Barack Obama returns to Colbert, reveals his favorite action movie
Barack Obama returns to Colbert, reveals his favorite action movie
Kelly Lawler and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYThu, May 14, 2026 at 1:24 PM UTC
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Stephen Colbert may be almost finished with his career as the host of "The Late Show," but President Barack Obama is not quite done with the host.
After a long interview between Colbert and the former president on the May 5 episode of "Late Show," Obama was back for one last hurrah on the May 13 episode, answering "The Colbert Questionert," a signature bit in Colbert's comedy arsenal.
The "questionert" is a 15-question, well, questionnaire that Colbert likes to ask some of his most famous guests, with real deep insights like "best sandwich" and "apples or oranges." Obama did not disappoint with his answers.
"Cheeseburger's the best sandwich," Obama proclaimed, specifically with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and mustard.
President Barack Obama appears on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on May 5, 2026.
His first concert? Elton John in 1973. The scariest animal? Mosquitoes. Apples or oranges? Apples. Window or aisle? Window. Cats or dogs? Dogs.
Does he have a favorite action movie? "I thought the Daniel Craig James Bond series was terrific," he said, naming Craig's first Bond flick, 2006's "Casino Royale," as the best.
What's the song he'd pick if he could only listen to one for the rest of his life? "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye or "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone, he said.
After Colbert, what's the future of late-night TV on CBS and beyond?
What happens when we die? "I don't know, but I accept that if we've lived a good life, I think we live on in the memories of the people who loved us," Obama told Colbert.
And when asked to describe the rest of his life in five words, Obama chose the words joy and useful, plus the first names of former first lady Michelle Obama and their two kids, Malia and Sasha.
The "Late Show" also released some new clips from the Obama interview on YouTube, including one where Colbert asks how the former president engages with the news.
"I have not watched cable news, TV news, since my first campaign," he said, which shocked Colbert, though Obama noted he sees "clips of things."
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Obama last appeared on Colbert for a mostly feel-good interview during the May 5 episode at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, in which he addressed both current politics and the future for the late-night host, whose final episode will air May 21.
President Barack Obama appears on "The Late Show" on May 5, 2026.
"I’m looking for a new gig soon," Colbert said, alluding to his long-running CBS talk show's forthcoming finale. "And a lot of people tell me I should run for president."
In response, Obama chuckled and told Colbert that he has "the look" to be president, and added, "You have the hair."
Colbert replied, "For the record, I think it's a stupid idea. How dumb do you think it is for people to say that I should run for president?"
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"The bar has changed," the former president said. He did not mention President Donald Trump by name, though his implication was clear. Laughing, Obama added, "Let me put it this way: I think that you could perform significantly better than some folks that we've seen. I have great confidence in that."
Tom Hanks gives Colbert a gift to help with his 'résumé writing'
The Obama interview was pretaped, but Colbert's live, in person-guest for May 13 was Tom Hanks. Hanks playfully came out on stage holding CBS stationery, joking he was stealing it from the "Late Show" studio before it's vacated.
"Dude, you're moving on, and there is so much stuff to steal from the offices right now," Hanks said. "They're never going to miss it!"
Tom Hanks appears on "The Late Show" on May 13, 2026.
On a more serious note, the "Forrest Gump" star told Colbert he isn't sure "how the entertainment industrial complex is going to survive without you." Later, he presented a gift to Colbert, who was celebrating his 62nd birthday: a box of paper and a portable typewriter.
"You're going to be doing some serious résumé writing," he quipped.
Contributing: Terry Collins, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barack Obama, Stephen Colbert sit down for 'Late Show' questionnaire
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
