WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW."
I'M NEIL deGRASSE TYSON.
YOUR PERSONAL YOOFLT.
YOU KNOW MY GUEST TONIGHT AS THE HOST OF SOMETHING CALLED "THE
LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT."
PLEASE WELCOME MY FRIEND, STEPHEN COLBERT!
♪ ♪ ♪
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: OH, MAN.
>> SO HOW DO YOU LIKE BEING FIVE INCHES LOWER THAN THE HOST'S
CHAIR?
>> Stephen: IT FEELS RIGHT.
IT FEELS RIGHT.
IT'S ABOUT RIGHT.
YOU GOTTA HAVE STATUS OVER THERE.
>> I'M JUST SAYING.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE TO HAVE STATUS.
YOU DESERVE IT.
HOST OF "THE LATE SHOW," YOU GOT THE STATUS RIGHT THERE.
>> I'M READY FOR THIS.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW OR KNOW AS DEEPLY AS
I KNOW HOW GEEKY YOU ACTUALLY ARE.
WE'VE GEEKED OUT TOGETHER A COUPLE OF TIMES.
>> Stephen: IT'S MY FAVORITE THING TO DO WITH YOU.
>> WE HAD A LITTLE GEEK BROMANCE.
>> Stephen: OPEN A BOTTLE OF RED WINE AND GET OUR GEEK ON.
>> A FEW YEARS AGO WE ACTUALLY DID A SHOW IN A SCHOOL THEATER.
WE JUST TALKED FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF ABOUT LIFE, THE UNIVERSE
AND EVERYTHING.
AND IN THERE, YOU EXPRESSED A CONCERN ABOUT WANTING TO NOT
KNOW-- OR IS IT BETTER TO KNOW OR NOT KNOW?
>> Stephen: THAT IS-- THAT IS THE QUESTION.
THAT IS THE THE FIRST QUESTION.
>> THIS IS WHEN YOU-- THIS IS WHEN YOU DIP PHILOSOPHICAL.
>> Stephen: SURE, THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
WHEN I WAS FIRST IN COLLEGE I WAS A PHILOSOPHY MAJOR--
>> I DIDN'T KNOW, THAT A PHILOSOPHY MAJOR.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> THAT'S GOOD.
>> Stephen: I TOOK A YEARLONG COURSE WHERE WE READ ESSENTIALLY
THE GREAT BOOKS AND AT THE END OF IT, THERE WAS ONLY ONE TEST
ALL YEAR LONG, AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE QUESTION ON THE TEST,
AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION WAS BEFORE WE WALKED
INTO THE ROOM.
AND WE WERE TOLD, "YOU HAVE TO READ ALL THE MATERIAL.
THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE TEST AND THAT IS THE ENTIRE GRADE FOR THE
YEAR."
AND THE QUESTION WAS, "IS IT BETTER TON OR NOT TO KNOW?
SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH ONE OF THE FOS FLEES WE HAVE STUDIED
THIS YEAR."
>> OH!
WHEN WE FIRST BROACHED THAT SUBJECT, THAT WAS SEVEN YEARS
AGO.
WE ARE IN ANOTHER TIME.
IN POSSIBLY A PARALLEL UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: I THINK-- I THINK--
>> WHAT SIDE OF THAT ARE YOU ON RIGHT NOW, THE KNOWING OR NOT
KNOWING?
>> Stephen: WE'RE DEFINITELY IN THE BAD TIME LINE RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE IN A BAD TIME LINE IN THE SCIENCE FICTION STORY RIGHT NOW.
>> THIS IS THE SPLIT UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: THIS IS THE SPLIT.
OR THE OTHER ONE IS A SPLIT.
WHONS.
>> THERE COULD BE A UNIVERSE WHERE TRUMP IS PRESIDENT AND YOU
ARE PRAISING HIM.
>> Stephen: THERE IS.
>> IN THE MULTIVERSE THAT IS A POSSIBLE UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: THERE IS.
AND THAT ONE I HAVE AN EVEN WORSE DRINKING PROBLEM THAN I DO
IN THIS ONE.
I'VE TIPPED OVER.
OKAY.
SO WHAT'S THE ANSWER NOW?
IS IT BETTER TO KNOW OR NOT TO KNOW?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME NEIL deGRASSE TYSON.
>> I HAVE MY ANSWER.
I WANT YOUR ANSWER.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT ASKING YOU.
