Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ each week.
Hello, Hubsters!
How are you? Last week was quite the ride, huh? We had the chance to enjoy a bit of everything, from surprise appearances to a fantastic fang-bearing Stephen.
Well, I can assure you that this upcoming first week of November will be just as exciting.
The Late Show will in fact welcome a CEO, a theoretical physicist and string theorist, a stand-up comedian, a mathematician/pianist, Mr Bond and many more incredible guests.
So let’s break down this week’s impressive line-up, shall we?
Monday, November 2 (2015)
Allison Janney (Actress – “Mom“)
The American actress plays Bonnie Plunkett in the CBS sitcom “Mom”, winning two of her seven Primetime Emmy Awards for the role.
Bonnie is a joyful and peaceful recovering drug and alcohol addict whose daughter, Christy (Anna Faris) is a single mother who is fighting the same addictions while trying to restart her life in Sonoma, California. After years as a single mother who chose partying and drinking over her daughter, Bonnie has now found the balance she needed in her life and is attempting to regain Christy’s trust and love. Christy had her daughter Violet (Sadie Calvano) when she was a teenager, an unfortunate situation in which Sadie herself experiences when she becomes a mother at age seventeen. Faris’ character also has a son, Roscoe (Blake Garrett Rosenthal), who idolizes his deadbeat father. As the TV show progresses, it deals with themes such as cancer, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, and relapse. “Mom” premieres its third season on November 5 on CBS.
Colin Quinn (Comedian – “Colin Quinn The New York Story“)
The American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer is promoting “Colin Quinn The New York Story”, a show directed by fellow funnyman Jerry Seinfeld.
“The New York Story” is Quinn’s fifth one-man show and it is based on the entertainer’s book “The Coloring Book: A Comedian Solves Race Relations in America”. Quinn has often been called the “quintessential New Yorker”: loud, opinionated, and full of attitude, and it is in “The New York Story” that the comedian dissects the Big Apple.
The solo show tells the story of being raised in an ethnically diverse neighbor of Park Slope, Brooklyn, and of how the area has changed over the years, poking at themes such as discrimination, paranoia, and political correctness.
After two successful months at Off-Broadway’s Cherry Lane Theatre, “The New York Story” has opened its door again on October 20 and, according to the Hollywood Reporter, “This is one New York Story you want to hear”.
Margaret Cho (Comedienne and Actress – “PsyCHO“)
Margaret Cho is an an actress, TV show host, author, fashion designer, and comedian, who is now taking her show, “PsyCHO” on tour.
As Cho herself describes it, the PsyCHO tour is about “insanity, and about the anger I feel about everything happening in the world right now, from police brutality to racism to the rising tide of violence against women”.
Cho tries to shine a light on social issues while attempting to add hilarity and joy to the mix. “It’s great when you can take something that’s very tragic and turn it around” says the comedian, who also touches subjects such as sexual abuse, bullying, and homophobia.
Moreover, “PsyCHO” incorporates music composed and performed by Cho, who will bring her one-woman show all over the United States. The tour will end on November 14 in Los Angeles, California.
Tuesday, November 3 (2015)
Antonio Banderas (Actor – “The 33“)
The Spanish actor and director will be on the show to present his latest project, “The 33”. The English-language Chilean film is based Héctor Tobar’s book “Deep Down Dark,” which describes the 2010 Copiapó (Chile) mining accident, when thirty-three men were buried 700 meters underground after the mine in which they were working collapsed. The men survived sixty-seven days before being rescued, almost all in good medical conditions.
Banderas plays Mario “Super Mario” Sepúlveda, who is the face and spokesman of the miners during the ordeal, since he makes daily vlogs to assure the public of their well-being. Sepúlveda also rises as the leader and keeps the rest of the group calm, breaking fights, rationing food, and looking for an escape.
The film, which will hit the theaters in the United States on November 16, has received average reviews so far.
Reed Hastings (Co-Founder and CEO of Netflix)
Reed Hastings is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, who serves on different boards, such as Facebook and a number of other non-profit organisations. More famously, Hastings is the co-founder and CEO of Netlix.
