Season pulse
Episodes
124 episodes
Gov. Ed Rendell
Stephen uncovers a menace in Florida and talks to Ed Rendell about leaving office by choice.
Geoffrey Canada
Some want the dollar to be converted back to gold, and Geoffrey Canada advocates for education reform.
Atul Gawande
America's fruit supply is in danger, and Atul Gawande wants to reduce health risks in hospitals.
Dr. Ronald DePinho
Neil deGrasse Tyson explains how tides work, and Robert DePinho wants to reverse the aging process.
Fen Montaigne
Stephen violates the Constitution, and Fen Montaigne talks about Antarctic penguins.
Chris Hughes
Stephen picks this year's Grammy winners, and Chris Hughes starts a site for Jewish sumo wrestlers.
Bernard-Henri Levy
50 Cent makes $8 million on Twitter, and Bernard-Henri Levy discusses public intellectualism.
Kevin Spacey
Hitler delivers a moving speech in Tucson, and Stephen pictures Kevin Spacey naked with rose petals.
Sherry Turkle
Stephen unveils a new portrait of himself and talks to Sherry Turkle about alienating technology.
Cornel West
Stephen looks at education reform and assumes Cornel West's book is about Obama joining the circus.
Ron Reagan Jr.
Stephen gets a present from Afghanistan and talks to Ron Reagan about his memoir.
Chris Matthews
Christine Todd Whitman discusses state budget shortfalls, and Chris Matthews defends JFK's legacy.
Charlie Rose
House Republicans repeal health care to create new jobs, and Stephen talks to Charlie Rose.
Amy Chua
Stephen covers home appliance safety and talks to Amy Chua about her controversial book.
Michael Waldman, Christine Yvette Lewis
Michael Waldman rates the State of the Union, and Christine Yvette Lewis fights for domestic workers.
Dr. Daryl Bem, Brian Greene
Stephen wonders if ESP exists and asks Brian Greene if there is a universe where people buy books.
Samer Shehata, Dr. Paul Offit
There's a breakthrough in taser technology, and Dr. Paul Offit discusses the importance of vaccines.
Leslie Dach, Michael Lewis
Leslie Dach confirms Wal-Mart's collaboration with Obama, and Michael Lewis discusses Wall Street.
Sean Kelly
America must break its dependency on foreign turmoil, and Sean Dorrance Kelly discusses the sacred.
Jane McGonigal
Stephen previews the Super Bowl and talks to Jane McGonigal about video games.
LCD Soundsystem
Hosni Mubarak steps down onto a pillowy mound of money, and LCD Soundsystem performs.
Christiane Amanpour, David Albright
President Twitter Bird will lead Egypt, and David Albright talks about Iran's computer virus.
Eric Foner
Rupert Murdoch takes a new approach to journalism, and Eric Foner talks about Abraham Lincoln.
Jeffrey Leonard
Stephen poses for Project, and Jeffrey Leonard calls out big companies' late payment policies.
Eugene Jarecki
Rick Santorum complains about his Google problem, and Eugene Jarecki dispels the myths of Reagan.
Randi Weingarten, Bing West
Wisconsin Democrats waddle out of the state, and Bing West discusses the way out of Afghanistan.
Stephanie Coontz
Stephen brings a criminal to justice, and Stephanie Coontz talks about women in the 60s.
Glenn Greenwald, Mike Huckabee
Aaron Barr threatens WikiLeaks, and Mike Huckabee doesn't believe Obama is a Muslim.
Michael Scheuer
Stephen's portrait goes up for auction, and Michael Scheuer talks about Osama bin Laden.
Evan Osnos
Stephen addresses America's elderly and talks to Evan Osnos about the Oscars.
Harry Connick Jr.
There's a new hope for American manufacturing, and Harry Connick, Jr. won't be tickling the ivories.
Mark W. Moffett
Stephen fights Jimmy Fallon over his new ice cream flavor, and Mark Moffett talks about bees.
Joshua Foer
Stephen examines new questions about Obama's past and asks Joshua Foer where he put his car keys.
