Colbert also joked about Bush, who has gone toe to toe with Trump on social media.
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“He put on yellow cotton candy on his head, he ate his own hair”, Bush said of Colbert.
Colbert’s monologue was good, the energy was great.
His line of work requires such decisiveness, Mr. Colbert said, not just to navigate the sheer number of choices constantly hurled at him, but because, at its best, a late-night program should be a pure expression of its host and his staff. “Hope I won’t find him on Ashley Madison”.
Next up was former Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush. At the end of the opening, a little league umpire ripped off his mask to reveal he was none other than former Colbert boss (and the new show’s executive producer) Jon Stewart.
The premiere episode began with a pre-taped piece of Americana, a scene at a ballgame with the Star Spangled Banner being sung by Colbert.
And about Bush’s mother saying that the country has had enough Bushes. Colbert takes over for David Letterman, whose late show has ranked second to the “Tonight Show” since 2009.
After night one, the only thing I’m certain of is it’s too early to review Colbert as late night host, but the first episode seemed just as amusing, strange, and, yes, political as its predecessor. Noting that white supremacists have favorably received Trump, Colbert said that was “amazing”.
Just how different, Colbert wondered.
Colbert presented his first guest Clooney with a belated wedding gift for his marriage previous year to human rights lawyer Amal Ramzi – a Tiffany paperweight inscribed with the phrase, “I don’t know you.”
“I don’t actually have time to know what people are doing”.
George replied: “That’s mostly what I do”. Bush even told Colbert that he will bring people together and complimented President Barack Obama.
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The very special friends turned out to be Mavis Staples, Aloe Blacc, Ben Folds, Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Brittany Howard, Susan Tedeschi and more.