Netflix was created in 1997 and in the years it revolutionized the way people all over the world access films and TV shows in the comfort of their own home, first providing DVDs via mail and later becoming an on-demand streaming service. Netflix is now available in 26 countries and will land in South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan in 2016.
John Irving (Writer – “Avenue of Mysteries“)
The American novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter is due to release his latest book, “Avenue of Mysteries”, on November 3. “Avenue of Mysteries” is the story of Juan Diego, whose sister, Lupe, believes she can predict the future of people, in particular hers and her brother’s, and has the ability of knowing what most people are thinking. Truthfully, Lupe knows about the past and about the worst things that might have happened to someone, rather than the future, which always seems less accurate. Juan Diego – a novelist and a teacher – travels to the Philippines, where his past collides with his future.
Irving’s latest œuvre received praise especially for “Juan Diego’s memories of adolescence around 1970 in Oaxaca” which “compose some of the most charming scenes that Irving has ever written”.
Wednesday, November 4 (2015)
Daniel Craig (Actor – “SPECTRE“)
English actor Daniel Craig returns as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in “SPECTRE”, his fourth, and rumoured to be his last Bond film.
The title of the film refers to the criminal organisation SPECTRE, which has not been seen in a Bond film since ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ (1971) following a lengthy copyright battle between MGM and the Kevin McClory Estate. In November 2013, Danjaq, LLC and MGM acquired the full copyright to the characters and concepts of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
In the film, a cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of a sinister organisation known as SPECTRE. Back in London, M battles political forces and the new head of the Centre of National Security in a bid to keep the secret service alive.
SPECTRE has been received to rave reviews, though some have taken issue with the films third act and love story, blaming changes leaked during the Sony hack. In it’s opening week SPECTRE has shattered UK box office records, and taken in more than $80 million dollars. SPECTRE opens in the US on November 6th, 2015.
Daniel Craig was also granted a “license to save” by U.N Secratary-General Ban Ki-moon as the United Nations Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards, and recently wrote an article on his work for UNMAS in The Guardian, “Landmines don’t know when war is over. They continue to kill.”
Elizabeth Gilbert (Author – “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear“)
Elizabeth Gilbert is an American author, essayist, short story writer, biographer, novelist and memoirist. Her latest book is The New York Times Bestseller, “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.” Gilbertʼs book has received much praise and favorable reviews. The Washington Post said, “Big Magic is a celebration of a creative life … Gilbertʼs love of creativity is infectious, and thereʼs a lot of great advice in this sunny book … Gilbert doesnʼt just call for aspiring artists to speak their truth, however daffy that may appear to others; she is showing them how.” And the Associated Press reports, “Gilbert tackles heavy, sensitive subject matter but keeps it light, making what’s essentially a self-help book feel like a good talk with a friend rather than a sermon.”
Dr. Eugenia Cheng (Mathematician and Pianist)
Eugenia Cheng is an English mathematician and pianist. She is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK. During the spring semester of 2015, Dr. Cheng was the Scientist in Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Dr. Chengʼs mission is to rid the world of math phobia using entertaining analogies with food and baking. It is easy to say that Dr. Cheng is quite the over-achiever. In 2013, she founded The Liederstube, a non-profit organization, which is “an oasis for art song in the Fine Arts Building, in downtown Chicago.”
Thursday, November 5 (2015)
Bryan Cranston (Actor – “Trumbo“)
Bryan Cranston is best known as everybodyʼs favorite meth cooker on ‘Breaking Bad’. His latest film is Trumbo, in which he stars as Dalton Trumbo, who was Hollywoodʼs top screenwriter until he was blacklisted in 1947 for his political beliefs. Cranston has received favorable reviews for ‘Trumbo’. Lou Lumenick, of the New York Post said, “It’s a cracking good story, and Cranston does a great job portraying a man who made great sacrifices for his principles.” And Susan Granger of SSG Syndicate proclaims, “Bryan Cranston delivers a powerhouse performance in this eloquent bio-pic, set during Hollywood’s most shameful era.” Trumbo will hit theaters on November 6th. The Colbert Nation will gleefully remember Cranstonʼs appearances on ‘The Colbert Report’, especially his roller skater skills in “Get Lucky.”
