>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU KNOW MY FIRST GUEST FROM "FREAKS AND
GEEKS," "FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL" AND "THE MUPPETS"
MOVIE.
HE'S THE CREATOR AND STAR OF A NEW SERIES, "DISPATCHES FROM
ELSEWHERE."
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SOUNDS STUPID, ACTUALLY, I DO KNOW IT
SOUNDS STUPID.
I DON'T CARE.
I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS MAGIC.
I FEEL LIKE THIS WAS REAL MAGIC.
MAYBE I COULD BE A PART OF THAT.
BECAUSE SUDDENLY, ALL THE SIGNS AROUND ME THEY HAD ALLOWED TO
DICTATE MY LIFE, THEY LOST THEIR POWER.
♪ ♪ ♪ >> WHAT HAPPENED?
>> IT LASTED A FEW DAYS OR SO, AND THEN MUCH MORE EASILY THANE
WOULD HAVE HOPED, IT JUST DRIFTED AWAY.
>> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," JASON SEGEL!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> HI.
>> Stephen: HI.
>> HEY, EVERYONE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) WOW.
>> Stephen: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU, TOO.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Stephen: HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M DOING REALLY WELL.
>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND YOU CELEBRATED A BIG BIRTHDAY
RECENTLY.
>> YEAH, I'M 40 YEARS OLD NOW.
>> Stephen: 40.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> Stephen: THAT'S NOTHING?
>> IS THAT TRUE?
I HOPE SO.
>> Stephen: I HADN'T EVEN STARTED "THE COLBERT REPORT"
WHEN I WAS 40.
>> OKAY, YEAH.
IT FEELS EXCITING, LIKE-- I DON'T KNOW, THIS SHOW IN A LOT
OF WAYS IS LIKE THE DRACULA MUSICAL FROM "FORGETTING SARA
MARSHAL."
>> Stephen: "DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE."
>> BUT A 40-YEAR-OLD MADE IT.
IT'S A LITTLE MORE GROWN UP.
>> Stephen: CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT "DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE"
IS, WHAT IT'S ABOUT?
>> YEAH, SURE.
IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF "FIGHT CLUB."
>> Stephen: YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT ALL YOU WANT?
>> YES, EXACTLY.
WELL, NO, IT'S A REAL THING HAPPENED IN SAN FRANCISCO IN THE
EARLY 2000s, WHERE I THINK WE ALL HAVE THIS FEELING--
ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW-- THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE, OR THAT
WE'RE DESERVING OF, LIKE, A HAPPIER FEELING.
AND SO THIS GROUP OF ADULTS GOT TOGETHER AND INSTEAD OF BEATING
EACH OTHER UP OVER TTHEY DECIDED TO MAKE MAGIC IN THE SECRECY OF
NIGHT.
SO YOU WOULD WAKE UP AND THERE WOULD BE A STANDPOINTUE PLANTED
OR A MURAL ON A WALL THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE.
SO -- >> Stephen: THE NEXT DAY,
OTHER PEOPLE WOULD EXPERIENCE THIS.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: WHAT THEY HAD DONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Stephen: ANONYMOUS GIFTS TO SAN FRANCISCO?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS?
IT'S LIKE MAGIC AS AN ACT OF DEFIANCE.
>> Stephen: OH.
AN ACT OF BEAUTY IN THE WORLD.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: TO PUSH BACK THE DARKNESS.
>> YEAH.
IT'S A SHOW ABOUT SAYING LIKE, "I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS THING
THAT'S COMING AT ME.
I'M GOING TO MAKE THE WORLD BEAUTIFUL."
>> Stephen: THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO DO THIS SHOW.
>> YEAH, YEAH, I THOUGHT SO, TOO.
>> Stephen: IT REALLY IS.
RESISTANCE THROUGH BEAUTY IS REALLY INTERESTING.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: I ASSUME IT'S ABOUT LOVE.
>> IT'S ABOUT LOVE.
IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY.
WE'RE BEING TOLD SO MUCH THAT WE'RE SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER
AND THIS SHOW FORCES YOU TO IMAGINE WHAT IF WE'RE ALL THE
SAME.
>> Stephen: WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO TELL THE STORY?
