Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Colbert Report’ and ‘The Daily Show’ each week.
Hey there Hubsters! I hope you are all excited for a new week of shows! It looks like we’ll be seeing more about Gaza and Israel it continues to dominate the news, especially after the failure of the 72-hour cease-fire. I hope we also see some coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the recent earthquake in China, developments in the GOP plan to sue President Obama, US immigration policy, and more. As always, let us know what you think about the guests for this week, what topics you hope are highlighted this week, and more!
Stephen’s guests this week are two politicians, a director, an actor, and an entrepreneur.
Jon’s guests this week are an actress, an author, a band, and a director.
Monday, August 4 (2014)
Pat Buchanan (Author: “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose from Defeat to Create the New Majority“)
Pat Buchanan is an American political commentator, author, columnist, and politician whose latest book, The Greatest Comeback details the story of Nixon’s rise from defeated political candidate in 1960 to President of the United States in 1969. The book praises Nixon’s ability to gather the conflicting factions of the Republican Party to support him in his latter presidential campaign. Buchanan, himself a senior adviser to Nixon hopes that this story can offer insight on bringing the current factions of the Republican Party together again.
Born: 2 November 1938 (Washington, D.C., United States)
Education: Gonzaga College High School | Georgetown University | Columbia University
Books: Conservative Votes, Liberal Victories: Why the Right Has Failed | The New Majority: President Nixon at Mid-Passage | Right from the Beginning | The Great Betrayal: How American Sovereignty and Social Justice are Being Sacrificed | A Republic, Not an Empire: Reclaiming America’s Destiny | The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization | Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives Subverted the Reagan Revolution and Hijacked the Bush Presidency | State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America | Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War: How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World | Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?
Previous ‘Colbert Report’ Appearance(s): Interview – 6 May 2008
Follow: Website | @PatrickBuchanan
John W. Dean (Author: “The Nixon Defense“)
John W. Dean is an American author, columnist, and political commentator whose book, The Nixon Defense, is his account of Nixon’s full involvement in the Watergate Scandal and what information he really knew and when he knew it. Dean was a former member of the White House Counsel for Nixon and is one of the few remaining members of the scandal, and draws upon transcripts, recorded information, documents, and more to try and piece together the mysteries behind one of the most notorious political scandals in American history.
Born: 14 October 1938 (Akron, Ohio, United States)
Education: Staunton Military Academy | The College of Wooster | Georgetown University
Books: Blind Ambition: The White House Years | Lost Honor | The Rehnquist Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment that Redefined the Supreme Court | Unmasking Deep Throat | Warren G. Harding | Worse than Watergate | Conservatives without Conscience | Broken Government: How Republican Rule Destroyed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches | Pure Goldwater | Blind Ambition: The End of the Story
Follow: @JohnWDean
Tuesday, August 5 (2014)
James Cameron (Executive Producer: “DeepSea Challenge 3D“)
James Cameron is a Canadian director, producer, screenwriter, editor, and deep-sea explorer whose latest project is the DeepSea Challenge 3D. The film documents his manned expedition to the lowest point in the Mariana Trench – the first-ever manned dive 6.83 miles (10.99 km) below the ocean’s surface – and the deepest known point on the ocean floor. The 3D documentary includes footage from the dive and gives audiences a look at some of most fascinating and least-explored terrain on earth. “The Hollywood Reporter’s” John DeFore notes that, “while 3D photography likely gave the trip further value for researchers, it adds little to the average viewer’s experience”. While “The Wrap’s” Alsono Duralde calls the film, “the kind of no-nonsense, by-the-numbers doc that captures a rather extraordinary feat […] the kind of film that should be screened in schools as a reminder that math and science are important, and that they can lead to exciting opportunities.”
Born: 16 August, 1954 (Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada)
Education: Troy High School
Filmography: Xenogenesis | The Terminator | Aliens | Terminator 2 | True Lies | Titanic | Avatar | Sanctum | Point Break | The Abyss | Terminator Salvation
Television: Mad About You | Dark Angel | Expedition: Bismarck | Entourage | The Exodus Decoded | The Lost Tomb of Jesus
Awards: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame | Bradbury Award | Academy Award | Golden Globe | Science Fiction Hall of Fame | Saturn Award | Razzie Award | Hugo Award | MTV Movie Award | People’s Choice Award | Empire Award | Kids’ Choice Award
Previous ‘Colbert Report’ Appearance(s): Interview – 12 April 2012
Follow: @JimCameron
Wednesday, August 6 (2014)
Michael Fassbender (Actor: “Frank”)
Michael Fassbender is a German-Irish actor and producer who stars in the upcoming British-Irish comedy drama Frank, as the eponymous character and the leader of a band called “Soronprfbs”. This strange and eccentric band catches the eye of Jon, a young man with a passion for music (Domhnall Gleeson) who eventually joins the group. Soronprfbs travel to Ireland to record an album, and Jon begins posting videos of the band in an attempt to get invited to the South by Southwest festival. Twitter posts from Jon briefly appear on screen during the film. The cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal as Clara (Frank’s sidekick) and Scoot McNairy (Don, the band manager). Frank has received positive reviews from critics, variously praised for its “whimsical delight” (New York Post), and because it is “off-beat and punk-spirited” (The Daily Telegraph). Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian remarked that the movie works “mostly because it is just so weird”.