Karl Ove Knausgård (Author – “My Struggle“)
Karl Ove Knausgård is a Norwegian author, known for six autobiographical novels, titled “My Struggle.” The books recount, not always chronologically, the childhood, adolescence, first and second marriages, and fatherhood of a character who shares author Karl Ove Knausgaardʼs name, family, and history. His novels have often been compared to Proust. On October 29th, Knausgård made an exclusive UK appearance at Intelligence Squared, which is the worldʼs premier forum for debate and intelligent discussion. John Powers, of NPR, reports, “He’s pointedly unliterary. Anyone can understand what he’s writing. And, paradoxically enough, his honest, obsessive self- absorption makes his life feel universal. As I was reading, every single subject that came up in my daily living — parents, politics, education, Italian food, trees, even David Byrne — reminded me of something in Knausgaard. His work makes you realize that each and every one of our lives contains rich enough material for a long, daunting book called My Struggle.”
Shamir (Musician – “Ratchet“)
Shamir Bailey, better known as Shamir, is an American singer and songwriter, whose latest album is “Ratchet.” In a review of “Ratchet,” Anupa Mistry, of Pitchfork, said, “Shamir, on the other hand, conveys a more ambiguous sensuality that presents a challenge to pop—his lane, for sure—especially given his soft, high-pitched, luminous voice. He doesnʼt tell us anything about his sexuality, but we all know how people can treat artistic, effete boys. What Ratchetʼs 10 songs of self-discovery say without saying at all is that thereʼs liberation on the dancefloor.” In an interview with The Guardian, Shamir revealed, “I never felt like a boy or a girl, never felt I should wear this or dress like that. I think that’s where that confidence comes from, because I never felt I had to play a part in my life. I just always come as Shamir.”
Friday, November 6 (2015)
Whoopi Goldberg (Comedian and TV Host)
Whoopi Goldberg is an actress, comedian, writer, social critic, and television host. She is one of the few entertainers who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award, also know for its acronym “EGOT.” Goldberg has been a moderator of the daytime television talk show The View since 2007. Ms. Goldberg is currently on a comedy tour in North America. On October 24th, Goldberg was performing in New Brunswick, Canada, when her tour bus caught fire. She was forced to cut the show short and no injuries were reported. The website Excite describes Goldbergʼs show as “a welcome breath of fresh air.”
Governor John Kasich (Governor of Ohio and 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate)
John Kasich is the current Governor of Ohio and 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate. Gov. Kasich opposes abortion, stopped awarding new state dollars to Planned Parenthood, is a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, and is endorsed by the NRA. He worked to pass legislation that led to historic reforms to federal welfare programs. Kasich believes Obamacare must be repealed and replaced. Gov. Kasich has been accused by other conservatives of not being conservative enough, large in part of his approval to expand Medicaid, to which he responded, “Itʼs so silly.” According to FiveThirtyEight, “For the time being, he is in fifth in the endorsement primary, one point behind Rand Paul.”
Glen Hansard (Musician – “He Didnʼt Ramble“)
Glen Hansard is an Irish songwriter, actor, vocalist and guitarist for Irish group The Frames, and one half of folk rock duo The Swell Season. In 2007, he won an Oscar for “Best Original Song” for the heartbreakingly beautiful “Falling Slowly” from the film ‘Once’. Hansard’s second solo album is “He Didn’t Ramble.” In a very fitting review for this BKAG, Janine Schaults of Consequence of Sound wrote, “This album keenly understands a favorite expression of ʻLate Showʼ host Stephen Colbertʼs mother: ʻWhatʼs the use of being Irish if you donʼt know your life is going to break your heart.ʼ Fittingly, Hansard, a born and bred Dubliner, called “Didnʼt He Ramble” the hardest record to make, in an interview with Q Magazine. His hard-won wisdom allows him to recognize that raging against bloodthirsty record executives and unfaithful women — no matter how satisfying — takes less grace than calling someone home.”
Better Know A Guest – November 2 – 6, 2015
Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ each week.
Hello, Hubsters!
How are you? Last week was quite the ride, huh? We had the chance to enjoy a bit of everything, from surprise appearances to a fantastic fang-bearing Stephen.
Well, I can assure you that this upcoming first week of November will be just as exciting.
The Late Show will in fact welcome a CEO, a theoretical physicist and string theorist, a stand-up comedian, a mathematician/pianist, Mr Bond and many more incredible guests.
So let’s break down this week’s impressive line-up, shall we?
Monday, November 2 (2015)
Allison Janney (Actress – “Mom“)
The American actress plays Bonnie Plunkett in the CBS sitcom “Mom”, winning two of her seven Primetime Emmy Awards for the role.
Bonnie is a joyful and peaceful recovering drug and alcohol addict whose daughter, Christy (Anna Faris) is a single mother who is fighting the same addictions while trying to restart her life in Sonoma, California. After years as a single mother who chose partying and drinking over her daughter, Bonnie has now found the balance she needed in her life and is attempting to regain Christy’s trust and love. Christy had her daughter Violet (Sadie Calvano) when she was a teenager, an unfortunate situation in which Sadie herself experiences when she becomes a mother at age seventeen. Faris’ character also has a son, Roscoe (Blake Garrett Rosenthal), who idolizes his deadbeat father. As the TV show progresses, it deals with themes such as cancer, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, and relapse. “Mom” premieres its third season on November 5 on CBS.
Colin Quinn (Comedian – “Colin Quinn The New York Story“)
The American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer is promoting “Colin Quinn The New York Story”, a show directed by fellow funnyman Jerry Seinfeld.
“The New York Story” is Quinn’s fifth one-man show and it is based on the entertainer’s book “The Coloring Book: A Comedian Solves Race Relations in America”. Quinn has often been called the “quintessential New Yorker”: loud, opinionated, and full of attitude, and it is in “The New York Story” that the comedian dissects the Big Apple.
The solo show tells the story of being raised in an ethnically diverse neighbor of Park Slope, Brooklyn, and of how the area has changed over the years, poking at themes such as discrimination, paranoia, and political correctness.
After two successful months at Off-Broadway’s Cherry Lane Theatre, “The New York Story” has opened its door again on October 20 and, according to the Hollywood Reporter, “This is one New York Story you want to hear”.
Margaret Cho (Comedienne and Actress – “PsyCHO“)
Margaret Cho is an an actress, TV show host, author, fashion designer, and comedian, who is now taking her show, “PsyCHO” on tour.
As Cho herself describes it, the PsyCHO tour is about “insanity, and about the anger I feel about everything happening in the world right now, from police brutality to racism to the rising tide of violence against women”.
Cho tries to shine a light on social issues while attempting to add hilarity and joy to the mix. “It’s great when you can take something that’s very tragic and turn it around” says the comedian, who also touches subjects such as sexual abuse, bullying, and homophobia.
Moreover, “PsyCHO” incorporates music composed and performed by Cho, who will bring her one-woman show all over the United States. The tour will end on November 14 in Los Angeles, California.
Tuesday, November 3 (2015)
Antonio Banderas (Actor – “The 33“)
The Spanish actor and director will be on the show to present his latest project, “The 33”. The English-language Chilean film is based Héctor Tobar’s book “Deep Down Dark,” which describes the 2010 Copiapó (Chile) mining accident, when thirty-three men were buried 700 meters underground after the mine in which they were working collapsed. The men survived sixty-seven days before being rescued, almost all in good medical conditions.
Banderas plays Mario “Super Mario” Sepúlveda, who is the face and spokesman of the miners during the ordeal, since he makes daily vlogs to assure the public of their well-being. Sepúlveda also rises as the leader and keeps the rest of the group calm, breaking fights, rationing food, and looking for an escape.
The film, which will hit the theaters in the United States on November 16, has received average reviews so far.
Reed Hastings (Co-Founder and CEO of Netflix)
Reed Hastings is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, who serves on different boards, such as Facebook and a number of other non-profit organisations. More famously, Hastings is the co-founder and CEO of Netlix.
Netflix was created in 1997 and in the years it revolutionized the way people all over the world access films and TV shows in the comfort of their own home, first providing DVDs via mail and later becoming an on-demand streaming service. Netflix is now available in 26 countries and will land in South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan in 2016.
John Irving (Writer – “Avenue of Mysteries“)
The American novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter is due to release his latest book, “Avenue of Mysteries”, on November 3. “Avenue of Mysteries” is the story of Juan Diego, whose sister, Lupe, believes she can predict the future of people, in particular hers and her brother’s, and has the ability of knowing what most people are thinking. Truthfully, Lupe knows about the past and about the worst things that might have happened to someone, rather than the future, which always seems less accurate. Juan Diego – a novelist and a teacher – travels to the Philippines, where his past collides with his future.
Irving’s latest œuvre received praise especially for “Juan Diego’s memories of adolescence around 1970 in Oaxaca” which “compose some of the most charming scenes that Irving has ever written”.
Wednesday, November 4 (2015)
Daniel Craig (Actor – “SPECTRE“)
English actor Daniel Craig returns as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in “SPECTRE”, his fourth, and rumoured to be his last Bond film.
The title of the film refers to the criminal organisation SPECTRE, which has not been seen in a Bond film since ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ (1971) following a lengthy copyright battle between MGM and the Kevin McClory Estate. In November 2013, Danjaq, LLC and MGM acquired the full copyright to the characters and concepts of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
In the film, a cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of a sinister organisation known as SPECTRE. Back in London, M battles political forces and the new head of the Centre of National Security in a bid to keep the secret service alive.
SPECTRE has been received to rave reviews, though some have taken issue with the films third act and love story, blaming changes leaked during the Sony hack. In it’s opening week SPECTRE has shattered UK box office records, and taken in more than $80 million dollars. SPECTRE opens in the US on November 6th, 2015.
Daniel Craig was also granted a “license to save” by U.N Secratary-General Ban Ki-moon as the United Nations Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards, and recently wrote an article on his work for UNMAS in The Guardian, “Landmines don’t know when war is over. They continue to kill.”
Elizabeth Gilbert (Author – “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear“)
Elizabeth Gilbert is an American author, essayist, short story writer, biographer, novelist and memoirist. Her latest book is The New York Times Bestseller, “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.” Gilbertʼs book has received much praise and favorable reviews. The Washington Post said, “Big Magic is a celebration of a creative life … Gilbertʼs love of creativity is infectious, and thereʼs a lot of great advice in this sunny book … Gilbert doesnʼt just call for aspiring artists to speak their truth, however daffy that may appear to others; she is showing them how.” And the Associated Press reports, “Gilbert tackles heavy, sensitive subject matter but keeps it light, making what’s essentially a self-help book feel like a good talk with a friend rather than a sermon.”
Dr. Eugenia Cheng (Mathematician and Pianist)
Eugenia Cheng is an English mathematician and pianist. She is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK. During the spring semester of 2015, Dr. Cheng was the Scientist in Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Dr. Chengʼs mission is to rid the world of math phobia using entertaining analogies with food and baking. It is easy to say that Dr. Cheng is quite the over-achiever. In 2013, she founded The Liederstube, a non-profit organization, which is “an oasis for art song in the Fine Arts Building, in downtown Chicago.”
Thursday, November 5 (2015)
Bryan Cranston (Actor – “Trumbo“)
Bryan Cranston is best known as everybodyʼs favorite meth cooker on ‘Breaking Bad’. His latest film is Trumbo, in which he stars as Dalton Trumbo, who was Hollywoodʼs top screenwriter until he was blacklisted in 1947 for his political beliefs. Cranston has received favorable reviews for ‘Trumbo’. Lou Lumenick, of the New York Post said, “It’s a cracking good story, and Cranston does a great job portraying a man who made great sacrifices for his principles.” And Susan Granger of SSG Syndicate proclaims, “Bryan Cranston delivers a powerhouse performance in this eloquent bio-pic, set during Hollywood’s most shameful era.” Trumbo will hit theaters on November 6th. The Colbert Nation will gleefully remember Cranstonʼs appearances on ‘The Colbert Report’, especially his roller skater skills in “Get Lucky.”
