WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW."
MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS AN ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING ACTOR, A
DIRECTOR, AND THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF "MADAM SECRETARY,"
HERE ON CBS.
PLEASE WELCOME MORGAN FREEMAN!
♪ ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: WELCOME, MORGAN FREEMAN!
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEPHEN COLBERT!
>> Stephen: YOU'RE ALWAYS A LOVELY GUEST TO HAVE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, MORGAN FREEMAN, CAN I
ASK WHAT I AM ORLANDO 2016 MEANS?
>> THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE "INVICTUS" GAMES, THE WOUNDED
WARRIORS "INVICTUS" GAMES STARTED BY PRINCE HARRY.
HE DID.
IT WAS HIM.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU COMPETING IN THE GAMES THIS YEAR?
>> NOT THIS YEAR, NO.
>> Stephen: WERE YOU AN ATHLETE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
DID YOU COMPETE IN ATHLETICS WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.
LET'S MOVE ON.
>> OKAY.
>> Stephen: DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE A CHAMPION AT?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: THE ARTS, BECAUSE YOU JUST RECEIVED -- THIS IS
FANTASTIC, A GOAL NOR ANY ARTIST -- YOU JUST RECEIVED THE
HIGHEST AWARD THE UNITED STATES CAN GIVE TO ANY ARTIST, THE
NATIONAL MEDAL OF ARTS -- ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE GETTING IT?
>> I -- UH -- >> Stephen: AM I TELLING YOU
RIGHT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME?
>> NO, I USUALLY GET A CALL.
>> Stephen: WAS HIS NAME BARACK?
>> NO, HE DIDN'T CALL.
>> Stephen: NOR DID YOU GO TO THE CEREMONY, I UNDERSTAND.
>> NO.
WELL, HE DIDN'T CALL.
>> Stephen: YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE CEREMONY, SO
THERE'S NO PHOTO OF YOU AT THE CEREMONY, SO WE MADE UP ONE FOR
YOU.
THERE YOU ARE.
( APPLAUSE ) JUST SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
A MEMENTO.
HAVE YOU GOTTEN A MEDAL?
>> NO.
THEY'LL PROBABLY SEND IT TO THE HOUSE.
>> Stephen: YEAH?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE?
IS IT NICE?
>> NO IDEA.
>> Stephen: THERE IS SUCH A THING AS BEING TOO CASUAL ABOUT
THIS, MORGAN FREEMAN.
>> I'M SORRY.
I APOLOGIZE.
>> Stephen: DON'T APOLOGIZE TO ME.
>> WHO?
>> Stephen: APOLOGIZE TO THE NATIONAL ART PEOPLE?
DO YOU KNOW WHO DECIDES TO GIVE THIS TO YOU?
IS IT CONGRESS?
WHO MAKES THE DECISION?
>> WELL, THE NOTE SAID THE PRESIDENT.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
YEAH!
>> Stephen: HE'S JUST SITTING IN BED WATCHING "SHAWSHANK" ONE
NIGHT AND GOES, I'M GOING TO GIVE THAT MAN A MEDAL.
( APPLAUSE ) RIGHT?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
>> Stephen: YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.
THESE POWERFUL PEOPLE MAKE UP THEIR MIND AND THINGS HAPPEN.
>> THAT'S FOR SURE.
>> Stephen: WHEN YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR FANCY HOLLYWOOD STUFF
AND YOUR EXECUTIVE PRODUCING "MADAM SECRETARY," YOU'RE DOWN
IN MISSISSIPPI.
YOU'VE GOT A RANCH THERE, RIGHT?
>> SORT OF.
I HAVE HORSES.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE HORSES.
WHEN I THINK RANCH, I THINK OF CATTLE AND STUFF, AND I DON'T
DO ANY OF THAT.
I JUST HAVE HORSES.
>> Stephen: AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE BEES.
>> I HAVE BEES.
I HAVE A BEE RANCH.
>> Stephen: HOW DO THE HORSES FEEL ABOUT THE BEES?
