>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY. WELCOME BACK.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST GUEST THIS EVENING
IS AN ACTOR YOU KNOW FROM "SUPER TROOPERS," "TROY,"
AND "SUCCESSION." >> I THINK TODAY IS THE DAY I
WILL TALK TO SID. JERRY, FIND OUT WHEN HE HAS DONE
IT. JERRY IS GETTING IT.
>> OKAY. >> WE CAN BEGIN TO LET IT SEEP.
>> SORT OF INCOMPETENCE OR WORST?
>> I THINK THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT SHE TOOK HER EYE OFF THE
BALL. >> STRATEGICALLY FOCUSED.
A BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE. >> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME
BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," BRIAN COX.
IT'S LOVELY TO HAVE YOU ON. I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE I WOULD
RATHER HAVE ON RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I WANT A LITTLE MORE BRIAN COX
AND NITIN BEING DENIED MY BRIAN COX.
>> Brian: BECAUSE OF LAST NIGHT, SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT
OCCURRED TO ME. THERE WERE NO LAST RITES.
AND I THOUGHT THE ONLY WAY I CAN RECEIVE ANY KIND OF EXTREME
UNCTION IS TO BE WITH STEPHEN COLBERT, WHO IS A GOOD
CATHOLIC BOY. AND HE WOULD GIVE ME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I CAN NOW DEPART. >> Stephen: I'M GOING TO START
THIS INTERVIEW IN A WAY THAT I REALLY DO WITH A SPOILER ALERT
EVERYBODY WAS WATCHING THIS. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN LAST NIGHT'S
EPISODE OF "SUCCESSION," PAUSE THE SHOW, GO WATCH IT AND COME
BACK SOMETIME THE NEXT THREE DAYS SO THE RATINGS COUNT FOR
THIS EPISODE. WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT?
>> Brian: I WAS SUMMONED TO HEAD OFFICE AND I WAS GIVEN THE
NEWS THAT HE WOULD BE DEPARTING. THEY DIDN'T SAY WHEN, DID THEY?
THEY DIDN'T. I SAID FINE.
IT'S A JOB. THERE'S ANOTHER JOB.
IT'S ONE OF MANY. I THINK I HAVE DONE OVER 209
MOVIES AND STUFF OVER THE YEARS. SO I FELT --
AND LISTEN, IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST ROLLS OF ALL TIME.
YOU CAN'T KNOCK IT. IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC.
BUT I JUST KNEW THAT IT HAD TO COME TO A CLOSE AND I JUST
ADMIRE, I ADMIRE JESSE ARMSTRONG SO MUCH BECAUSE IT WAS A BRAVE
DECISION. AT THE PREMIERE PARTY, HE WAS
SAYING "I'M SO SAD. IT WAS SO SAD BRINGING THIS TO
AN END." AND THEN SOMEONE SAID WELL, IF
IT WAS SO SAD, WHY DID YOU END THE [BLEEP]
THING? WRITERS.
>> Stephen: HAD TO EXPECT IT'S COMING.
THE SHOW IS CALLED "SUCCESSION." THERE HAS TO BE SUCCESSION THAT
A CERTAIN POINT. BESIDES BEING A GREATLY ADMIRED
ACTOR, YOUR BELOVED PERSONALITY FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SPEAK
YOUR MIND. HOW HARD PERSISTS FOR YOU TO
KEEP A SECRET? >> Brian: I'M HOPELESS AT
KEEPING SECRETS. IT WAS A TRIUMPH, AN ABSOLUTE
TRIUMPH. >> Stephen: IF YOU DO SAY SO
YOURSELF. >> Brian: I WAS VERY PROUD OF
MYSELF. I USED TO CHECK MYSELF IN THE
MIRROR AND SAY, WELL DONE. >> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND,
OBVIOUSLY THERE IS AN EPISODE COMING UP WHERE THERE IS GOING
TO BE A FUNERAL. WHILE WE ARE HERE, I WANT TO
POINT OUT THAT WHEN WE MENTIONED THE CHARACTER DIED, YOU COULD
HEAR THE "OH." NOT EVERYONE HERE HAS SEEN IT.
BUT YOU GOT TO SEE BRIAN COX. SO THERE IS A FUNERAL.
THERE IS A FUNERAL COMING UP AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DID
SOMETHING TO THROW PEOPLE OFF THE SCENT.
>> Brian: THEY ARE SILLY BURGERS, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO
MAKE THESE PROGRAMS. ANYWAY.
SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS, THEY INVENTED THIS SCENE THAT I WAS
SUPPOSED TO PLAY AT THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH WAS UPTOWN, FANCY,
BEING CATHOLIC CHURCH. WHAT HAPPENED WAS I WAS ON MY
WAY TO FILM THIS SCENE AND I GOT THE CALL SAYING WE ARE BEHIND.
IT IS A SCENE I WILL NEVER -- THAT WILL NEVER BE USED BECAUSE
IT'S YOUR FUNERAL, SO DON'T COME.
I THOUGHT NO, I'VE GOT TO GO. I BETTER GOAL.
AS SOON AS I GOT OUT OF THE CAR THEY STARTED CLICKING AWAY SO
MANY LAYERS ABLE TO PUT ON THE FACT IT WAS MY FUNERAL.
>> Stephen: HERE IT IS. "THE DAILY MAIL" SPECULATED
SINCE YOU ARE AT THE FUNERAL SCENE THAT YOU COULD BE THE
WEATHER WAS DEAD. YOU PICKED A GOOD SPOT.
>> Brian: IF I HADN'T DONE THAT, IT WOULD'VE BEEN RIGHT IN
THE [BLEEP] , I TELL YOU.
>> Stephen: HERE'S THE NICE THING, I LOVE, PEOPLE LOVE THIS
CHARACTER IN THE SHOW HAS BEEN ON FOR SEASONS.
SUCH A CULTURAL IMPACT THAT THE "LOS ANGELES TIMES" WROTE AN
ACTUAL OBITUARY FOR YOUR CHARACTER.
LOGAN ROY, CONSERVATIVE MEDIA MOGUL WHO SHAPED CONTEMPORARY
POLITICS DIES AT 84. THAT'S A FANTASTIC LEGACY.
>> Brian: I AM WORRIED PEOPLE MIGHT READ IT AND THINK IT'S MY
OBITUARY. >> Stephen: OKAY.
AS YOU SAID IT'S ALREADY THE FINAL SEASON.
THE FINAL SEASON OF "SUCCESSION."
DO YOU KNOW HOW THIS REASONS? >> Brian: YEAH.
>> Stephen: CAN YOU WHISPER IT IN MY EAR?
>> Brian: NO. >> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.
>> Brian: NOBODY KNEW HOW IT WAS GOING TO END.
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE GOING ON.
I SAID YOU KNOW IT'S FINISHING. SHE SAID NO, IT'LL GO ON.
WE WILL DO A FIFTH SEASON. I SAID I DON'T THINK WE WILL.
SHE SAID I THINK WE WILL. ON THE VERY LAST READTHROUGH SHE
STILL DIDN'T KNOW THE SHOW IS GOING TO END.
>> Stephen: EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD BEEN TOLD.
SHE WAS LIVING IN DENIAL. >> Brian: SHE WAS LIVING IN
DENIAL. >> Stephen: ARE AUSTRALIANS
BAD AT GOODBYES? >> Brian: APPARENTLY.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
BUT STICK AROUND. WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE BRIAN
COX, EVERYBODY.