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- Episode 18
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
The Colbert Report - S5 - E18
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. says Abraham Lincoln was always against slavery, but he wasn't a fan of black people.
The Colbert Report: Season 5 - 68 Episode s
5x1 - John King
January 5, 2009
Stephen congratulates John King and the rest of the media on getting Obama elected.
5x2 - Matt Miller
January 6, 2009
Matt Miller says the government must make sure we have basic securities like health care and pensions.
5x3 - Benicio Del Toro
January 7, 2009
Benicio Del Toro talks about meeting Castro to prepare for "Che."
5x4 - Lawrence Lessig
January 8, 2009
Lawrence Lessig says the outdated copyright laws have turned our kids into criminals.
5x5 - Anthony Romero
January 12, 2009
Anthony Romero believes it will be a huge mistake if Barack Obama doesn't close Guantanamo immediately.
5x6 - Niall Ferguson
January 13, 2009
Niall Ferguson explains how money is a relationship between a creditor and a debtor.
5x7 - Alan Khazei
January 14, 2009
Barack Obama may be over-marketed, and Alan Khazei wants Americans to volunteer.
5x8 - David Gregory, Shepard Fairey
January 15, 2009
A look back on President Bush's relationship with the media -- Stephen wonders if tonight's the night they finally do it and Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster belongs to everyone.
5x9 - Frank Rich
January 19, 2009
Frank Rich says George W. Bush delivers a message of hope for mediocrity.
5x10 - Jabari Asim
January 20, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Washington Post columnist and author of The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why, Jabari Asim.
5x11 - Elizabeth Alexander
January 21, 2009
Elizabeth Alexander explains to Stephen the difference between a metaphor and a lie.
5x12 - Jon Meacham
January 22, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Newsweek editor and author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, Jon Meacham.
5x13 - Chris Mooney, Ed Young
January 26, 2009
Obama changes Bush's policy on science, and Ed Young thinks married people should have more sex.
5x14 - Philippe Petit
January 27, 2009
Documentary, "Man on Wire"
5x15 - Paul McCartney, Denis Dutton
January 28, 2009
5x16 - John Podesta
January 29, 2009
President and CEO, Center for American Progress
5x17 - Dan Zaccagnino
February 2, 2009
The government collapses in Iceland, and Stephen gets mad at Dan Zaccagnino.
5x18 - Henry Louis Gates Jr.
February 3, 2009
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. says Abraham Lincoln was always against slavery, but he wasn't a fan of black people.
5x19 - Steve Martin
February 4, 2009
Actor, "The Pink Panther 2"
5x20 - James Surowiecki, Jonah Lehrer
February 5, 2009
Stephen salutes the Boy Scouts, and Jonah Lehrer discusses the neuroscience of decision-making.
5x21 - TV on the Radio
February 9, 2009
Stephen welcomes musical guest TV On The Radio.
5x22 - Robert Ballard
February 10, 2009
It's tough times for the Republican Party, and Stephen gives a shout out to a former employee.
5x23 - Eleanor Holmes Norton, Steven Pinker
February 11, 2009
New York Times article, "My Genomic Self"
5x24 - David Ross, Ed Colbert, Adam Gopnik
February 12, 2009
Adam Gopnik claims that faith and fear no longer rule our lives because of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin.
5x25 - Father James Martin, Helen Fisher
February 23, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the chief scientific advisor for chemistry.com, anthropology professor and author of Why Him? Why Her?: Finding Real Love By Understanding Your Personality Type, Helen Fisher.
5x26 - Cliff Sloan
February 24, 2009
Cliff Sloan believes that Marbury v. Madison is significant because it established the rule of law.
5x27 - John Fetterman
February 25, 2009
Mayor John Fetterman believes Braddock, PA is a great place to spend some of the stimulus money.
5x28 - Kris Kristofferson
February 26, 2009
Stephen wants to know how Kris Kristofferson can be a country musician and a liberal at the same time.
5x29 - David Byrne
March 2, 2009
Late at night, who does David Byrne fear David Byrne is?
5x30 - Mark Bittman
March 3, 2009
President Obama taxes the rich to pay for universal health care, and South Carolina may finally end gun prostitution.
5x31 - Carl Wilson
March 4, 2009
Carl Wilson tries to understand the popularity of Celine Dion in "Let's Talk About Love" and will NASA name part of the space station after Stephen if he changes his name to Stephen Urine Filtration System?
5x32 - Steven Johnson
March 5, 2009
Steven Johnson talks about Joseph Priestley, the man who first realized that plants actually create the oxygen we breathe.
5x33 - Lisa Hannigan
March 9, 2009
Lisa Hannigan sewed the cover, liner notes and lyrics of her album "Sea Sew."
5x34 - William Gerstenmaier, Dr. Jay Keasling
March 10, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes microbiologist and member of the Joint BioEnergy Institute, Dr. Jay Keasling. Also Stephen talks with NASA's associate administrator for space operations Bill Gerstenmaier about the Kepler Probe and other space exploration.
5x35 - Howard Fineman
March 11, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Newsweek correspondent and author of 'The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates that Define and Inspire Our Country', Howard Fineman.