Dan Sinker
Congress bans the sale of traditional light bulbs, and Dan Sinker impersonates Rahm Emanuel.
David Brooks
Clarence Thomas may have a conflict of interest, and David Brooks talks about "The Social Animal."
Reza Aslan
Al Qaeda recruits Americans, and Reza Aslan talks about the Islamic-American experience.
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
Stephen's self-portrait goes up for auction, and Steve Martin does some bluegrass.
Ayman Mohyeldin
The art world buzzes about Stephen's portrait, and Ayman Mohyeldin talks in the Situation Mosque.
Nathan Myhrvold
Simon de Pury dances to Snoop Dogg, and Nathan Myhrvold uses modern scientific methods to cook food.
Jody Williams
Food prices skyrocket, a cable news feud escalates, and Jody Williams wants to advance equality.
Michael Moore
Labor unions fight on, and Stephen stands outside with a bullhorn to interview Michael Moore.
Dr. Anthony Fauci
Stephen questions Obama's plan for Libya and talks infectious diseases with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Tim Shriver
Stephen practices Rebecca Black's "Friday" and does a PSA for Tim Shriver.
Piers Gibbon
The Wisconsin anti-union law faces trouble, and Piers Gibbon talks about cannibalism.
Andrew Chaikin
Stephen prepares for a world without Glenn Beck, and Andrew Chaikin wants humans to travel to Mars.
James Franco
Tim Pawlenty raps about pop culture, and James Franco proves he's a Tolkien fan.
Sir David Tang
Stephen prepares for the royal wedding, and David Tang corrects celebrity rumors.
Jeff Greenfield
Stephen gets ready for the royal wedding and talks to Jeff Greenfield about alternate histories.
Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage
Walgreens offers Pap smears, and Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage test the blue ice myth.
Ray Kurzweil
Mitt Romney throws his hat in the ring, and Ray Kurzweil says man and machine are becoming one.
Morgan Spurlock
Unilever creates armpit insecurity among women, and Morgan Spurlock addresses product placement.
Caroline Kennedy
Trevor Potter helps Stephen fill out super PAC forms, and Caroline Kennedy recites poetry.
Ron Paul
n this episode, Stephen recovers from a Catholic bender, and Donald Trump leads in the potential Republican candidate polls. Masturbation cures restless leg syndrome, and Ron Paul criticizes the Federal Reserve.
A.C. Grayling
The climate change debate continues, and A.C. Grayling writes a secular Bible.
Ice-T
The new danger in air travel comes with a $25 fee, and Ice-T talks about his memoir.
Wade Graham
Stephen travels to England for the royal wedding, and asks Wade Graham about Covent Garden.
Francis Fukuyama
Stephen throws a "We Got Bin Laden" party, and Francis Fukuyama warns of the Chinese threat.
Rex Ryan
Stephen covers new details in the hunt for Bin Laden and talks to Rex Ryan for six minutes.
Amy Farrell
"Atlas Shrugged" comes to the big screen, and Amy Farrell wants to end the persecution of fat people.
Bill James
Donald Trump applies his wisdom to same-sex marriage, and Bill James discusses true crime.
Lupe Fiasco
Stephen looks at a unique solution to the debt crisis in Michigan, and Lupe Fiasco performs.
Geoffrey Rush
A billboard predicts the end of the world, and Geoffrey Rush explains why he's not a method actor.
Eric Greitens
Stephen receives an unexpected honor, and Eric Greitens talks about being a Navy Seal.
John Bradshaw
Stephen warns of a new government intrusion and talks to John Bradshaw about dog behavior.
Alison Klayman
Stephen files his super PAC request, and Alison Klayman talks about Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Amy Kremer
Stephen covers tax breaks for oil companies and talks to Amy Kremer dressed as an American patriot.
Austan Goolsbee
Newt Gingrich struggles to stay on message, and Austan Goolsbee talks about the debt ceiling.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
John Lithgow performs Gingrich's press release, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar discusses the Harlem Rens.
