The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert Stephen Presents: Robert Smigel (Extended)
Mar 27, 2026
Robert Smigel, comedy writer and creator of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, shares stories from The Dana Carvey Show and TV Funhouse. He talks puppetry chaos, writer's-room dynamics, his new podcast Humor Me, and a memorable collaboration with Al Pacino. Quick, funny, and full of behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
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When Joke Games Outsource The Audience
- Long careers in comedy can detach writers from common audience reactions and turn joke-making into a private game.
- Stephen Colbert explains how writer's rooms can escalate into 'harshness' games that divorce meaning from audience empathy, harming following jokes.
Comedy That Keeps The Common Human In Mind
- Maintaining humanity matters more than impressing peers; comedy that cares about a common human reaction lands better.
- Colbert cites Second City history and Robert Hayden's poem to argue comedians should 'continue to struggle to maintain our humanity.'
How Robert Smigel Gave Stephen His First Big Break
- Robert Smigel hired Stephen Colbert early and ran high-caliber writer rooms including Dana Carvey show alumni.
- Colbert recounts the room's roster: Bob Odenkirk, Louis C.K., Charlie Kaufman, Robert Smigel, and others as formative influences.
