FOLKS, YOU KNOW MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT FROM
"THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON," "HIDDEN FIGURES," AND
"EMPIRE," WHICH RETURNS NEXT WEEK FOR ITS FINAL SEASON.
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW" TARAJI P. HENSON!
♪ ♪
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> HOW ARE YOU?
>> Stephen: I'M DOING GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M GREAT.
FIRST OF ALL.
>> Stephen: YES, MA'AM.
YOU MUST BE THE ENVY OF NIGHTTIME TELEVISION.
>> Stephen: WHY?
THAT BAND!
>> Stephen: YES.
BABY!
>> Stephen: YEAH.
HEY, BABY!
>> Stephen: SIXTH AND FINAL SEASON OF "EMPIRE."
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: SHOWS A CULTURAL PHENOMENON.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: AS COOKIE, WHAT DID YOU GET TO DO ON "EMPIRE"
YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO?
>> TRAVEL THE WORLD.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT A TELEVISION SHOW WOULD TAKE ME
GLOBAL.
I THOUGHT A MOVIE WOULD DO IT.
WHO KNEW THAT COOKIE, WITH HER LOUD MOUTH AND HER CRAZINESS,
WOULD GO OVERSEAS.
I NEVER SAW THAT.
>> Stephen: HAVE YOU TRAVELED ELSEWHERE AND PEOPLE HAVE YELLED
COOKIE LINES AT YOU AND CALLED YOU COOKIE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Stephen: WHERE'S THE MOST SURPRISING PLACE YOU HEARD
HELLO, COOKIE?
>> I'VE NEVER BEEN TO RUSSIA, BUT I SAW IN THEIR PAPER COOKIE
WITH THAT RUSSIAN FUR HAT ON.
AND I WAS, LIKE, WAIT, THEY KNOW COOKIE IN RUSSIA?
THEY WANTED TO SEND ME TO BERLIN BUT I GOT BUSY AND COULDN'T GO.
THE PLACES WHERE COOKIE WAS A HIT BLEW MY MIND.
>> Stephen: WELL, WE HAVE A CLIP HERE FROM THE NEW SEASON.
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
>> LET ME SEE.
( LAUGHTER ) LET'S SEE, I DON'T KNOW.
LET'S SEE.
>> Stephen: WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
LET HER SEE.
>> LET ME SEE!
I DON'T KNOW NEED DAMON NO MORE THAN I NEED YOUR AS.
>> WHAT HAPPENS THAT'S A LIE AND I BET YOUR DUMB AS DON'T EVEN
KNOW WHICH ONE.
>> YOU KNOW ABOUT LIES, DON'T YOU, LUCIUS?
LIES AND DECEIT AND BROKEN PROMISES, BACKSTABBING --
>> WAIT, I COULDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT ANDRE!
>> IT'S NOT ABOUT ANDRE!
IT'S ABOUT US!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> YOU KNOW, COOKIE HAS A
HISTORY OF GETTING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
>> Stephen: YES.
GETTING THEM ALL THE WAY TOGETHER.
AND LUCIUS NEEDS TO BE GOTTEN TOGETHER.
DID YOU SEE THAT HAIR?
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: I DIDN'T ENTIRELY
UNDERSTAND WHY HE WAS DRESSED UP AS ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF
MILLY VANILLY.
>> YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE SHOW.
USUALLY WHEN WE COME BACK, IT'S A NEW SEASON SO TIME HAS LAPSED.
>> Stephen: YEAH, YEAH, SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED.
SPEAKING OF HAPPENING, CONGRATULATIONS.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YOU JUST CELEBRATED YOUR BIRTHDAY LAST
WEEK.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( PIANO RIFF )
>> THAT WAS THE BEST PARTY EVER.
>> Stephen: TELL ME WHAT WAS GOING ON.
LOOKS FUN, NOT MANY PEOPLE AT YOUR PARTY, BUT IT LOOKS FUN.
>> THEY'RE THERE.
>> Stephen: I'M SURE.
I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND IN CANADA.
( LAUGHTER ) TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PARTY.
>> OKAY, SO I HAD AN '80s THEMED SKATING PARTY.
>> Stephen: '80s THEMED SKATING PARTY, WOW.
>> SO MUCH FUN.
MY FRIENDS SHOWED UP, MY CREW -- I LOVE THE CREW OF "EMPIRE."
'EM -- I'M ONE OF THE ACTRESSES WHO LOVE CREW.
WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME TOGETHER THEY'RE LIKE FAMILY.
I THROW A LOT OF PARTIES AND THE CREW COME.
THEY SHOW UP ALL THE TIME.
SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN CHICAGO, WE THROW HALLOWEEN PARTIES EVERY
YEAR.
MY CREW LOVES STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE WORK SO MANY HOURS, WE PARTY TOGETHER.
WHEN I SAY THEY SHOWED UP AND OUT AT THIS '80s PARTIES,
WHOO!
>> Stephen: YOU ALSO HAVE CONGRATULATIONS IN ORDER BECAUSE
YOU GOT ENGAGED.
THIS IS YOUR FIANCEÉ.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: YOU MUST BE
PLANNING THE CAKE.
SAMPLES OF CAKE.
>> I DON'T DO SAMPLES, DON'T SEND ME SWATCHES.
I TOLD MY WEDDING PLANNER, MAKE IT PRETTY, FUN, MAKE SURE THE
FOOD IS GOOD AND A BOMB DEEJAY.
NO BRIDAL PARTY, I'M NOT A BRIDEZILLA.
PLEASE, I JUST WANT TO SAY MY VOWS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE I LOVE,
EAT GOOD FOOD AND HAVE FUN.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) THAT'S IT!
