The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert Stephen Presents: Jeff Daniels' Colbert Questionert
Mar 25, 2026
Jeff Daniels, accomplished actor and musician, answers the Colbert Questionnaire and shares quirky personal stories. He describes his viral pita-peanut-butter-Ruffles-barbecue sandwich. Stephen recounts a chaotic Baghdad production week, smuggled vodka and an emotional closing night. Conversation also dives into concerts, guitars, rescued dogs and favorite action movies.
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Baghdad Week: Pita, Panic, And Producing On Adrenaline
- Jeff Daniels recounts producing The Colbert Report week in Baghdad and Kuwait in 2009, working sleeplessly with a small crew to stage shows for troops inside Saddam's palace.
- On the final night he recovered from nausea with fresh warm pita and Diet Coke, then panicked after secretly drinking vodka and feeling his stress-locked body release cortisol.
Fixers And 'It Can Be Done' Make Impossible Shoots Possible
- Producing live entertainment in conflict zones requires improvisation and local problem-solvers; Daniels relied on a fixer who insisted "it can be done" until impossibilities were solved.
- Their mantra and local sourcing let a small team run a TV-style show using laptops and rented cameras under Pentagon constraints.
Performing Comedy Inside Saddam's Palace
- The Colbert crew staged their shows inside Saddam's palace, noting grim history like the "elevator of death" and the stage landing where bodies once fell.
- The contrast between dark history and providing comedy to troops made the experience emotionally intense and meaningful.