The Colbert Report Season 4 Episode 15 Carl Hiaasen, Frans de Waal

The Colbert Report season 4 episode 15 features two special guests: Carl Hiaasen and Frans de Waal. Carl Hiaasen is a well-known author and journalist who discusses his latest book about a corrupt Florida politician. Frans de Waal is a primatologist and ethologist who discusses his research about morals in animals.

Stephen Colbert introduces Carl Hiaasen as a "legendary Florida newspaperman" who has written numerous books and articles about the peculiarities of his home state. Hiaasen's latest book, "Bad Monkey," is a satirical mystery novel about a former cop turned private investigator who gets caught up in a web of corruption involving a dead body, a missing arm, and a monkey.

Colbert and Hiaasen banter back and forth about the absurdities of Florida politics, including a recent incident where a legislator tried to ban the use of the words "climate change" in official documents. Hiaasen notes that Florida is a microcosm of America and that many of the same issues that affect the state, such as environmental degradation and political corruption, also affect the nation as a whole.

Next, Colbert introduces Frans de Waal, who is a professor of primate behavior at Emory University and author of several books about animal behavior. De Waal's latest book, "The Bonobo and the Atheist," explores the evolution of morality in primates and humans.

De Waal explains that humans are not the only species that exhibit moral behavior, and that many animals, particularly primates, have strong social bonds and exhibit altruistic behaviors. He shows a video of a chimpanzee sharing a banana with a fellow chimp who was unable to reach the fruit. De Waal notes that this kind of behavior is not unique to chimps, but is also seen in other primates, such as bonobos and gorillas.

Colbert asks de Waal about the implications of his research for humans, particularly in the realm of politics and public policy. De Waal notes that humans are not as rational as we like to think, and that emotions and social relationships play a huge role in our decision-making. He notes that we could learn a lot from other animals, particularly in terms of empathy and cooperation.

The rest of the episode includes Colbert's usual satirical segments, such as The Word (where he breaks down the meaning of the phrase "truthiness") and The ThreatDown (where he lists the biggest threats facing America, including Canadian ice moose and gay marriage). Overall, the episode is entertaining, informative, and thought-provoking, blending humor with serious discussions about politics and animal behavior.