>> Stephen: YOU AND I ARE BOTH GOING TO BE IN LOS ANGELES THIS
WEEKEND.
WE'RE BOTH PRESENTING OUT THERE AND WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER
BACKSTAGE.
>> WE'LL BE DRUNK.
>> Stephen: AFTER YOU PRESENT.
OR NOT!
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE BEEN TO A BUNCH OF AWARDS.
THE ULTIMATE, THE OSCARS, OBVIOUSLY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FONDEST MEMORIES OF AWARD SHOWS?
>> MY FONDEST MEMORY WAS WHEN I WAS NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR FOR
"BENJAMIN BUTTON."
IT WAS VERY SURREAL.
I WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW WITH MY MOM, PLEA, BRAD P BRAD P
ANGELINA JOLIE.
I HAVE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TIMES BUT INSIDE I'M GOING, OH, MY
GOSH!
THIS IS A LONG PROGRAM, THE OSCARS.
I LOVE IT.
IT'S VERY LONG.
SO WHEN WE HAD THE LONG COMMERCIAL BREAKS, ANGELINA
WOULD GRAB MY HAND AND WE WOULD RUN TO THE BAR AND DO A SHOT.
( LAUGHTER ) SO YOU KNOW THOSE MOMENTS WHEN
YOU'RE, LIKE, YOU GOT IN BEHIND THE VELVET ROPE AND YOU'RE,
LIKE, YEAH, I KNOW I BELONG HERE BUT, GOD, I FEEL LIKE, WHOA!
SUNSHINE WOULD BE, LIKE, REGULAR, YEAH, ANGIE!
BUT I'M, LIKE, OH, MY GOD!
( LAUGHTER ) IT WAS KIND OF WEIRD.
BUT IT WAS FUN.
IT WAS ONE FOR THE BOOKS, DEFINITELY.
>> Stephen: THE RED CARPET CAN BE KIND OF A CHALLENGE BECAUSE
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYS EDLY BEAUTIFUL ON THE RED CARPET.
THEN PEOPLE ASK YOU QUESTIONS YOU HAVE NO ANTICIPATION WHAT
THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE.
THEY'RE ALL OUT OF NOWHERE.
WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO ASK YOU.
>> I WISH PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME ON THE CARPET, ARE YOU HUNGRY?
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: EVERYONE'S HUNGRY.
LISTEN, ARE YOU HOT?
DO THOSE SHOES HURT?
HAVE A SEAT.
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME SLIPPERS BEFORE I ASK YOU THE SAME TEN
QUESTIONS YOU WERE ASKED DOWN THE LINE?
HOW ABOUT I MAKE IT COMFORTABLE FOR YOU?
THAT'S THE QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE.
>> Stephen: HERE'S THE QUESTION I'M CURIOUS ABOUT
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WERE IN THE "KARATE KID" WITH --
>> JAYDEN.
>> Stephen: JAYDEN.
YES.
>> Stephen: AND DID YOU HANG WITH THE SMITH FAMILY AT ALL?
BECAUSE THEY SEEM LIKE -- WE'VE HAD THEM ON HERE, AND THEY SEEM
LIKE REALLY FUN PEOPLE.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HANG OUT WITH WILL
SMITH.
>> THEY ARE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
LIKE, I CAN'T EVEN PUT IT INTO WORDS.
I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST BOOKED THE FILM, AND I HAD TO DO
REHEARSALS WITH JAYDEN, YOU KNOW WE HAD TO GET OUR CHEMISTRY
TOGETHER.
>> Stephen: SURE.
O I WENT OUT TO THEIR 3500, THOUSAND, WHATEVER, LOT, THEIR
BIG RANCH WAY OUT, AND I GO THERE AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE
MOMENTS WHERE YOU TRY TO ACT NORMAL, LIKE, YEAH, I BELONG
HERE, BUT, OH, MY GOD I'M WEIRD!
AND I'M IN THERE AND I WALKED IN AND I'M CRACKING A JOKE TRYING
TO BREAK THE ICE.
AND WILL SAID, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EAT FOR LUNCH?
I WENT, LOBSTER, HA, HA, HA!
HE WAS, LIKE, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT?
I WAS LITERALLY, LIKE, I WAS JOKING.
HE WAS, NO, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LOBSTER?
I SAID, POACHED, I DON'T KNOW.
( LAUGHTER ) AND I SIT DOWN, AND I'M STUPID,
THEY HAVE A CHEF, AN ENTIRE STAFF.
I WENT TO THE BATHROOM -- I WAS NEW MONEY, I HAD REALLY NO MONEY
AT ALL.
SO I GO TO THE BATHROOM, I USE IT, I GO BACK, AND THEY HAVE
LINENS, NOT PAPER TOWELS.
SO I GO USE THE BATHROOM AGAIN 20 MINUTES LATER AND THERE'S A
NEW LINEN.
WELL, I TOOK THE LINEN.
I LOOK IN THE TRASH AND THE TRASH I PUT IN THERE IS GONE.
YOU HAVE A FULL-ON STAFF WORKING FOR YOU 24 HOURS.
WILLOW IS IN THE LIVING ROOM VOCALIZING, BECAUSE MY HAIR BACK
AND FORTH WASN'T OUT YET, SHE WAS COMING.
SHE'S A PROTOJAY, I DIDN'T KNOW.
I'M IN THERE RUNNING LINES WITH JAYDEN, AND I'M, LIKE, THIS
HOUSE IS POPPING!
( PIANO RIFF ) >> STEPHEN: THE SIXTH AND FINAL
SEASON OF "EMPIRE" PREMIERES TUESDAY ON FOX.
TARAJI P. HENSON, EVERYBODY!