>> THEY GET ALONG QUITE WELL, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
>> Stephen: WHY?
THE BEES DON'T FOOL AROUND WITH THE HORSES.
( LAUGHTER ) THEY JUST DON'T.
>> Stephen: THEY DON'T FOOL AROUND WITH MORGAN FREEMAN
EITHER, I UNDERSTAND.
>> NOT REALLY, NO.
>> Stephen: IS IT TRUE THAT YOU ACTUALLY DIDN'T WEAR THE
APIARY, THE BEEKEEPER OUTFIT?
>> IF YOU'RE GOING TO HARVEST AND FOOL AROUND WITH THEM A LOT,
YES, YOU WEAR THE PARAPHERNALIA.
BUT JUST TO CHECK THE HIVES, THEY WON'T BOTHER YOU.
>> Stephen: ANYONE OR THEY WON'T BOTHER MORGAN FREEMAN?
( LAUGHTER ) BECAUSE YOU JUST MELLOW THEM
OUT?
YOU GET ON THEIR WAVELENGTH.
>> THAT'S ALL THEY NEED.
THEY JUST NEED CALMNESS.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
YEAH, IF YOU'RE JUST CALLUM -- I REMEMBER PICKING
GRAPES ONCE IN 1962 IN NAPPA VALLEY, AND BEES ARE ALL OVER
YOU, AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING STUNG OR BOTHERED IN ANY WAY.
IF YOU GET SUGAR ON YOU, YOU WILL GET A BEE ON YOU.
>> Stephen: DON'T GO TO A BEEHIVE SLATTERED IN SUGAR IS
THE LESSON THERE.
>> Stephen: DO YOU SELL THIS MORGAN FREEMAN HONEY?
AND I DON'T JUST MEAN YOUR DELICIOUS VOICE
( LAUGHTER ) IS THERE A STAND FOR MORGAN
FREEMAN?
>> I HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT.
>> Stephen: JUST PUT MORGAN FREEMAN ON THE LABEL.
>> THERE IS THE F.D.A., THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PEOPLE YOU'VE
GOT TO DEAL WITH AND I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET PAST
THEM.
>> Stephen: JUST FLASH YOUR LITTLE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL AND
SAY, BACK OFF.
( APPLAUSE ) THIS IS THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF
THE ARTS.
YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
YOU'VE GOT A GET-OUT-OF-JAIL-FREE MEDAL, MY
FRIEND.
>> DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT WOULD WORK?
>> Stephen: I DO!
WHY DON'T YOU ASK MY FRIEND BARACK.
>> I WILL.
I'LL GET A CHANCE TO ASK HIM.
>> Stephen: ALSO, DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH
HILLARY CLINTON, BY THE WAY?
>> YES, I DO.
>> Stephen: YOU DO.
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND SHE WAS ONE OF THE INSPIRATIONS FOR "MADAM
SECRETARY," WHICH YOU ARE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND YOU PLAY
CHIEF JUSTICE AND DIRECT THE PREMIERE.
>> THE SECOND AND THIRD ORIGINAL -- YOU KNOW, THE FIRST
SERIES SEASON SHOW.
>> Stephen: WHEN'S THE SEASON PREMIERE THIS YEAR?
>> SUNDAY NIGHT.
>> Stephen: AND YOU DIRECTED THAT.
>> YES ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: SOMEONE'S ALREADY SEEN IT.
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION?
WHAT WAS THE AH-HA WE SHOULD MAKE A MOVIE?
>> WHEN WE SAW HILLARY GOING THROUGH THAT WHOLE THING ABOUT
BENGHAZI -- >> Stephen: WHEN SHE WAS IN
THE HEARINGS FOR 11 HOURS THERE?
>> YEAH, AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO CBS ABOUT, WELL, COME
UP WITH SOME IDEA THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO HANG WITH, A STORY YOU
WANT TO TELL, AND WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THREE FEMALE
SECRETARIES OF STATE, AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN PRETTY GOOD AT
IT.