LIKE, WHAT WAS THE THING THAT TRIGGERED IT FOR YOU?
>> I HADN'T MADE SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
I DID IF THE OF "FORGETTING SARA MARSHALL" WHEN I WAS 25.
( APPLAUSE )
THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO NOW.
>> Stephen: THEY'RE APPLAUDING THE AGE 25.
>> IT'S THE BEST AGE-- YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HARD IT'S GOING TO
BE.
AND THEN I MADE THE MUPPETS, I DON'T KNOW, SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS
AGO.
SO I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH AGAIN.
AND I FOUND, LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD THAT ISSUE.
>> Stephen: EVERY DAY.
>> IT'S A SCARY FEELING.
SO I WAS SEARCHING FOR WHAT IT WRITE ABOUT AND I SAW THIS
DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THIS THING.
AND I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD!
THIS IS IT.
THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO WRITE ABOUT."
SO I CALLED THIS SECRET WILLIE WONKA FIGURE WHO PUT THIS WHOLE
THING ON.
>> Stephen: THE PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY CREATED THIS SORT OF
ANONYMOUS ART?
>> YES.
IT WAS VERY HARD TO TRACK HIM DOWN.
AND I WAS TOLD, LIKE, GOOD LUCK.
GOOD LUCK GETTING THOIM DEGREE TO THIS."
SO I GAVE HIM THE PITCH OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
AND HE SAID, "NOT YET," AND HUNG UP ON ME.
>> Stephen: MEANING "NOT YET, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU"--
>> I HAD NO IDEA.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT "NOT YET" MEANT AND THEN I FOUND OUT.
ABOUT A MONTH LATER I GOT AN EMAIL WAY LOCATION AND A TIME IN
SAN FRANCISCO.
>> Stephen: THAT'S ALL IT SAID?
>> ALL IT SAID, "LOCATION, TIME."
>> Stephen: HAD YOU GIVEN THIS GUY YOUR EMAIL?
>> NO, NO.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT SURE FIWOULD HAVE GONE.
>> YEAH.
I HAD NOTHING TO LOSE.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> SO I DROVE UP THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA AND SHOWED UP AT THIS
LOCATION AND IT WAS A HOTEL.
AND I WALKED IN AND HE SAID, "WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU,
MR. SEGEL."
SUPER CREEPY.
YEAH, IT REALLY WAS.
I GOT UP TO THE ROOM AND THERE WS A NOTE ON THE BED WITH
ANOTHER TIME AND LOCATION FOR THE NEXT DAY AND A NOTE THAT
SAID, "NO ONE IS GOING TO MAKE YOU FEEL STUPID."
AND AT THAT -- >> Stephen: SO YOU GET TO THE
ROOM, THERE'S NO ONE FROM THIS GROUP TO MEET YOU, JUST THE
HOTEL SAYS, "WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU, MR. SEGEL."
>> YES.
>> Stephen: AND YOU GO TO THE ROOM AND THERE'S A NOTE THERE
THAT SAYS GO SOMEPLACE ELSE TOMORROW.
GET HELL OUT OF THERE.
>> I REFUSED.
I REFUSED TO GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE.
AND SO I SHOWED UP THE NEXT DAY --
>> Stephen: YOU WEREN'T NERVOUS AT ALL?
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, WHAT?
I WAS NERVOUS, BUT THAT-- THAT LITTLE NOTE "NO ONE IS GOING TO
MAKE YOU FEEL STUPID" MADE ME FEEL REALLY SAFE.
THIS IS GOOD.
THIS IS GOOD, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THAT'S EVERYONE'S BIG FEAR.
THAT'S WHY WE DON'T TRY THINGS, BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID WE'RE GOING
TO LOOK STUPID.
>> Stephen: I SHOW UP FEELING PRE-STUPID.
>> TELL ME ABOUT IT.
I SHOWED UP THE NEXT DAY AND I WAS PUT THROUGH THIS CRAZY
CARMEN SANDIEGO-STYLE INDUCTION WHICH I PROFILE IN THE SHOW.
IT'S WHAT I ENDED UP WRITING ABOUT.
AND I FELT LIKE A KID AGAIN.
I FELT LIKE I WAS ON THIS CRAZY ADVENTURE.