James Stewart
Stephen wonders if the world ended and lies about reading James Stewart's book.
Robert Kennedy, Jr.
Stephen examines the Weiner scandal, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. makes a mountain out of a molehill.
Salman Khan
Congress rejects raising the debt ceiling, and Salman Khan teaches over 53 million students.
Werner Herzog
Sarah Palin describes Paul Revere's midnight ride, and Werner Herzog talks about cave paintings.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Rand Paul identifies terrorists, and Stephen thumb wrestles Sugar Ray Leonard.
Bre Pettis
Anthony Weiner captures the manscaping vote, and Bre Pettis print a 3-D copy of Stephen's head.
Tom Ridge
Andrew Breitbart shows a photo of Anthony Weiner's penis, and Tom Ridge talks about natural gas.
Henry Kissinger
Freestyle canoe dancing heats up, and Henry Kissinger discusses America's relationship with China.
Janny Scott
Stephen explores "Sesame Street" corruption and talks to Janny Scott about Barack Obama's mother.
Keith Olbermann
Seniors face a shocking new threat, and Keith Olbermann returns to television.
Bon Iver
Stephen looks at new developments in technology, and Bon Iver performs.
Florence And The Machine
Jack White helps Stephen revive his music career, and Florence and the Machine perform.
Talib Kweli
Stephen comes clean with Jack White, Obama defends actions in Libya, and Talib Kweli performs.
The Black Belles
Jack White presents "Charlene II (I'm Over You)," and Stephen performs with the Black Belles.
Grover Norquist
Ted Nugent writes an Op-ed, and Stephen wants to claim Grover Norquist as a dependent.
Alexandra Pelosi
The Supreme Court throws out a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart, and Alexandra Pelosi discusses her documentary on immigrant naturalization in the U.S.
Gary Sinise
The FEC makes a decision about Stephen's Super PAC, and Gary Sinise entertains American troops.
Timothy Garton Ash
The FEC allows Stephen to form his Super PAC, and Timothy Garton Ash discusses subversive facts.
Michael Shermer
The natural gas industry tries to counter bad press, and Michael Shermer discusses "Skeptic Magazine."
Dan Savage
Michele Bachmann signs a controversial pledge, and Dan Savage talks about marriage and monogamy.
David McCullough
The Republican Party has a fresh young face that's only 235 years old, and David McCullough has a new book about Americans in Paris.
Jose Antonio Vargas
The Rupert Murdoch scandal deepens, and Jose Antonio Vargas comes out of the border-gay closet.
John Prendergast
Fox News blows the lid back onto the Murdoch story, and John Prendergast discusses South Sudan.
David Carr
Newt Gingrich drowns in debt, and David Carr feels like the tallest leprechaun in "Page One."
Michael Sandel
A pie attack makes Rupert Murdoch sympathetic, Republicans limit who can vote, and Michael Sandel examines the ethical issue of sailor cannibalism.
David Eagleman
California passes a law requiring public schools to teach gay history, NBC loves breasts, and neuroscientist David Eagleman discusses the secret lives of the brain.
Brian Cox
The media assumes Norway's native gunman is Muslim, Summer's Eve uses vaginal puppetry to market their product to vaginas, and Brian Cox reveals the mysteries of space.
Brooke Gladstone
Herman Cain breaks Stephen's heart, Peter Edelman talks "poors," and Brooke Gladstone reflects on the media's influence.
Mary (Missy) Cummings
Home-owning vampire Patrick Rodgers turns the tables on Wells Fargo, electric car drivers face a critical deadline, and Missy Cummings develops a new breed of flying robots.
Buddy Roemer
John McCain enrages Tea Partiers by calling them "Hobbits," and Republican presidential candidate Buddy Roemer won't take special-interest donations.
Tony Hsieh
Stephen tells the "Billy Goats Gruff" debt ceiling story, an Alabama company turns ashes into bullets, and Zappos' C.E.O. Tony Hsieh talks about delivering happiness.