Born: 2 April 1977 (Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemburg, West Germany)
Education: Fossa National School | St. Brendan’s College
Filmography: 300 | Inglourious Basterds | Jonah Hex | Jane Eyre | X-Men: First Class | A Dangerous Method | Shame | Prometheus | 12 Years a Slave | X-Men: Days of Future Past
Thursday, August 7 (2014)
Brian Chesky (Co-Founder: Airbnb)
Brian Chesky is an American internet entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of Airbnb, an online hospitality exchange service that allows people to rent out lodging space to travelers. The project allows people to advertise space, travelers to leave reviews, allows users to form social connections. Brian Chesky and co-founder Joseph Gebbia have been praised for their business model, and Airbnb has been lauded as one of the next generation of multi-billion dollar start-ups by The New York Times. The app has allowed people who had once been on the brink of foreclosure to keep their houses due to extra income, and convinced wealthier clients to join and advertise their properties in a way they would not have felt comfortable doing so through Craigslist, classified ads, or other similar venues.
Born: 29 August 1981 (Niskayuna, New York, United States)
Education: Rhode Island School of Design
Follow: @BChesky
And now, let’s check in with our good friend over at ‘The Daily Show’ – Jon Stewart!
Monday, August 4 (2014)
Elisabeth Moss (Actress: “The One I Love”)
Elisabeth Moss is an American actress, most familiar to audiences for her starring role on Mad Men as Peggy Olson. Her latest film, The One I Love, is a romantic dramedy that follows a couple struggling with their marriage (Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss) who take a weekend vacation to try and better themselves. However, the trip ends up taking a different turn. The film has received mostly positive reviews praising its story line and clever twist. “Variety’s” Jeff Berkshire praises the film for “reinvigorating the romantic-comedy genre” and is surprised to learn that, screenwriter Justin Lader only supplied a 50-page script and suggested dialogue, leaving Duplass and Moss to improvise a large percentage of the lines.”
Born: 24 July 1982 (Los Angeles, California, United States)
Filmography: Girl, Interrrupted | Heart of America | Virgin | The Missing | The Attic | Did You Hear About the Morgans? | Get Him to the Greek | On the Road
Television: Lucky Chances | Picket Fences | The West Wing | Invasion | Mad Men
Awards: Screen Actor’s Guild Award | Critic’s Choice Television Award | Golden Globe Award | Satellite Award
Tuesday, August 5 (2014)
Helen Thorpe (Author: “Soldier Girls“)
Helen Thorpe is an American author and journalist whose book, Soldier Girls tells the stories of three women in the US military whose military service in Iraq and Afghanistan had impacted their friendships, personal lives, and families. Thorpe uses these women’s experiences to show the difficulties that women face when they step into the male culture of the military, how service affects their relationships with friends, family, and significant others, and how it brought them together. The New York Times called it “A breathtaking work … The book is a solid chunk of American history – detailing the culture’ failing, resilience, and progress”.
Books: Just Like Us
Follow: Website
Wednesday, August 6 (2014)
Wu-Tang Clan (Band: “A Better Tomorrow”)
The Wu-Tang Clan is an American rap group from New York City, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with the album, A Better Tomorrow, which features all the surviving members of the group, including RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, Cappadonna. Though the album does not currently have a release date, it comes after a lengthy dispute between RZA and Raekwon over the future of the group, which caused delays production.
Discography: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | Wu-Tang Forever | The W | Iron Flag | 8 Diagrams
Follow: Website | @WuTangClan
Thursday, August 7 (2014)
Tracy Droz Tragos (Director: “Rich Hill“)
Tracy Droz Tragos is the director of the film Rich Hill, which follows the lives of three boys living in the impoverished town of Rich Hill, Missouri, focusing on the family bonds that keep them going. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Fesival, winning the U.S. Grand Jury Prize, and has since received critical praise; Rolling Stone Magazine included it in its list of 12 must-see Sundance successes.
Filmography: Be Good, Smile Pretty
Awards: Emmy Award
Follow: @TracyDrozTragos
Please remember to vote in our weekly favourite guests polls, and don’t forget to let us know which guests you’re looking forward to! Also please try to comment with any tips or suggestions that you have for this post. Thanks! Here’s to a great week of shows! That’s all for this week Hubsters! See you next time!
Better Know a Guest: August 4 – 7, 2014
Hey there Hubsters! I hope you are all excited for a new week of shows! It looks like we’ll be seeing more about Gaza and Israel it continues to dominate the news, especially after the failure of the 72-hour cease-fire. I hope we also see some coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the recent earthquake in China, developments in the GOP plan to sue President Obama, US immigration policy, and more. As always, let us know what you think about the guests for this week, what topics you hope are highlighted this week, and more!
Stephen’s guests this week are two politicians, a director, an actor, and an entrepreneur.
Jon’s guests this week are an actress, an author, a band, and a director.
Monday, August 4 (2014)
Pat Buchanan (Author: “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose from Defeat to Create the New Majority“)
Pat Buchanan is an American political commentator, author, columnist, and politician whose latest book, The Greatest Comeback details the story of Nixon’s rise from defeated political candidate in 1960 to President of the United States in 1969. The book praises Nixon’s ability to gather the conflicting factions of the Republican Party to support him in his latter presidential campaign. Buchanan, himself a senior adviser to Nixon hopes that this story can offer insight on bringing the current factions of the Republican Party together again.
Born: 2 November 1938 (Washington, D.C., United States)
Education: Gonzaga College High School | Georgetown University | Columbia University
Books: Conservative Votes, Liberal Victories: Why the Right Has Failed | The New Majority: President Nixon at Mid-Passage | Right from the Beginning | The Great Betrayal: How American Sovereignty and Social Justice are Being Sacrificed | A Republic, Not an Empire: Reclaiming America’s Destiny | The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization | Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives Subverted the Reagan Revolution and Hijacked the Bush Presidency | State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America | Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War: How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World | Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?
Previous ‘Colbert Report’ Appearance(s): Interview – 6 May 2008
Follow: Website | @PatrickBuchanan
John W. Dean (Author: “The Nixon Defense“)
John W. Dean is an American author, columnist, and political commentator whose book, The Nixon Defense, is his account of Nixon’s full involvement in the Watergate Scandal and what information he really knew and when he knew it. Dean was a former member of the White House Counsel for Nixon and is one of the few remaining members of the scandal, and draws upon transcripts, recorded information, documents, and more to try and piece together the mysteries behind one of the most notorious political scandals in American history.
Born: 14 October 1938 (Akron, Ohio, United States)
Education: Staunton Military Academy | The College of Wooster | Georgetown University
Books: Blind Ambition: The White House Years | Lost Honor | The Rehnquist Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment that Redefined the Supreme Court | Unmasking Deep Throat | Warren G. Harding | Worse than Watergate | Conservatives without Conscience | Broken Government: How Republican Rule Destroyed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches | Pure Goldwater | Blind Ambition: The End of the Story
Follow: @JohnWDean
Tuesday, August 5 (2014)
James Cameron (Executive Producer: “DeepSea Challenge 3D“)
James Cameron is a Canadian director, producer, screenwriter, editor, and deep-sea explorer whose latest project is the DeepSea Challenge 3D. The film documents his manned expedition to the lowest point in the Mariana Trench – the first-ever manned dive 6.83 miles (10.99 km) below the ocean’s surface – and the deepest known point on the ocean floor. The 3D documentary includes footage from the dive and gives audiences a look at some of most fascinating and least-explored terrain on earth. “The Hollywood Reporter’s” John DeFore notes that, “while 3D photography likely gave the trip further value for researchers, it adds little to the average viewer’s experience”. While “The Wrap’s” Alsono Duralde calls the film, “the kind of no-nonsense, by-the-numbers doc that captures a rather extraordinary feat […] the kind of film that should be screened in schools as a reminder that math and science are important, and that they can lead to exciting opportunities.”
Born: 16 August, 1954 (Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada)
Education: Troy High School
Filmography: Xenogenesis | The Terminator | Aliens | Terminator 2 | True Lies | Titanic | Avatar | Sanctum | Point Break | The Abyss | Terminator Salvation
Television: Mad About You | Dark Angel | Expedition: Bismarck | Entourage | The Exodus Decoded | The Lost Tomb of Jesus
Awards: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame | Bradbury Award | Academy Award | Golden Globe | Science Fiction Hall of Fame | Saturn Award | Razzie Award | Hugo Award | MTV Movie Award | People’s Choice Award | Empire Award | Kids’ Choice Award
Previous ‘Colbert Report’ Appearance(s): Interview – 12 April 2012
Follow: @JimCameron
Wednesday, August 6 (2014)
Michael Fassbender (Actor: “Frank”)
Michael Fassbender is a German-Irish actor and producer who stars in the upcoming British-Irish comedy drama Frank, as the eponymous character and the leader of a band called “Soronprfbs”. This strange and eccentric band catches the eye of Jon, a young man with a passion for music (Domhnall Gleeson) who eventually joins the group. Soronprfbs travel to Ireland to record an album, and Jon begins posting videos of the band in an attempt to get invited to the South by Southwest festival. Twitter posts from Jon briefly appear on screen during the film. The cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal as Clara (Frank’s sidekick) and Scoot McNairy (Don, the band manager). Frank has received positive reviews from critics, variously praised for its “whimsical delight” (New York Post), and because it is “off-beat and punk-spirited” (The Daily Telegraph). Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian remarked that the movie works “mostly because it is just so weird”.
Born: 2 April 1977 (Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemburg, West Germany)
Education: Fossa National School | St. Brendan’s College
Filmography: 300 | Inglourious Basterds | Jonah Hex | Jane Eyre | X-Men: First Class | A Dangerous Method | Shame | Prometheus | 12 Years a Slave | X-Men: Days of Future Past
Thursday, August 7 (2014)
Brian Chesky (Co-Founder: Airbnb)
Brian Chesky is an American internet entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of Airbnb, an online hospitality exchange service that allows people to rent out lodging space to travelers. The project allows people to advertise space, travelers to leave reviews, allows users to form social connections. Brian Chesky and co-founder Joseph Gebbia have been praised for their business model, and Airbnb has been lauded as one of the next generation of multi-billion dollar start-ups by The New York Times. The app has allowed people who had once been on the brink of foreclosure to keep their houses due to extra income, and convinced wealthier clients to join and advertise their properties in a way they would not have felt comfortable doing so through Craigslist, classified ads, or other similar venues.
Born: 29 August 1981 (Niskayuna, New York, United States)
Education: Rhode Island School of Design
Follow: @BChesky
And now, let’s check in with our good friend over at ‘The Daily Show’ – Jon Stewart!
Monday, August 4 (2014)
Elisabeth Moss (Actress: “The One I Love”)
Elisabeth Moss is an American actress, most familiar to audiences for her starring role on Mad Men as Peggy Olson. Her latest film, The One I Love, is a romantic dramedy that follows a couple struggling with their marriage (Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss) who take a weekend vacation to try and better themselves. However, the trip ends up taking a different turn. The film has received mostly positive reviews praising its story line and clever twist. “Variety’s” Jeff Berkshire praises the film for “reinvigorating the romantic-comedy genre” and is surprised to learn that, screenwriter Justin Lader only supplied a 50-page script and suggested dialogue, leaving Duplass and Moss to improvise a large percentage of the lines.”
Born: 24 July 1982 (Los Angeles, California, United States)
Filmography: Girl, Interrrupted | Heart of America | Virgin | The Missing | The Attic | Did You Hear About the Morgans? | Get Him to the Greek | On the Road
Television: Lucky Chances | Picket Fences | The West Wing | Invasion | Mad Men
Awards: Screen Actor’s Guild Award | Critic’s Choice Television Award | Golden Globe Award | Satellite Award
Tuesday, August 5 (2014)
Helen Thorpe (Author: “Soldier Girls“)
Helen Thorpe is an American author and journalist whose book, Soldier Girls tells the stories of three women in the US military whose military service in Iraq and Afghanistan had impacted their friendships, personal lives, and families. Thorpe uses these women’s experiences to show the difficulties that women face when they step into the male culture of the military, how service affects their relationships with friends, family, and significant others, and how it brought them together. The New York Times called it “A breathtaking work … The book is a solid chunk of American history – detailing the culture’ failing, resilience, and progress”.
Books: Just Like Us
Follow: Website
Wednesday, August 6 (2014)
Wu-Tang Clan (Band: “A Better Tomorrow”)
The Wu-Tang Clan is an American rap group from New York City, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with the album, A Better Tomorrow, which features all the surviving members of the group, including RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, Cappadonna. Though the album does not currently have a release date, it comes after a lengthy dispute between RZA and Raekwon over the future of the group, which caused delays production.
Discography: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | Wu-Tang Forever | The W | Iron Flag | 8 Diagrams
Follow: Website | @WuTangClan
Thursday, August 7 (2014)
Tracy Droz Tragos (Director: “Rich Hill“)
Tracy Droz Tragos is the director of the film Rich Hill, which follows the lives of three boys living in the impoverished town of Rich Hill, Missouri, focusing on the family bonds that keep them going. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Fesival, winning the U.S. Grand Jury Prize, and has since received critical praise; Rolling Stone Magazine included it in its list of 12 must-see Sundance successes.
Filmography: Be Good, Smile Pretty
Awards: Emmy Award
Follow: @TracyDrozTragos
Please remember to vote in our weekly favourite guests polls, and don’t forget to let us know which guests you’re looking forward to! Also please try to comment with any tips or suggestions that you have for this post. Thanks! Here’s to a great week of shows! That’s all for this week Hubsters! See you next time!