AND SO -- ( APPLAUSE )
AWFUL LOT OF MATERIAL THERE TO FEED FROM, SO WHY DON'T WE TRY
THAT?
AND THEN SOMEBODY SAID, OKAY, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
WHAT WILL WE CALL IT?
"MADAM SECRETARY."
>> Stephen: AND THAT'S HOW YOU EXECUTIVE PRODUCE.
THERE IT IS.
>> THAT'S PRECISELY IT.
>> Stephen: WOW.
AND MY PRODUCING PARTNER REALLY GETS ANGRY WITH ME WHEN I
SAY, YEAH, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, IT'S A TITLE.
HE SAYS, YOU WORK, YOU DO A LOT OF STUFF!
I SAY, YEAH, WHAT?
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO
FLASH THE MEDAL AT THAT POINT.
IF SHE GETS ELECTED, DO YOU THINK THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR TV
SHOW AT ALL, THE STORY LINE AT ALL?
>> NO, NO, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BASED ON HER.
>> Stephen: INSPIRED BY HER.
YOU UNDERSTAND -- >> Stephen: I KNOW IT'S NOT A
BIO PIC OF HILLARY CLINTON.
>> NO, IT'S NOT.
IF SHE GETS TO BE PRESIDENT, WE'LL DO THAT.
>> Stephen: YOU HAD A DOCUMENT RIABOUT HER LIFE AT THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
>> I NARRATED A LOT OF STUFF FOR HER.
>> Stephen: WHAT IS MORE CHALLENGING, THE MIGRATION OF
PENGUINS ACROSS ANTARCTICA OR NARRATING FOR HILLARY CLINTON.
>> NO, ACTUALLY, IT'S ALL IN YOUR BELIEF SYSTEM, AS IT WERE,
AND I LIKE THE STORY OF THE PENGUINS, AND I LIKE HILLARY.
>> Stephen: EVERYBODY LOVES THE STORY OF THE PENGUINS.
ANY SIMILARITIES?
, NONE.
>> Stephen: SO THE STORY IS GOING NOWHERE.
I'LL DROP IT.
>> I LIKE THAT ABOUT YOU.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE A FRIEND OF ELON MUSK.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: HE SAYS YOU CAN GO TO MARS FOR $10 BILLION.
WOULD YOU WANT TO GO TO LIVE ON MARS IF YOU HAD THE MONEY?
>> NOT YET.
>> Stephen: WHY.
IT'S NOT EVEN LIKE THE WESTERN FRONTIER WHERE THERE WAS
NOTHING OUT THERE BUT GRASS AND BUFFALO BUT THERE WAS FOOD.
>> Stephen: RIGHT.
THERE IS NOTHING ON MARS.
THERE IS NOT EVEN WATER THAT YOU CAN BE SURE OF.
>> Stephen: HE'S NOT A GREAT SALESMAN FOR IT BECAUSE HE SAID,
IT WILL COST $10 MILLION AND PRETTY SURE YOU'RE GONNA DIE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> BEFORE YOU GET BACK HERE,
SURE.
>> Stephen: IT'S A ONE-WAY TRIP, $10 MILLION AND A ONE-WAY
TRIP AND YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA DIE.
>> WELL, LIKE YOU SAY, NOT MUCH OF A SALES PITCH.
>> Stephen: YES.
WELL, THE NEW SEASON OF "MADAM SECRETARY" STARTS THIS SUNDAY,
YOU DIRECTED IT.
>> I DIRECTED IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE ON AT 9:00.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY EXCITING SEASON ACTUALLY,
BECAUSE I'M READING THE SCRIPTS AS THEY COME IN.
>> Stephen: AT SOME POINTS SHE BECOMES ELECTED PRESIDENT AND
THEN -- ( LAUGHTER )
>> WATCH MY LIPS, STEPHEN -- NO.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: THE NEW SEASON OF
"MADAM SECRETARY" PREMIERES SUNDAY AT 9:00 ON CBS!
MORGAN FREEMAN, EVERYBODY!