5x36 - Simon Johnson, Peter Singer
March 12, 2009
Peter Singer urges Stephen to give money to poor people rather than enjoying it himself.
5x37 - Jonathan Chait, Neil Gaiman
March 16, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of 'The Graveyard Book'.
5x38 - David Grann
March 17, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of 'The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon'.
5x39 - Juan Cole
March 18, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of 'Engaging the Muslim World'.
5x40 - John McCardell
March 19, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the president of Choose Responsibility.
5x41 - Derrick Pitts
March 30, 2009
The guest tonight is Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer at The Franklin Institute.
5x42 - David Plotz
March 31, 2009
David Plotz, Author of 'Good Book LP' talks to Stephen tonight.
5x43 - Dambisa Moyo
April 1, 2009
Author of "Dead Aid", Dambisa Moyo is the guest on tonight's show.
5x44 - Biz Stone
April 2, 2009
One of the co-founders of Twitter is the guest for tonight's show.
5x45 - Tom Brokaw, Rich Lowry
April 6, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the co-author of Banquo's Ghosts, Rich Lowry.
5x46 - Queen Noor
April 7, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Jordan's Queen Noor.
5x47 - Phil Bronstein
April 8, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the editor at large for the San Francisco Chronicle, Phil Bronstein.
5x48 - Bart Ehrman
April 9, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Bible expert and author of Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them), Bart Ehrman.
5x49 - Sunita L. Williams, Susie Orbach
April 14, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes psychotherapist and author of Bodies, Susie Orbach. Also, Stephen talks with NASA's Deputy Chief, Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center, Sunita Williams about the naming of the new node on the International Space Station.
5x50 - Jim Lehrer
April 15, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the anchor of PBS' NewsHour and author of Oh, Jonny, Jim Lehrer.
5x51 - Kanishk Tharoor, Doug Kmiec
April 16, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the former head of the Office of Legal Council for both President Reagan and George Bush Sr., and author of Can a Catholic Support Him? Asking the Big Questions about Barack Obama, Doug Kmiec. Also, Stephen talks with the associate editor for opendemocracy.net, Kanishk Tharoor.
5x52 - Ken Quinn, Sheriff Joe Arpaio
April 20, 2009
Sheriff Joe Arpaio denies that he focuses too much on illegal immigration.
5x53 - Coach Mike Kryzewski
April 21, 2009
Tonight Stephen talks with Duke University men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
5x54 - Ira Glass
April 22, 2009
Tonight Stephen talks with host of This American Life, Ira Glass.
5x55 - Elizabeth Bintliff
April 23, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the West Africa Program Officer for Heifer International, Elizabeth Bintliff.
5x56 - The Decemberists
April 27, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes musical group The Decemberists.
5x57 - David Gross
April 28, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes journalist and author of 'Dumb Money: How Our Greatest Financial Minds Bankrupted the Nation', Daniel Gross. Also, Stephen talks with war correspondent Richard Engel.
5x58 - David Kessler
April 29, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes former FDA commissioner and author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, David Kessler.
5x59 - Jonathan Alter, Ethan Nadelman
April 30, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, Ethan Nadlemann.
5x60 - J.J. Abrams
May 4, 2009
The Prescott Group needs a bailout, and J.J. Abrams reveals clues to Stephen's Persian Gulf mystery.
5x61 - Cliff Sloan, Paul Rieckhoff
May 5, 2009
Cliff Sloan believes that Marbury v. Madison is significant because it established the rule of law and Paul Rieckhoff wants to make sure returning veterans get education, employment and health care support.
5x62 - Laurie Garrett
May 6, 2009
President Obama's approval numbers are at 67%, and public health expert Laurie Garrett is here to shed some light on the swine flu.
5x63 - Mitchell Joachim
May 7, 2009
It's Bring Your Savior to Work Day, and Mitchell Joachim wants to build carbon-neutral cities.
5x64 - Jeff Daniels
May 11, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes actor Jeff Daniels Also, Stephen talks with the vice president of policy at Demos.org, Tamara Draut about credit cart reform.
5x65 - Ron Howard
May 12, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the producer & director of Angels & Demons, Ron Howard. Also, Stephen talks with the head of Latin American Division of the Council on Foreign Relations, Julia Sweig about Cuba.
5x66 - Michael Pollan
May 13, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, Michael Pollan.
5x67 - Yusuf Islam
May 14, 2009
Donald Trump allows Miss California to keep her crown, the DonorsChoose competition continues, and Yusuf performs.
5x68 - Meghan McCain
May 18, 2009
Meghan McCain loves the Republican Party and wants to save it from the people trying to make it more extreme.
The Colbert Report: All seasons
S0: Specials
10 Episode s
S1: Season 1
32 Episode s
S2: Season 2
161 Episode s
S3: Season 3
138 Episode s
S4: Season 4
160 Episode s
S5: Season 5
161 Episode s
S6: Season 6
161 Episode s
S7: Season 7
124 Episode s
S8: Season 8
155 Episode s
S9: Season 9
155 Episode s
S10: Season 10
160 Episode s
S11: Season 11
40 Episode s