Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' exit marks the death of the good celebrity interview

Andrew Garfield appeared on a late-night program to promote a Netflix musical and discussed role preparation, collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, and songs he performed on screen. The host initially used light banter, including anecdotes and an impromptu a cappella moment, leading to audience laughter. Near the end of the segment, the host shifted from entertainment to a personal question about Garfield’s mother’s recent death from pancreatic cancer. Garfield responded with an uninterrupted, emotional monologue about his mother’s life, describing grief as an unfinished song. He expressed hope that the grief would remain because it represented love he did not get to tell her.

"Rather than pushing for a punchline, the host asked Garfield to reflect on his mother's recent death from pancreatic cancer. Garfield was visibly moved by the question, delivering a tender and, crucially, uninterrupted monologue on his mother's life as an "unfinished song." "I hope this grief stays with me," he told Colbert, tears pooling in his eyes, "because it's all the unexpressed love that I didn't get to tell her.""

"He began by hitting all the usual talking points: his preparation for the role, his dynamic with the film's director, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the tunes he was tasked with singing onscreen. Colbert gamely bantered with the actor, drawing out goofy anecdotes, an impromptu a capella performance, and, of course, plenty of laughs from the audience. Then, as their conversation neared its scheduled close, Colbert changed tack."

"It's moments like these, steeped in sincerity and pathos, that set Colbert's show apart in the late-night TV ecosystem. They'll be sorely missed after Colbert takes his final bow on "The Late Show" Thursday night. Colbert is a skilled interviewer an increasingly rare quality in late night Colbert was hired by CBS in 2015 to fill the shoes of legendary comedian David Letterman, who retired after hosting "The Late Show" for more than two decades."

Read at www.businessinsider.com