I'M THE GUEST ON THE SHOW RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T EVEN CARE WHAT YOU THINK ON THIS SHOW.
THIS IS MY SHOW.
I THINK IT'S BETTER TO KNOW.
>> BETTER TON.
I AGREE.
BETTER TO KNOW.
>> Stephen: YOU CAN'T WALK BLINDLY INTO THE DARK.
BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE THAN CURSE THE DARKNESS.
DO NOT HIDE YOUR LIGHT UNDER A BUSHEL.
YOU SET IT UP ON A HIGH PLACE THAT IT MIGHT LIGHT THOSE AROUND
YOU.
>> BE THE SUPERNOVA IN THE DARKNESS OF THE COSMOS.
>> Stephen: RIGHT.
SUPER NOVEMBER AS-- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, NEIL
deGRASSE TYSON, SUPER NOVEMBER AS THAT'S WHERE GOLD COMES FROM.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE BY-PRODUCTS OF BLOWING STUFF UP IN THE
UNIVERSE.
>> Stephen: WHY DON'T WE SEE MORE SUPERNOVEMBER AS IF THERE
ARE SO MANY STARS AND THEY'RE SO BRIGHT AND POWERFUL, AND
SUPERNOVAS ARE FAIRLY COMMON, RIGHT?
WHY DON'T WE SEE THEM MORE OFTEN?
>> YOU SEE THEM EVERY NIGHT WITH TELESCOPES.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: I HAVE NO-- WAIT A SECOND.
>> NO, NO, NO.
>> Stephen: DON'T YOU DARE-- YOU JUST SAID THAT LIKE YOU
MOVED, LIKE, CHECKMATE.
>> YES!
>> Stephen: WHAT IS THAT?
WHAT DID YOU CHECK MATE?
WHY DON'T YOU INVITE THE REST OF US.
>> IT GOES LIKE THIS.
SUPERNOVA ARE INDEED RARE, BUT THERE'S 100 BILLION GALAXIES.
SO IF YOU HAVE A SAMPLE SIZE LARGE ENOUGH, RARE THINGS BECOME
COMMON.
>> Stephen: WOW... WOW...
( LAUGHTER )
THING YOU'VE EVER DONE?
>> Stephen: WHEN I WAS DOWN IN NEW ZEALAND--
>> I WENT TO-- TO-- TO THE PLACE.
>> Stephen: WHAT PLACE?
YOU WENT TO HOBBITON.
>> I WENT TO HOBBITON.
>> Stephen: SO BEAUTIFUL.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE I WANTED TO BE LITTLE TO FIT IN THE
HOUSES SO I NEVER HAD TO LEAVE YOU.
>> Stephen: DIDN'T GO INTO BAG END-- DID YOU GO INTO
BILBOA'S AND FRODO'S HOME.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: I DID, TOO.
>> I HAD TO CRAWL IN THERE.
>> Stephen: I WENT INTO THE FULL-SIZE ONE, NOUN DOWNIN NEW
ZEALAND ON THE SET OF THE HOBBIT.
AND I WAS STANDING THERE AT THE MANTELPIECE WITH THE FIREPLACE,
YOU KNOW, WHERE BILBO AND GANDOLF HAVE THEIR ARGUMENT
ABOUT WHETHER HE SHOULD LEAVE THE RING FOR FRODO.
I PUT MY HAND ON THE MANTELPIECE AND LOOKED DOWN AT THE FIREPLACE
AND MY WIFE SAID-- I MARRIED THE RIGHT GIRL-- MY WIFE SAID,
"LET'S LEAVE HIM ALONE FOR A WHILE," TO THE KIDS.
ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
I HAD TO BE ALONE IN THAT ROOM.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> YOU GO UP THERE-- IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, BECAUSE WE
GO BACK, YOU GREW UP IN A RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLD AIR,
CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLD.
>> Stephen: I AM STILL IN A RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLD
>> AND YOUR FATHER WAS A MEDICAL DOCTOR.
>> MY FATHER WAS AN IMINOLOGIST.
>> IT WAS SORT OF AN EVIDENCE-BASED LIFE.
>> Stephen: MY FAWFGTHS A REAL INTELLECTUAL.
HIS IDEA OF FUN WAS TO READ FRENCH PHILOSOPHY, LIKE FRENCH
HUMANIST CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY.
>> OF COURSE.
>> Stephen: THE FAMOUS SAYING, "THE ONLY SADNESS IS NOT TO BE A
SAINT."
