Last Night on Late Night

Stephen Colbert covers the Iran war and closure of the Strait of Hormuz, mocking Donald Trump’s remarks to children, Pete Hegseth’s promised protective “bubble” for shipping and reports of kamikaze dolphins. He also traces the conflict’s economic effects on gas, Domino’s and airline service before reviewing the Met Gala’s extravagant looks.

Chris Hayes promotes the podcast series The AI End Game: Power, Profit, and Progress, arguing that artificial intelligence is more likely to resemble earlier transformative technologies than cause human extinction. He calls for democratic regulation, warns that white-collar job loss could destabilize politics and describes local resistance to data centers. Hayes also portrays Donald Trump’s ballroom fixation as a refuge from governing and mortality.

Paul W. Downs promotes the fifth and final season of Hacks, crediting its writers, cast and co-creators for sustaining the show and explaining that the finale has been part of the plan since the original pitch. He also discusses an episode confronting AI’s threat to creative work and recalls how performing odd characters in high-school lunchtime theater started his writing and acting career.

Justin Hartley discusses Tracker, family life, and balancing work with time at home.

Barack Obama previews the Obama Presidential Center and explains how its South Side location connects his family and political life to Chicago. He says the museum should place his presidency within the country’s broader democratic struggle, then argues that presidents should not politicize prosecutions or the military, pardon donors or maintain business side hustles while in office.

John Mulaney promotes his Mr. Whatever tour, including shows at the Hollywood Bowl and a landmark Wrigley Field date that would make him the first comedian to headline the ballpark. He jokes about complimenting Stephen Colbert despite living in Jimmy Kimmel’s house, compares Irish family roots with Kimmel and explains why H Mart doubles as an aquarium for his children.

Meg Stalter discusses the fifth and final season of Hacks while performing an extended bit about abandoning acting for music, wearing an outfit suspiciously similar to Madonna’s and launching a fictional album with hundreds of collaborators. She also claims she organized her own look-alike contest, only to lose to a pug, and repeatedly reverses her supposed retirement whenever an acting offer is mentioned.

Walt “Clyde” Frazier traces his fashion sense to his father and recalls how a Borsalino hat, steals on the court and the film Bonnie and Clyde produced his nickname. He explains how rhyming helped him break into broadcasting, discusses his children’s book Winning & Grinning and says the current Knicks’ teamwork reminds him of his 1973 championship team.

Eiza González promotes the theatrical releases In the Gray and I Love Boosters, describing her third Guy Ritchie film as an action story in which she orders around Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill. She also details an intense seven-meal-a-day bodybuilding regimen for another role and recalls accidentally FaceTiming J Balvin while dancing naked to his music in the Canary Islands.

Caro Claire Burke promotes her debut novel Yesteryear, a comic thriller about a tradwife, and explains how research with religious women, homesteaders and online influencer boot camps inspired it. She reflects on becoming a number-one bestseller after numerous rejections and describes her disbelief that Anne Hathaway is attached to star in a planned film adaptation.