS ♪
♪ THEN IT'S KICKS IN THE SHINS ♪ ♪ BUT THE PLANET SPINS ♪
♪ AND THE WORLD GOES ♪ ♪ 'ROUND AND 'ROUND ♪
♪ ♪ THE WORLD GOES ♪
♪ 'ROUND ♪ ♪ SOMETIMES YOUR DREAMS ♪
♪ GET BROKEN IN PIECES ♪ ♪ BUT THAT DOESN'T
MATTER AT ALL ♪ ♪ TAKE IT FROM ME ♪
♪ THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE ♪ ♪ A SUMMER, A WINTER ♪
♪ A SPRING ♪ ♪ AND A FALL ♪
♪ AND SOMETIMES ♪ ♪ A FRIEND STARTS ♪
♪ TREATING YOU BAD ♪ ♪ BUT THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND ♪
♪ AND SOMETIMES ♪ ♪ YOUR HEART BREAKS ♪
♪ WITH A DEAFENING SOUND ♪ ♪ SOMEBODY LOSES ♪
♪ AND SOMEBODY WINS ♪ ♪ AND ONE DAY IT'S KICKS ♪
♪ THEN IT'S KICKS IN THE SHINS ♪ ♪ BUT THE PLANET SPINS ♪
♪ AND THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND ♪ ♪ AND AROUND AND 'ROUND ♪
♪ AND AROUND ♪ ♪ AND 'ROUND ♪
♪ THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND ♪ AROUND AND 'ROUND ♪
♪ AND 'ROUND ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ANNA UZELE
FROM "NEW YORK, NEW YORK," EVERYBODY.
ST JAMES THEATRE.
THAT'S IT FOR "THE LATE SHOW."
GOOD NIGHT.