HEY, EVERYBODY. WELCOME BACK.
FOLKS. HEY. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE).
>> Stephen: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
MY NEXT GUEST IS A 29-TIME EMMY AWARD-WINNING BROADCASTER.
HE HAS ANCHORED THE OLYMPICS, THE WORLD SERIES, THE SUPER
BOWL, THE NBA FINALS, AND THE TRIPLE CROWN.
HE NOW HOSTS A NEW TALK SHOW, "BACK ON THE RECORD WITH BOB
COSTAS."
PLEASE WELCOME TO "THE LATE SHOW" BOB COSTAS!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) >> WELCOME, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
>> Stephen: I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW YOU BEFORE BACK ON
THE OLD, THE FIRST TIME ON THE LATE SHOW HERE WITH ME.
BUT I'VE BEEN INTERVIEWED BY YOU, ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES TO
BE INTERVIEWED BY SOMEBODY, A YOU ARE A GREAT INTERVIEWER, YOU
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
AND B, DO YOU REMEMBER.
>> OH YEAH, 2010, VANCOUVER WINNER OLYMPICS.
>> Stephen: YES.
>> AND YOU HAD CAMPAIGNED OVER ON COMEDY CENTRAL FOR A MORE
PROM INNOCENT POSITION.
>> Stephen: I WANTED TO BE EMPLOYED BY NBC FOR THE OLYMPICS
TO BE A CORRESPONDENT.
>> AND DIK EBERSOL, THE ESTEEMED EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, OLYMPIC AND
GENERAL TELEVISION LEGEND SAID OKAY.
>> Stephen: I DON'T KNOW WHY.
>> AND YOU BROUGHT, YOU BROUGHT A MOOSE TO VANCOUVER.
>> Stephen: YES, A STUFFED MOOSE.
>> STUFFED MOOSE, BUT IT WAS IMPRESSIVE.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> AND YOU NICKNAMED THE MOOSE EBERSOL, RIGHT?
>> Stephen: RIGHT.
>> SO YOU CAME INTO THE STUD QULO.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> ONE NIGHT AND YOU DID SOMETHING THAT I HAD ALWAYS
WANTED TO DO AND WHENEVER I DID IT, IF YOU WERE ON TAPE, SOME
VERSION OF IT, THEY PUT IT OUT BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE ILLUSION
TO BE MAINTAINED BUT YOU BUSTED THROUGH THAT WALL.
>> Stephen: LET'S SHOW THEM, I FELT YOUR FEELINGS AND DID IT IT
SO, DO YOU MIND IF I WARM UP.
WHY DON'T YOU TOAST SOME MARSHMALLOWSES BACK THERE.
>> WE GOT TO GO.
>> Stephen: OH, OH.
OH.
THIS IS SO NICE.
(LAUGHTER).
>> Stephen: IT IS IS REALLY LOVELY IN HERE.
OH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THE AUTHENTICITY.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT NBC.
>> COMPLETELY AUTHENTIC.
>> Stephen: EVERYTHING'S REAL.
THAT WAS SO SATISFYING.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: NOW-- (APPLAUSE).
>> Stephen: AS THESE PEOPLE KNOW, I MEAN FOR HOW MANY
OLYMPICS DID YOU DO.
>> 12.
>> Stephen: 12 OLYMPICS.
>> 88 THROUGH 16.
>> Stephen: I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW YOUR OPINION.
THERE IS THE HEAD OF THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AND JAPANESE
ORGANIZERS SAYING WE ARE NOT GOING TO RULE OUT CANCELING THIS
THING.
DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON WHAT SHOULD BE GOING ON BECAUSE OF
THE SURGING DELTA VARIANT.
>> I THINK IT IS FULL SPEED AHEAD UNLESS WE GET A COMPLETE
DISASTER.
THE BEST THING WOULD HAVE BEEN TO POSTPONE IT ANOTHER YEAR, I
REALIZE THE VARIANTS HAVE ADDED A DIFFERENT ASPECTS TO IT BUT
THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT A YEAR FROM NOW THE SITUATION IS
MORE UNDER CONTROL, COULD YOU HAVE SPECTATORS IN THE STANDS, A
LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE JAPANESE POPULOUS WOULD BE
VACCINATED.
SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IDEAL AND IT WOULD HAVE GONE BACK TO
THE OLD MODEL WHERE THE WINTER AND SUMMER OLYMPICS WERE IN THE
SAME YEAR.
>> Stephen: THERE WILL BE NO SPECTATORS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL DO TO THE GAMES.
I KNOW IN TEAM SPORTS, THEY SAY, THE FANS ARE THE 12th MAN,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN, DO YOU THINK TO THE OLYMPIC ATHLETES NOT TO
HAVE PEOPLE CHEERING.
>> THE WHOLE THING IS GOING TO BE SO BEYOND UNUSUAL, WEIRD.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY'RE ISOLATED.
PART OF THE OLYMPICS IS THE TRAVELOGUE, THE CULTURAL PAN
RAMAR, THE CULTURAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN ATHLETES FROM MORE THAN
200 DIFFERENT NATIONS.
ALL OF THAT IS OUT THE WINDOW, THEY ARE ALL IN EFFECT
QUARANTINED AND ONCE YOUR EVENT IS OVER YOU HAVE FIVE DAYS TO
CLEAR OUT OF JAPAN AND GO HOME.
SO YOU DON'T STICK AROUND FOR THE CLOSING CEREMONY, WHATEVER
THAT CLOSING CEREMONY MIGHT BE.
AND ON TOP OF IT, OF COURSE, EVERY ATHLETE DRAWS SOME SORT
OF-- OF ADRENALINE AND EMOTION FROM AN AUDIENCE.
THAT IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WITH THE OLYMPICS WHICH ARE MORE ABOUT
EMOTION THAN MOST SPORTS EVENTS ARE.
AND MY OLD FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES AT NBC WILL DO THRAIR
BEST.
THEY'VE GOT CAMERAS AN MICROPHONES STAKED OUT IN THE
HOMES OF THE FAMILIES OF AMERICANS THEY EXPECT TO DO WELL
TO GET THAT REACTION.
AND AS MUCH AMBIENT SOUND AS THEY CAN GET BUT THERE IS ONLY
SO MUCH YOU CAN SAY.
THINK OF THE NBA IN THE BUBBLE IN 2020 AS OPPOSE TOED WHAT WE
SAW LAST NIGHT WITH THE SUNS AND THE BUCKS AND LIKE 65,000 PEOPLE
OUTSIDE THE ARENA.
AND THE ARE-- ARENA PACKED.
THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS DIFFERENT.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK, DON'T GO
NOWHERE, NEITHER YOU, BECAUSE WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE
WITH MORE BOB COSTAS.