60 Minutes Season 38 Episode 32 President Ahmadinejad, Colbert Report
- August 13, 2006
President Ahmadinejad, Colbert Report is the thirty-second episode of the thirty-eighth season of the long-running television news magazine show 60 Minutes. This episode focuses on two very different subjects: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and American comedian and television host Stephen Colbert.
The first segment of the episode is an interview with President Ahmadinejad, conducted by Steve Kroft. Ahmadinejad was then in his second term as president of Iran, and was known for his controversial statements and policies. The interview touched on a variety of topics, including Iran's nuclear program and its relationship with the United States and Israel. Kroft asked Ahmadinejad about his comments suggesting that the Holocaust was a myth, and about Iran's crackdown on political dissent. The interview was notable for its directness and for Ahmadinejad's willingness to engage with Kroft, despite the often confrontational tone of the questions.
The second segment of the episode focused on Stephen Colbert, who at the time was the host of the satirical news show The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. The segment was reported by Morley Safer, who visited the set of the show and interviewed Colbert about his approach to comedy and politics. The segment also explored the impact of The Colbert Report on American culture, particularly among young people who were drawn to its irreverent, sarcastic tone. Safer spoke with several fans of the show, who described the ways in which it had influenced their thinking about politics and current events.
Throughout both segments, 60 Minutes presented a balanced and nuanced view of its subjects, neither demonizing nor idolizing them. The Ahmadinejad interview, in particular, was widely praised for its tough but fair approach to a controversial figure. The Colbert Report segment was lighter in tone but still explored serious issues related to news and media in the age of infotainment. Overall, this episode of 60 Minutes offered a fascinating glimpse into two very different worlds: that of international politics and that of American comedy.