Al Hunt
Scandal rocks Newt Gingrich's Twitterverse, David Leonhardt knows how to save America's credit rating, and Al Hunt thinks everyone lost the debt ceiling deal.
Robert Wittman
A half-Hispanic teenager steals Spider-Man's job, Monopoly gets a makeover, and Robert Wittman solves art crimes.
Anthony Bourdain
Wisconsin Democrats get bad absentee ballot applications, Stephen takes over MLB's Twitter feed, and Anthony Bourdain describes the grossest things he's ever eaten.
Nassir Ghaemi
America's credit rating plummets, Prescott Group has a cheap doomsday solution, and Nassir Ghaemi thinks madness creates first-rate leaders.
The Cars
The liberal media's hot-airheads have started indoctrinating America's kids.
Elliot Ackerman
Father Jim Martin discusses God's job performance, political junkies donate money for a fix, and Elliot Ackerman lets voters directly nominate a president.
Gloria Steinem
Mitt Romney thinks corporations are people too, Stephen reveals his super PAC ad, and Gloria Steinem discusses gender equality.
Ambassador Susan Rice
Stephen apologizes to WOI in Des Moines, Michele Bachmann wins the Iowa straw poll, and Ambassador Susan Rice discusses the role of the United Nations.
STS-135 astronauts
Barack Obama spins "Obamacare," Frank Luntz transforms the Colbert Super PAC, and Atlantis' crewmembers talk about their final space mission.
Jeff Bridges
Rick Perry hires Colbert Super PAC's treasurer, Rick Santorum puts gay marriage into everyday napkin terms, and Jeff Bridges looks good by having fun.
Kevin Mitnick
America wants a badass president, WOI reports on the "Rick Parry" write-in scandal, and hacker Kevin Mitnick is the ghost in the wires.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty
People enjoy a story more when they know how it ends, Prescott Group unveils its toning shoes, and Tim Pawlenty explains why he pulled out of the presidential race.
Robin Wright
The TSA makes changes to airport security, controversy surrounds Martin Luther King Jr.'s memorial, and Robin Wright discusses the cultural impact of the Arab Spring.
Tom Brokaw
The GOP debate drives Stephen to watch MSNBC, Rick Perry calls Social Security a Ponzi scheme, and Tom Brokaw follows the progress of 9/11 victims' family members.
Diane Sawyer
Stephen reports on an old-school reporter, America profits from grief, and Diane Sawyer discusses "Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words."
Al Gore
Barack Obama unveils his jobs plan, Paul Krugman discusses the Lesser Depression, and Al Gore focuses on climate reality.
Michael Moore
Fox News objects to Barack Obama's jobs bill binder clip, Stephen unveils his postal solution, and Michael Moore talks about his memoir "Here Comes Trouble."
David Copperfield
Swiss banking giant UBS reports a $2 billion loss, Jimmy Fallon loves Stephen, and David Copperfield discusses the mind-bending science of perception.
Jeffrey Kluger
Barack Obama unveils his deficit reduction plan; the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" changes everything; and Jeffrey Kluger examines the bond between siblings.
Daniel Yergin
Reuters' Chrystia Freeland discusses Europe's financial crisis, protestors occupy Wall Street, and Daniel Yergin discusses the world's quest for energy.
Jeremy Ben-Ami
A defunct satellite threatens the earth, the Marine Corps limits troops to silent farts in Afghanistan, and Jeremy Ben-Ami discusses the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Radiohead
America reaches a milestone in corporate civil rights, Thom Yorke and Ed O'Brien discuss global warming, and rock legend Radiohead performs.
Melinda Gates
Rick Perry owns his horrific debate performance, the NFL tightens stadium security, and Melinda Gates works on improving America's public schools.
Ken Burns
Rick Perry talks immigration, America gets tough on pregnant Mexicans, John Lithgow calls the Atone Phone, and Ken Burns discusses his Prohibition documentary.
Mark Cuban
Karl Rove's fundraising takes a turn, Trevor Potter arms Stephen with a 501(c)(4), Kevin Kline hosts The Donating Game, and Mark Cuban talks billionaires.