Stephen Colbert answers his own questionnaire on 'The Late Show'

The format reversal

Stephen Colbert became the subject of his own long-running segment, “The Colbert Questionnaire,” on the Wednesday broadcast of “The Late Show.” The CBS late-night program, which Colbert has hosted since 2015, inverted the format, placing the host in the guest’s seat to answer the slate of 15 personal questions he typically poses to his visitors.

The segment has been a recurring feature on the show, used to draw out personal anecdotes and philosophies from a wide range of celebrities, politicians, and artists. This reversal offered viewers a rare look at Colbert’s own responses to the prompts he has made famous. The questions range from the simple, like “Best sandwich?,” to the more profound, such as “Describe the rest of your life in five words.” The segment on Wednesday saw Colbert take on the challenge himself in a noteworthy departure from the show’s standard structure.

The guest questioners

A lineup of guests appeared to deliver the questions to the host. Journalist John Dickerson, a frequent guest on the program, served as an emcee for the segment, introducing each person who appeared to quiz Colbert.

The first questioner confirmed was comedian and actor Billy Crystal. Crystal, a veteran of the late-night circuit himself, started the sequence with a query for the host. The broadcast featured Crystal asking, “What is the best [...],” though the full question and Colbert’s answer were part of the televised episode. The special arrangement underscores the host's standing among his peers, who participated in the unconventional format change for the CBS flagship talk show.