I LOST MY SENSE OF SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS AND IDENTITY.
UNTIL AT ONE POINT I HAD TO WALK INTO THIS BAR, WORKING BAR, AND
GO UP AND SAY, LIKE A PASSWORD-- "THE CROW FLIES AT MIDNIGHT"--
AND THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE ME MY NEXT CLUE.
I WENT IN.
I WAS SO NERVOUS.
I SAID, "THE CROW FLIES AT MIDNIGHT," AND THEY SAID, "YES
IT DOES."
AND I WALK OUT FEELING SO COOL AND I HEAR, "WAIT A MINUTE.
I'VE SEEN YOU NAKED IN THE MOVIES."
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS BACK TO REALITY.
BUT THAT LITTLE MOMENT OF FEELING LIKE A KID AGAIN
REMINDED ME OF THIS THING THAT'S, LIKE, AVAILABLE TO ALL
OF US THAT, I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S A LOT BLOCKING THAT
FEELING.
SO THE SHOW MAYBE ATTEMPTS FOR AN HOUR A WEEK TO RUNBLOCK THAT.
>> Stephen: WOW, YOU KNOW--
IN THE CLIP THAT WE SAW, IN THE CLIP WE SAW, YOU'RE TALKING TALK
ABOUT YOU FELT THAT THERE WAS REAL MAGIC.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: THERE WAS REAL MAGIC.
HAS MAGIC BEEN SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS-- LIKE, ACTUAL,
LIKE-- >> I DID WHEN I WAS A KID.
>> Stephen: YOU DID THAT?
>> YEAH, WELL, I REALLY LIKED FEELING LIKE I HAD A SECRET THAT
NOBODY KNEW ABOUT.
I WAS OBSESSED WITH MAGIC WHEN I WAS YOUNG.
MY FAVORITE PLACE ON EARTH WAS THE MAGIC STORE AT DISNEYLAND.
BUT IT GOT RUINED FOR ME AT ONE POINT.
I WAS A VERY OBEDIENT CHILD.
I LIKED TO DO WHAT MY PARENTS TOLD ME.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
>> YES, WE WERE AT DISNEYLAND AND I SAID I WANT TO GO TO THE
MAGIC STORE.
THEY SAID, "SURE, YOU CAN GO TO THE MAGIC SHOP BUT WE'RE GOING
TO GET JET SHIRTS NEXT DOOR, DO NOT LEAVE THE MAGIC SHOP.
I SAID, OKAY, NO PROBLEM.
I REALLY, REALLY HAD TO-- HAD TO URINATE.
AND MY PARENTS WERE COMING BACK, SO I WAS WAITING AND STARTING TO
SHAKE, AND SWEAT.
AND I COULDN'T HELP IT.
AND THEN I JUST WET MY PANTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DISNEYLAND
MAGIC SHOP.
AND I'M STANDING THERE JUST MUHILLATED WAITING FOR MY
PARENTS TO COME.
AND THEN THIS OLD LADY CAME IN...
( LAUGHTER )
OVER THE-- MY PUDDLE, AND MY PARENTS CAME, AND I HEARD THE
LADY BEHIND THE COUNTER CALL THE, LIKE, CLEANUP.
AND SHE SAID, "WE NEED YOU IN THE MAGIC SHOP.
SOME OLD LADY WET HER PANTS."
AND-- AND I NEVER TOLD ANYBODY THAT IT WAS-- IT WAS ME.
SO, SORRY NOW TO THE OLD LADY.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.
>> THANK YOU-- NO, THAT WAS WHEN I RAN.
>> Stephen: YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.
>> I GOT OUT OF THERE, MAN.
>> Stephen: DID YOU TELL YOUR PARENTS?
>> YEAH, IT WAS HARD TO HIDE.
>> Stephen: WOW.
THAT'S-- >> BUT I'M A BETTER MAN NOW.
>> Stephen: YES.
NOW YOU JUST GO USE THE BATHROOM.
YOU'VE LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE WAS A MUCH SIMPLER SOLUTION.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
>> OH, MAN!
>> Stephen: I KNOW.
STICK AROUND.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE JASON SEGEL.
I'M SO SORRY.