Stephen Colbert postpones Late Show for a week to avoid interviewing Jason Bateman — and because he has COVID

Lester Fabian Brathwaite
·2 min read
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Leave it to Stephen Colbert to find a comedic silver lining after testing positive for COVID-19 and having to postpone his show: At least he gets to avoid interviewing his friend-slash-nemesis Jason Bateman!

The Late Show host confirmed he would have to miss a few episodes after the show's Twitter account announced that Thursday's episode would be canceled and the show would not return with a new one until May 2.

"Yep! I tested positive for COVID, but basically I'm feeling fine — grateful to be vaxxed and boosted," Colbert responded on Twitter. "Thank you for the well wishes. This just proves that I will do anything to avoid interviewing Jason Bateman."

Colbert and Bateman have a long history of yanking each other's chains — like the time Bateman said he s--- himself in his dressing room before going out to chat it up with the host, who had accused Bateman of being "a little hostile as a guest" on Smartless, Bateman's podcast with Sean Hayes and Will Arnett.

Bateman attempted to set the record straight as to why he may have been "less than chatty."

"I just came from dinner and things built up a little bit, and if I could just let this one bubble out, things would really work out for me," Bateman said, noting that there was no bathroom in his dressing room. "And so I release the valve a little bit. Out comes… more than air."

Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman

Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images Jason Bateman and Stephen Colbert

Bateman then described trying to get rid of the evidence, putting on a too-tight suit, getting his makeup done, and, on top of that, being charming in front of a live audience and, of course, the viewers at home.

"Suit's still tight. I'm now in commando. I'm not feeling great about myself. I've forgotten all my funny answers that I've worked on with the segment producer on the pre-interview," Bateman explained. "I get the makeup on, the powder, I make it out there. And I sit down, and we do our interview, and that is the reason why I was less than chatty."

So... maybe it is for the best that Colbert and Bateman sit this one out — you know, to avoid history repeating itself.

For reference, here's that "hostile" interview from 2018 in lieu of what would have been their face-to-face tonight.

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