Late-night TV is built on laugh-out-loud antics and viral moments, but Stephen Colbert knows how to mix in something deeper. On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the host has carved out a niche for thoughtful, hilarious and often surprising conversations about faith with his guests.
“I’m willing to talk about my own faith if my guest asks me about it; I don’t like to proselytize,” Colbert told NPR’s Terry Gross on Fresh Air.
While Colbert might not steer the ship toward spiritual topics himself, he has a knack for drawing out raw and riveting faith stories from his guests. In 2024, Colbert’s desk became a confessional of sorts, hosting heartfelt discussions about the gospel, the grind of Christian comedy, and how faith fuels careers and everyday lives.
Here are four of The Late Show’s standout faith conversations this year:
Paul Walter Hauser
Emmy-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser opened up to Colbert about his life transformation, which was documented in his new “I Am Second” videos.
Hauser, known for his roles in I, Tonya and Richard Jewell, won a Primetime Emmy for his role as serial killer Larry Hall in Black Bird. During the filming of Black Bird in New Orleans, Hauser underwent a deep transformation that restored his life and his family.
“This really changed my life because I ended up getting sober in the middle of the shoot,” he told Colbert about filming Black Bird. “You know, I was in a rough place personally. I was not the best version of myself — to put it vague and safe. But then I played this serial killer and you’re in New Orleans which is a very spiritually thick place to be … there’s an atmosphere of dark spirituality there at times.
“So I got sober in the middle of the shoot and I started going to therapy. It was like the catalyst for all these wonderful things that happened, including healing my family,” he continued.
Hauser then pointed to an “I Am Second” bracelet on his wrist.
“I did this video documentary thing called I Am Second and if you look it up on YouTube, you can see my wife and I, our whole story, where we very vulnerably talk about our problems and how we mended them and how we got back together. It’s a beautiful story,” Hauser said.
Steph Curry
Steph Curry isn’t one to shy away from talking about his faith off the court. But the Golden State Warriors star shared with Colbert that on the court, he’s still thinking about God.
On each of his shoes, Curry has written “413,” which is a nod to his favorite Bible verse, Philippines 4:13, which says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He even has it listed on his Instagram bio.
“I mean, that’s my source of strength and determination and my purpose,” Curry said. “Anything that you do in life is going to require that undying faith in yourself and the belief that you can conquer anything. And for me, through Christ as my strength and I can do all things.”
“It’s just a great reminder,” he continued. “You’re always searching for purpose and why you’re here — and for me, that’s it.”
Taylor Tomlinson
Comedian and After Midnight host Taylor Tomlinson may have started her career in Christian comedy at age 16, but after one ill-timed joke she decided to make some changes.
Tomlinson shared with Colbert about her Christian origin story, explaining that just before she was scheduled to perform her opening set for an unnamed church comedian (she opened up for Tim Hawkins multiple times in 2016), she tweeted “an innuendo” that ultimately got her kicked off the entire tour.
And while it forced her to change up her entire comedy routine, she ultimately realized it was the best move for everyone.
Nick Cave
Nick Cave delivered one of the most insightful interviews seen on late-night TV all year.
The iconic musician discussed everything from how his view of music has changed over the years, collaborating with his hero Johnny Cash, processing grief and the Bad Seeds’ new album Wild God. And towards the end of the show, Cave shared a timely, hope-filled letter he’d written in his online advice column, the Red Hand Files.
He had received a message from someone who shared they’d been feeling cynical about humanity and its future — something many young adults are feeling these days. Cave explained to Colbert that he wanted to share his response with his audience, hoping to inspire others to not give up on the future just yet.
“Much of my early life was spent holding the world and the people in it in contempt,” he said. “It was a position both seductive and indulgent. The truth is, I was young and had no idea what was coming down the line. It took a devastation to teach me the preciousness of life and the essential goodness of people. It took a devastation to reveal the precariousness of the world, of its very soul, and to understand that the world was crying out for help. It took a devastation to understand the idea of mortal value, and it took a devastation to find hope.
“Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned, makes demands upon us, and can often feel like the most indefensible and lonely place on Earth,” he continued. “Hopefulness is not a neutral position — it is adversarial. It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism. Each redemptive or loving act, as small as you like — such as reading to your little boy, showing him something you love, singing him a song, or putting on his shoes — keeps the devil down in the hole.”
Check out his full interview here:
