Former US President Barack Obama appeared as a guest on Stephen Colbert's Late Show on Tuesday, as the host approaches the end of his 11-year run. During the interview, Colbert jokingly asked Obama about the idea of him running for president, a notion some have floated.
Colbert said, 'For the record, I think it's a stupid idea. How dumb do you think it is for people to say that I should run for president?' Obama responded with a thinly veiled attack on President Donald Trump, saying, 'The bar has changed. I think that you could perform significantly better than some folks that we've seen.'
The conversation also touched on extraterrestrial life. Colbert pressed Obama on a previous comment he made about aliens being real. Obama clarified, 'I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us,' and added that the government is 'terrible at keeping secrets,' dismissing conspiracy theories about hidden evidence.
The interview took place at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which is set to open next month. Colbert's relationship with Obama dates back to his Colbert Report days, having interviewed him three times on that show and twice on The Late Show.
CBS announced last July that it would be retiring The Late Show, citing a 'financial decision,' though speculation suggested political motives after Colbert criticised parent company Paramount over a lawsuit settlement with Trump. The final episode is scheduled for 21 May, with Bryon Allen's Comics Unleashed taking over the slot.
