Laughter and Insight: Stephen Colbert and Paul Giamatti Charm Audience at NJPAC

Roars of laughter filled the halls of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center as hundreds gathered for  “A Conversation with Stephen Colbert and Paul Giamatti.”

The event was part of New Jersey’s annual North to Shore Festival and presented by the Montclair Film Festival, whose Board President is Colbert’s wife, Evelyn “Evie” McGee-Colbert. At first, the conversation was set to occur on June 29th but was pushed back due to an “unforeseen change in schedule,” according to the NJPAC.  But many would say it was worth the wait.

Many know and love Colbert for his sharp wit and satirical approach to current events, as seen in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Meanwhile, Giamatti took the stage with Colbert hot off of winning a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for his lead performance in the comedy-drama The Holdovers.

Throughout the night, both men displayed their nature as intellectuals, discussing their experiences and various other topics while sharing homemade Vieux Carre cocktails. Giamatti began by sharing his family’s roots in New Jersey, as his mother was raised in Plainfield, and his grandparents frequently vacationed in Manasquan. 

Giamatti discussed his upbringing in New Haven, Connecticut, where he was raised by his academic parents near Yale University. He even claims to have studied at a co-ed prep school similar to the one in The Holdovers. 

Giamatti later studied English Literature at Yale University before shifting to anthropology. However, he claims to have lost interest in “studying chimpanzee teeth through a microscope” and transitioned into fine arts, hoping to become a cartoonist. But Giamatti soon began practicing theater, starring in plays like Greater Tuna and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff? Beginning his path to becoming the acclaimed actor he is today.

Likewise, Colbert delved into his beginnings in the entertainment industry, recalling his time working on The Dana Carvey Show, having impersonated director Oliver Stone in a parody sketch on the short-lived series. He then recounted how he met Stone in a bar, who had recognized Colbert from the show but mistook him for a waiter who had fallen on hard times. Stories like this resulted in frequent outbreaks of hysteric laughter throughout the audience.

The duo also shared their love for horror movies, which Paul was introduced to at age four when his babysitter let him watch Carnival of Souls. He listed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as his all-time favorite and 2022’s Barbarian as his favorite recent horror film. To everyone’s surprise, Colbert listed John Carpenter’s The Thing as his comfort movie.

Colbert and Giamatti spent a lot of time discussing their love for literature, with the latter claiming to have a “mania” for reading books. He even claimed to have once brought a suitcase full of books to the Sundance Film Festival but no clothes. He then discussed his current read, Nathanael West’s The Day of the Locust, a dark, cynical depiction of classic Hollywood that features a character named Homer Simpson.

While Colbert is a well-known fan of works of J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings), Giamatti discussed his love for darker science fiction novels, having been drawn to the genre since reading Fahrenheit 451 in the fifth grade. He particularly adores The Twilight Zone and the stories written by Harlan Ellison (The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World) and Philip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?).

In contrast, Colbert shared his love for hopeful stories featuring space exploration, like Star Trek. He also expressed interest in adapting Roger Zelensky’s award-winning sci-fi novel Lord of Light for the big screen. This project would be challenging since the CIA purchased the film rights as part of the “Canadian Caper” to rescue American hostages in Iran (which many people know from the movie Argo).

When discussing their current projects, Colbert asked Giamatti about his ongoing podcast, Chinwag, in which he has discussed all things “esoteric and unknown” with different guests, including Colbert. At this point, Giamatti expressed his desire to have Cher appear on the show, dubbing the musical superstar his “white whale.”

At the same time, Colbert talked about his new cookbook, Does This Taste Funny? Recipes Our Family Loves, which he wrote with his wife, Evelyn, to share their favorite dishes from their homeland: South Carolina. The book will hit store shelves this September 17th.

All in all, Colbert and Giamatti made for an evening full of laughs and enlightening conversation. This was one of the many exciting events presented by the Montclair Film Festival and North to Shore to promote and support the state and the film industry, backed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy, and Senator Cory Booker.