Late Show host Stephen Colbert had media darling, and radical climate crusader Greta Thunberg on his show Tuesday night to discuss her latest accolades and activism. While there, Colbert urged the Swedish teen to mock President Trump and lamented with her that world leaders would not go to “extraordinary measures” like nationwide lockdowns, for climate change.
After profusely thanking the teen making time in her busy schedule to talk to him, Colbert praised the teen for teaching other kids to ditch school to protest climate change in a worldwide walkout:
“To me, it spoke to a hunger for an opportunity to take action and for people to speak out, and you were a spark that lit that fire for people,” the talk show host hailed.
From there, he tried to get Thunberg to attack her critics:
“Is there anything that surprised you about, like, negative reactions you got to this? Because you became the focus of hostility for reasons that I don't entirely understand, but from media figures, from politicians. What did that feel like?” he gushed.
Colbert didn’t mention that any criticism Thunberg received from conservative figures and President Trump was dwarfed by the media’s outright adulation of the liberal teen. Still Thunberg took the bait, mocking “presidents going to social media to silence young activists,” as proof teens are “making an impact.”
He agreed, gushing how this was because politicians saw Thunberg as “a threat” to their “status quo.” Yeah, OK.
Colbert brought up Trump again, this time fawning over Thunberg's alleged glare at the UN. "I agree with your stare!" he said with glee.
The talk show host also pathetically tried to get Thunberg to say how the worldwide lockdowns due to coronavirus crisis had been good for the environment.
Perhaps humbling from the backlash CNN received for putting her on a coronavirus townhall a few months ago, Thunberg actually countered Colbert’s line of questioning:
STEPHEN COLBERT: What is the COVID crisis and the reduction of emissions do to the COVID crisis? What does that mean to you? Do you see anything in there and the possibility of change?
THUNBERG: No. I mean, some people say that the coronavirus is positive for environment and the climate which is not true at all. The corona pandemic is a tragedy and nothing else, and I don't think we should speak of it as an opportunity to build back better or whatever because it's such a tragedy…
However, she went on to say that what the pandemic showed us was that world leaders won’t take climate change just as serious. The late-night host agreed. As the pair went on to take digs at President Trump again, Colbert whined that our leaders won’t take “extraordinary measures” (like shut down the country?) to fight climate change:
THUNBERG: But one thing will come out, that the Corona pandemic will lead to is that it will change the way that we treat and perceive an emergency and a crisis because this only shows that the climate crisis has never once been treated as a crisis. And, so -- so, yeah.
COLBERT: Well, that's interesting because now we see, when we truly believe that life is on the line, we will go to extraordinary measures.
THUNBERG: Yes, and world leaders are now saying themselves that we will not -- I mean, not all world leaders, as you may know --
COLBERT: I do know. Unfortunately, yeah.
THUNBERG: But they will do whatever it takes because you cannot put a price on a human life, and I think at least I've never experienced that when they say that themselves because that means that we can start -- that they actually mean it, and it feels like when they say those kinds of things, that opens up a new dimension because, if you use that logic, then -- if you let that fly for the climate crisis, then it -- apply to the climate crisis it changes basically everything.
This attempt by the media to float extreme solutions for a left-wing movement was brought to you by Target and Applebees.
Read a partial transcript below:
CBS's The Late Show
July 21, 2020
STEPHEN COLBERT: What is the COVID crisis and the reduction of emissions do to covid crisis? What does that mean to you? Do you see anything in there and the possibility of change?
THUNBERG: No. I mean, some people say that the coronavirus is positive for environment and the climate which is not true at all. The Corona pandemic is a tragedy and nothing else, and I don't think we should speak of it as an opportunity to build back better or whatever because it's such a tragedy. And these emission cuts have been temporarily and coincidental and, so, yeah, of course, there's nothing positive to come out from that. But one thing will come out, that the Corona pandemic will lead to is that it will change the way that we treat and perceive an emergency and a crisis because this only shows that the climate crisis has never once been treated as a crisis. And, so -- so, yeah.
COLBERT: Well, that's interesting because now we see, when we truly believe that life is on the line, we will go to extraordinary measures.
THUNBERG: Yes, and world leaders are now saying themselves that we will not -- I mean, not all world leaders, as you may know --
COLBERT: I do know. Unfortunately, yeah.
THUNBERG: But they will do whatever it takes because you cannot put a price on a human life, and I think at least I've never experienced that when they say that themselves because that means that we can start -- that they actually mean it, and it feels like when they say those kinds of things, that opens up a new dimension because, if you use that logic, then -- if you let that fly for the climate crisis, then it -- apply to the climate crisis it changes basically everything.
COLBERT Speaking of world leaders who don't take the climate crisis seriously, and I'll just pick one at random, Donald Trump --
THUNBERG: Yeah.
COLBERT: There's a photo that became quite famous, it's at the U.N. General assembly when you were there and Donald Trump was there. He walked by, and you gave him this famous stare, and I agree with your stare. I'm just curious what was going through your mind, because we all projected a lot on to that expression that you have there.
THUNBERG: Yeah.
COLBERT: What was going through your mind in this moment?
THUNBERG: To be honest, I don't think you need an explanation.
( Laughter )
STEPHEN COLBERT: Well, Greta, thank you so much for being here.
THUNBERG: Thank you for having me.
COLBERT: Good luck to you on behalf of all of us, and I hope we can all join you in your cause with passion, dedication and sincerity.
