How Stephen Colbert ended up on that public access show
Stephen Colbert is continuing the run-up to his debut as the host of the Late Show by pulling an assortment of randomstunts, but his latest might be our favorite.
In a bizarre bit of comedy that could only have come from his mind, Colbert interviewed Eminem on Only in Monroe, a 40-minute public access television show in Monroe, Michigan.
https://youtu.be/rVPlMM_aSn4
How did this happen? Why did this happen? Will this continue to happen? These are the important questions, folks, and while we don't have answers to all of them, we do have for a few. The New York Timesinterviewed the public access channel's program director Lance Sottile, and he was able to shed some light on the whole affair.
On what type of shows the channel usually airs:
"We’re a local public-access TV channel and radio station, and we promote Monroe. The community members can become volunteers of our facility and use it for the programs they come up with. We air on a cable channel, through the local cable companies, and also on YouTube as well. What you saw on 'Only In Monroe,' that’s pretty much how the shows go. Talking about local events and interviewing people from the United Way, Red Cross. The college, for instance, does a show about education. We have a cat doctor, a veterinarian, that comes in and talks about cat health. It’s a wide variety of shows that we run."
On how the whole thing came together:
"Stephen Colbert wanted to host the show with Kaye Lani and Michelle, the 'Only in Monroe' show, and they were happy to give up the hosting duties to him. ... It took some time to figure it out and see what the plan was. And then we realized it was real, and we were, like, 'Hey, definitely, man. We’re all about it.'"
On Eminem being the surprise guest:
The biggest part of it was that it was supposed to be a surprise. And it was a surprise. It was a surprise for all of us. We didn’t know that the guest was going to be Eminem until the day of. It just sort of happened and we were like, 'Oh – oh my gosh.'
On whether or not Colbert requested any "special accommodations":
"We made it happen. That’s the best I can say. And it worked."