By Andrew Roberts
Non-verbal autistic interviewer Carly Fleischmann got a second chance to interview Stephen Colbert on Friday night on The Late Show. The pair were originally going to share the stage at Night Of Too Many Stars back in November, but the live interview was scuttled after a mishap with some of the confetti on the stage. The moment was handled wonderfully by both Colbert and host Jon Stewart, with The Late Show host meeting up with Fleischmann later in the audience and promised to circle back for their interview at a later date.
That moment came on Friday night as Fleischmann joined Colbert on The Late Show for what he says might be his “favorite interview of the year.” And he makes sure it is a special moment too, giving her a special introduction and treating the interview like an audition to take his job. Carly is quite interested in Colbert’s salary and benefits for the job, including the free dental, but she’s not too keen on complimenting him on the rest of his looks:
“You were recently upset that Blake Shelton won People’s sexiest man alive award. I can’t help but look at you and think there’s no way in H-E-double-hockey-sticks you would beat Blake Shelton in a sexiest man alive contest.”
Fleischmann also has it set up where Colbert communicates like she does via some answers prepared prior to the interview. You can tell they are not his answers because he quickly calls Donald Trump his bestie and easily gives up his ATM pin.
Though Carly has achieved her dreams of being a celebrity interviewer in the past, sitting with Channing Tatum and others for several entertaining interviews, the appearance with Colbert actually gives her the experience of being a in charge of a late night show. It also allows Fleischmann to further her goals as she told CTV:
The message Fleischmann wants to send is that every one of us has challenges in life, “but it’s how we overcome it that makes us who we are,” she said.
“I can’t talk out of my mouth, but it’s not stopping me from showing the world the words I have inside my body.”
It’s a touching moment and shows that the experience from Night Of Too Many Stars was important for numerous reasons, including allowing this interview to happen.