Karl Ove Knausgård (Author – “My Struggle“)
Karl Ove Knausgård is a Norwegian author, known for six autobiographical novels, titled “My Struggle.” The books recount, not always chronologically, the childhood, adolescence, first and second marriages, and fatherhood of a character who shares author Karl Ove Knausgaardʼs name, family, and history. His novels have often been compared to Proust. On October 29th, Knausgård made an exclusive UK appearance at Intelligence Squared, which is the worldʼs premier forum for debate and intelligent discussion. John Powers, of NPR, reports, “He’s pointedly unliterary. Anyone can understand what he’s writing. And, paradoxically enough, his honest, obsessive self- absorption makes his life feel universal. As I was reading, every single subject that came up in my daily living — parents, politics, education, Italian food, trees, even David Byrne — reminded me of something in Knausgaard. His work makes you realize that each and every one of our lives contains rich enough material for a long, daunting book called My Struggle.”
Shamir (Musician – “Ratchet“)
Shamir Bailey, better known as Shamir, is an American singer and songwriter, whose latest album is “Ratchet.” In a review of “Ratchet,” Anupa Mistry, of Pitchfork, said, “Shamir, on the other hand, conveys a more ambiguous sensuality that presents a challenge to pop—his lane, for sure—especially given his soft, high-pitched, luminous voice. He doesnʼt tell us anything about his sexuality, but we all know how people can treat artistic, effete boys. What Ratchetʼs 10 songs of self-discovery say without saying at all is that thereʼs liberation on the dancefloor.” In an interview with The Guardian, Shamir revealed, “I never felt like a boy or a girl, never felt I should wear this or dress like that. I think that’s where that confidence comes from, because I never felt I had to play a part in my life. I just always come as Shamir.”
Friday, November 6 (2015)
Whoopi Goldberg (Comedian and TV Host)
Whoopi Goldberg is an actress, comedian, writer, social critic, and television host. She is one of the few entertainers who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award, also know for its acronym “EGOT.” Goldberg has been a moderator of the daytime television talk show The View since 2007. Ms. Goldberg is currently on a comedy tour in North America. On October 24th, Goldberg was performing in New Brunswick, Canada, when her tour bus caught fire. She was forced to cut the show short and no injuries were reported. The website Excite describes Goldbergʼs show as “a welcome breath of fresh air.”
Governor John Kasich (Governor of Ohio and 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate)
John Kasich is the current Governor of Ohio and 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate. Gov. Kasich opposes abortion, stopped awarding new state dollars to Planned Parenthood, is a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, and is endorsed by the NRA. He worked to pass legislation that led to historic reforms to federal welfare programs. Kasich believes Obamacare must be repealed and replaced. Gov. Kasich has been accused by other conservatives of not being conservative enough, large in part of his approval to expand Medicaid, to which he responded, “Itʼs so silly.” According to FiveThirtyEight, “For the time being, he is in fifth in the endorsement primary, one point behind Rand Paul.”
Glen Hansard (Musician – “He Didnʼt Ramble“)
Glen Hansard is an Irish songwriter, actor, vocalist and guitarist for Irish group The Frames, and one half of folk rock duo The Swell Season. In 2007, he won an Oscar for “Best Original Song” for the heartbreakingly beautiful “Falling Slowly” from the film ‘Once’. Hansard’s second solo album is “He Didn’t Ramble.” In a very fitting review for this BKAG, Janine Schaults of Consequence of Sound wrote, “This album keenly understands a favorite expression of ʻLate Showʼ host Stephen Colbertʼs mother: ʻWhatʼs the use of being Irish if you donʼt know your life is going to break your heart.ʼ Fittingly, Hansard, a born and bred Dubliner, called “Didnʼt He Ramble” the hardest record to make, in an interview with Q Magazine. His hard-won wisdom allows him to recognize that raging against bloodthirsty record executives and unfaithful women — no matter how satisfying — takes less grace than calling someone home.”