>> YEAH, WE DO THAT, RIGHT.
YEAH.
>> Stephen: SO, YEAH, THAT'S MY DAD.
>> OKAY, SO HOW DID YOU RESOLVE THE URGES OF A BELIEVER TO
REJECT EVIDENCE IN FAVOR OF FAITH?
>> Stephen: (BLEEP).
WHAT ARE YOU TALKI TALKING ABOUT >> Jon: BEEP!
>> Stephen: THE URGES OF A BELIEVER TO REJECT EVIDENCE.
WHO SAYS-- THAT'S SPOKEN BY SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT A BELIEVER.
THERE IS NO URGE TO REJECT EVIDENCE.
I DON'T THINK THAT MY FAITH IS RELATED TO EVIDENCE.
THEY'RE DIFFERENT THINGS.
MY FAITH APPROACHAISE MYSTERY.
MY FAITH COMES FROM A PLACE OF A NEED TO BE GRATEFUL.
LIKE, MY FAITH COMES FROM A PLACE WHERE I AM GRATEFUL FOR
THE WORLD.
AND I CANNOT ANSWER THE QUESTION, "WHY IS THERE
SOMETHING INSTEAD OF NOTHING?" AS YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED MANY
TIMES.
UNTIL YOU CAN TELL ME WHY THERE IS SOMETHING INSTEAD OF NOTHING
I SEE A PLACE TO PLACE MY GRATITUDE FOR MY EXISTENCE, HOW
STRANGE IT IS TO BE ANYTHING AT ALL.
AND FROM THERE, I CAN EXTRAPOLATE INTO MY OWN
TRADITION, WHICH IS CHRISTIANITY AND CATHOLICISM, AND MY
GRATITUDE FOR CHRIST, THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE.
( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: BUT I LIKE EVIDENCE.
I LIKE EVIDENCE, BECAUSE IT IS BETTER TO KNOW THAN NOT TO KNOW.
I WAS TAUGHT BY INTELLECTUAL CATHOLICS WHO BELIEVED YOU COULD
STILL BE A CATHOLIC AND STILL QUESTION YOUR CHURCH.
( APPLAUSE )
TO ME-- SOMEBODY ONCE SAID TO ME, "OH, SO YOU CAN BELIEVE YOU
CAN BE A CATHOLIC AND DISAGREE WITH YOUR CHURCH?
THERE'S A WORDINAR.
IT'S A PROTESTANT."
( LAUGHTER ).
>> LAST QUESTION HERE-- WHAT ARE YOU MOST WORRY ABOUT IN THE NEXT
CENTURY?
A CENTURY AGO PEOPLE WERE WORRIED ABOUT POPULATION AND...
WHAT'S THE ONE WHERE YOU CAN'T BREATHE?
>> Stephen: BREATHE.
>> BREATHING.
>> Stephen: TUBERCULOSIS.
T.B.
>> THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT TUBERCULOSIS, POPULATION
OVERRUN.
TODAY THAT'S NOT WHAT ANYBODY IS WORRIED ABOUT.
WE HAVE ASTEROIDS, CLIMBED CHANGE, A.I. TAKING OVER.
A BOX THAT WILL RUN YOUR LIFE.
>> Stephen: I'M AFRAID A.I.
WON'T TAKE OVER.
RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST US RUNNING THE SHOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU'VE SEEN HUMANS' TRACK RECORD, IT'S NOT THAT GOOD.
>> IT'S NOT THAT GOOD.
THAT'S WHY WE WORRY WHEN THEY DO TAKE OVER THEY'RE DONE WITH US.
>> Stephen: WHAT UPSET ME THIS WEEK, THE STORY, SINCE 1970, 60%
OF THE WORLD'S WILDLIFE-- LIKE VERTEBRATES, EVENTUALLY, HAS
GONE AND I THINK.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT BY OUR HAND.
>> Stephen: THAT'S SAD.
>> WE HAVE ENTERED A NEW ERA WHERE WE ARE THE PRIMARY DRIVERS
OF THE WORLD'S EXTINCTION, NOT ASTEROIDS.
IT'S BAD.
BUT WHAT WORRIES ME MORE IS 100 YEARS FROM NOW WHAT, WOULD BE ON
THEIR LIST THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW YET THAT WE SHOULD BE
WORRIED ABOUT?
( LAUGHTER )
JELLYFISH.
>> STEPHEN COLBERT, EVERYBODY!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )