>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST GUEST IS A GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING
ARTIST WHO HAS SOLD MORE THAN 60 MILLION ALBUMS WORLDWIDE.
PLEASE WELCOME "THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY," REBA McENTIRE!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
ALL RIGHT!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
THANK YOU!
ALL RIGHTY!
>> Stephen: THANK YOU, MADAM.
>> GREAT JOB!
WOOO!
OH, YEAH!
>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?
>> Stephen: I HAVE BEEN WELL.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?
>> WONDERFULLY WELL, THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: WE ACTUALLY MET EACH OTHER BEFORE.
WE HAD DINNER TOGETHER AT THE KENNEDY CENTER.
>> STATE DEPARTMENT DINNER.
>> Stephen: STATE DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU AND I HANG OUT ALL THE
TIME.
>> ALL THE TIME.
>> Stephen: AND WHAT A FANTASTIC THING.
THIS WAS JUST THIS PAST DECEMBER.
YOU WERE HONORED AT THE KENNEDY CENTER.
YOU WERE ONE OF THE KENNEDY CENTER HONOREES THIS YEAR.
THAT'S AMAZING.
>> THANKS, THANKS, HUGE HONOR.
>> Stephen: THAT'S LIKE THE AMERICAN VERSION OF AN ARTIST
BEING KNIGHTED FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR CULTURE AND OUR COUNTRY.
>> WELL, THAT'S HUGE!
>> Stephen: IT IS.
WE DIDN'T REALIZE HOW HUGE IT WAS UNTIL JUST NOW.
>> TILL YOU TOLL ME.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS THAT DAY LIKE?
>> IT WAS NICE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING EXCEPT SHOW
UP.
I ATE AND GOT TO VISIT WITH EVERYBODY.
>> Stephen: THAT'S ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT THE KENNEDY
CENTER HONORS IS YOU JUST GET HONORED.
>> THAT'S IT.
>> Stephen: YOU COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING IF YOU WANTED TO.
YOU HAVE TO SIT THERE AND TAKE THE LOVE.
>> AND I LOVED IT.
IT WAS GREAT.
>> Stephen: ONE OF THE THINGS-- YOU KNOW, WHEN I
INTRODUCED YOU HERE I SAID, "QUEEN OF COUNTRY," REBA
McENTIRE.
AND IT'S TRUE.
THE THING ABOUT YOU, YOU ARE THE MOST COUNTRY PERSON I KNOW IN
ENTERTAINMENT WHO SAWLS PURELY A CROSS-OVER ARTIST.
EVERYBODY LOVESES CAN MACK.
>> WELL, THAT'S NICE TO HEAR.
>> Stephen: MAYBE BECAUSE OF YOUR SERIES.
MAYBE BECAUSE YOU HAD A HIT TV SHOW FOR YEARS.
EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU.
>> THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WILL WALK UP TO ME AT A "MEET
AND GREET" LINE AT MY CONCERT AND THEY'LL HAVE THEIR CHILDREN
WITH THEM AND THEY SAY, "SHE SINGS?"
BECAUSE THEY JUST KNOW ME BY THE TELEVISION SHOW, WHICH IS GREAT.
>> Stephen: OR THEY KNOW YOU FROM THE ACADEMY OF COUNTRY
MUSIC AWARDS.
HOW MANY YEARS NOW HAVE YOU HOSTED IT?
>> 16th.
>> Stephen: 16 YEARS.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING UP IN A MONTH, A
LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH.
>> APRIL 7.
>> Stephen: YOU KNOW, YOU ANNOUNCED THE NOMINEES MORNING
ON "CBS THIS MORNING."
ANY SURPRISES FOR YOU?
>> YEAH, THERE WEREN'T ANY WOMEN IN THE "ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
AWARD."
>> Stephen: WE HAVE JASON ALDEAN, CHRIS STAPLETON, KEITH
URBAN, ALL TALENTED.
>> YEAH, THEY'RE GREAT.
BUT I WANTED TO HEAR SOME WOMEN IN THERE.
>> Stephen: THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE.
>> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE.
>> Stephen: WHERE'S YOUR CASEY MUSGRAVE?
WHAT'S YOUR MIRANDA LAMBERT?
>> CARRIE UNDERWOOD.
>> Stephen: WHERE'S YOUR REBA McENTIRE!
>> WELL, I'M TELLING YOU.
>> Stephen: AS I SAID, YOU'VE HOST FORWARD 16 YEARS.
THIS IS A LIVE SHOW.
HAVE YOU EVER-- ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN ON A LIVE SHOW.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD THINGS GO SOUTH ON YOU, ON A LIVE SHOW?
>> NOT MANY THINGS HAVE GONE BAD THEY WILL ADMIT TO.
EXCEPT -- >> Stephen: BECAUSE YOU JUST
KEEP SMILING.
>> YEAH.
ONE TIME, YEARS AGO, THEY CAME TO US AND SAID, "WE CAN'T FIND
KEITH URBAN'S GUITAR.
AND HE CAN'T GO ON STAGE WITHOUT HIS GUITAR.
AND SO DICK CLARK SAYS, "REEB AGET OUT THERE AND STALL."
I WENT, "WHAT?
NO, WRITE SOMETHING FOR ME.
WHAT?" AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I CAN TELL
A JOKE.
I DID GET BOOED OFF STAGE ONE TIME IN 1978 FOR TELLING A
HORRIBLE JOKE.
SO I THOUGHT PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO DO THAT.
SO I WENT OUT THERE, AND I SAID, "ARE YOU ALL HAVING A GOOD
TIME?" AND IT WAS JUST CRICKETS.
AND PRETTY SOON HERE COMES DICK CLARK OUT THERE AND PUT HIS ARM
AROUND ME AND SAID, ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU
WHAT'S GOING ON."
AND HE WAS JUST HONEST WITH THE AUDIENCE.
AND I THOUGHT, LESSON LEARNED FROM THE PROFESSIONAL.
>> Stephen: LET THE AUDIENCE KNOW YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S
GOING ON.
>> EXACTLY.
>> Stephen: I WISH MORE PEOPLE-- I WISH OUR POLITICIANS
WOULD DO THAT.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE JOKE THAT GOT YOU BOOED OFF STAGE?
>> OH, YEAH.
DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNLAWFUL AND ILLEGAL?
>> Stephen: NO.
>> UNLAWFUL MEANS IT'S AGAINST THE LAW, AND ILLEGAL IS A SICK
BIRD.
( APPLAUSE )
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: I LIKE IT.
IT WAS OVER MY HEAD.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: IT WAS OVER MY HEAD.
>> AFTER THAT, MOMMA SAID, "REBA, YOU'RE REAL CUTE.
SING, DON'T TALK."
>> Stephen: WELL, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS, YOU KNOW,-- IS
GOOD AT HOSTING LIVE THINGS, WHY DON'T YOU JUST WALK ON STAGE
SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE OSCARS AND SHOW THEM HOW IT'S DONE.
THEY'VE GOT NO HOST.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO KICK YOU OUT.
YOU'RE REBA McENTIRE.
>> AND I'M GOING TO SAY YOU SENT ME IF I DID THAT.
NO, YOU'D BE THERE WITH ME.
>> Stephen: SURE.
>> YOU COULD COHOST WITH ME SCWHR.
>> Stephen: I WOULD LOVE TO WALK ON STAGE, ANNOUNCE
OURSELVESES," AND NOW YOUR HOSTS, STEPHEN COLBERT AND REBA
McENTIRE.
OF."
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
NOW, YOU'VE GOT-- YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER ALBUM OUT HERE RIGHT
NOW.
>> I DO.
>> Stephen: COMING OUT APRIL 5.
IT'S CALLED "STRONGER THAN THE TRUTH."
AND YOU DESCRIBE IT AS GOING BACK TO YOUR ROOTS.
WHAT WOULD THOSE ROOTS BE?
>> WELL, PAIK AND SUSIE AND I, MY BROTHER AND SISTER, WE USED
TO BE THE "SINGING McENTIRES," AND WE WOULD SING IN CLUBS AND
HONKY TONKS AND DANCE HALLS.
>> Stephen: HOW OLD ARE WE TALKING?
>> FOUR, 5-- NO, I'M KIDDING.
>> Stephen: HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED, DID A
PROFESSIONAL GIG?
>> A PROFESSIONAL GIG.
>> Stephen: GOT PAID FOR IT.
>> I WAS PROBABLY SIX YEARS OLD.
I WAS IN THE LOBBY OF THE FRONTIER HOTEL IN CHEYENNE,
WYOMING, DADDY WAS THERE ROPING.
EXPEIVE DURING THOSE DAYS WOULD GO DOWN TO THE LOBBY.
THEY WOULDN'T STAY IN THEIR ROOMS BECAUSE NOBODY HAD A
TELEVISION.
SO THEY'D ALL GO DOWN TO THE LOBBY AND VISIT.
MY BROTHER PAIK PAID HIM A QUARTER TO SING "YOU AIN'T
NOTHIN' BUT A HOUND DOG."
AND I GOT HIM TO THE SIDE AND SAID, "HELP ME OUT HERE, I NEED
MONEY, TOO."
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW JESUS LOVES ME," GO SING THAT."
I WENT OUT THERE AND SANG ♪ JESUS LOVES ME ♪
I GOT A NICKEL FOR IT.
>> Stephen: THAT'S WHY SO MANY GOSPEL ARTISTS WENT MAIN STREAM.
>> THERE YOU GO.
LEARNED MY LESSON.
>> Stephen: THAT'S FOR THE SCRATCH RIGHT THERE.
YOU SAID YOUR FATHER WAS ROPING?
WHAT DID YOUR FATHER DO FOR A LIVING?
>> WELL, HE WAS A RODEO COWBOY, BUT HE WAS ALSO A RANCHER.
AND EVERY TIME HE WOULD WIN SOMETHING, HE WOULD BRING THE
MONEY HOME, PAY THE GROCERY BILL, GO DOWN AND PAY OFF THE
BANK AS MUCH AS HE COULD, AND THEN BUY MORE CATTLE.
>> Stephen: WHERE DID YOU GROW UP.
A LITTLE BITTY DOWN TOWNIN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.
>> Stephen: HOW LITTLE.
>> 18 NOT,000.
18 PEOPLE AND SIX OF THEM WERE McENTIRE.
>> Stephen: AND THE REST WERE CATTLE.
>> NO, NO, THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE THERE.
>> Stephen: DID YOU LEARN TO ROPE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?
>> NO, NO, NO, I DIDN'T ROPE.
I RAN BARRELS.
THAT WAS THE GIRLS' EVENT IN RODEO.
>> Stephen: THAT'S STILL A DANGEROUS EVENT.
>> VERY.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: AND YOU NEED STRONG-- PARDON THE EXPRESSION--
YOU NEED STRONG THIGHS TO BAREILLES RIDE.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE YOU'RE GRIPPING THAT HORSE WITH YOUR
KNEES.
>> WHEN YOU SAID "BAREILLES RIDE" I THOUGHT YOU MEANT WE
WERE RIDING THE BARRELS BUT WE WERE RIDING THE HORSES.
>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT ALSO HELPED STRENGTHEN MY DIAPHRAGM WHEN I SING.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR AIR.
>> Stephen: SURE, SURE.
DID YOU EVER GET-- DID YOU EVER GET DRAGGED OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT FROM A HORSE?
>> I FELL OFF.
I NEVER GOT BUCKED OFF.
IF I GOT BUCKED OFF, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOUGHER.
BUT I FELL OFF.
THAT'S A SISSY THING TO DO.
>> Stephen: TO GET BUCKED OFF?
>> NO, FALL OFF.
>> Stephen: OH, FALL OFF, OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
>> YOU JUST COULDN'T HANG ON, TERRIBLE.
>> Stephen: AGAIN, STRONGER THIGHS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED.
>> THAT'S WHAT I NEED GLD DOES ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY RIDE OR
ROPE?
>> OH, YEAH.
>> Stephen: DID THEY TAKE THE FAMILY TRADITION FORWARD?
>> OH, YEAH, ALL THE NEPHEWS, MY BROTHER, MY SMYSELF, WE RODEOED.
BUT IT CAME CAIM FROM MY GRANDPAP AND MY DADDY AND US
KIDS, AND HIS NEPHEWS AND GRANDSONS, GRANDDAUGHTERS.
YEAH.
>> Stephen: YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: NO?
>> WHY SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT THEM.
>> Stephen: I DON'T KNOW, BIG ANIMALS.
>> OH, NO, NO, NO.
GETTING HURT?
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> OH, NO, NO, NO.
( LAUGHTER )
NO, NO," ALL YOU WANT, BUT THEY'RE STILL, LIKE, 1500 POUNDS
OF ANGRY POT ROAST, YOU KNOW, JUMPING AROUND WITH A PERSON IN
THERE WITH THEM.
>> MY GREAT-NEPHEW, HIS GRANDPA PUT HIM UP ON A HORSE, AND HE
WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD.
AND HE SAID, "GRANDPA, THERE AIN'T NOTHING DOWN THERE BUT
HURT AND DIRT.
>> Stephen: YOU ARE A TRAILER BLAZENER MANY WAYS AND ONE OF
THE WAYS WE FOUND SO INSPIRING, YOU WERE THE VERY FIRST WOMAN
EVER TO BE THE COLONEL IN THE COLONEL SANDERS COMMERCIALS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
ABOUT?
DID YOU JUST WAKE UP ONE DAY AND YOU'RE IN A WHITE SUIT AND THEY
DRAG YOU TO A STUDIO?
>> BEARD AND ALL.
>> Stephen: SO HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT.
>> MY MANAGER, CLARENCE SPAULDING, CALLED ME AND SAID,
"THEY'VE OFFERED YOU THE GIG TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE COLONEL
SANDERS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?" AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU THINK?"
AND HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW.
LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE."
AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I SAID, "AH, LET'S GO FOR IT."
>> Stephen: I LIKE IT.
I LIKE IT.
CAN I SEE A CLOSEUP HERE?
YOU'RE A VERY CUTE COLONEL SANDERS.
AND YOU GOT FRINGE DOWN HERE AND KIND OF--
>> OH, HAD TO HAVE FRINGE.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU THE ONLY COLONEL THAT HAS HAD FRINGE?
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: GOOD FOR YOU, GOOD FOR YOU.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: SOFTEN YOU WANT IMAGE OF THE COLONEL A LITTLE
BIT.
REBA LOVELY TO SEE YOU AGAIN?
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.
>> Stephen: "THE ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS AND THE NEW
ALBUM COMING UP IN APRIL.
REBA McENTIRE, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH HOST OF "FACE THE NATION," MARGARET
BRENNAN.