Stephen Colbert: Here's the Joke I Wanted to Tell Daft Punk Before They Canceled Their Appearance

Show host revealed the headache behind having the band appear on The Colbert Report during candid interview

By Bruna Nessif Aug 13, 2013 9:47 PMTags
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Stephen Colbert was ready to deliver a good laugh.

The Colbert Report host was preparing to work around Daft Punk's difficult demands as guests on the show—they reportedly wouldn't speak or perform—but regardless of his agreement to take that challenge, the appearance never happened.

And he had the perfect joke to tell them, too.

One day before Daft Punk was supposed to arrive in New York to appear on the Comedy Central show, Colbert became aware of their previously unannounced Video Music Awards performance and was unsure if MTV Networks would agree to have them on both programs. Ultimately, a deal was not arranged, and hours before his show, Colbert found himself without a guest.

"I would say, I understand that the VMAs have got their own rules, and Daft Punk, that's a big important thing to have done," Colbert said, "but I'm the guy who's completely screwed here. I don't have a show tonight."

But VMAs executive producer Jesse Ignjatovic told The Hollywood Reporter that it was the band and their management who decided not to appear on The Colbert Report.

"We don't put restrictions on anyone. I just think that we're talking to them about a moment and then things sort of change," he said. "I would not describe that as MTV putting restrictions on people—it was up to that artist and their management what they wanted to do."

Listen to Colbert's entire interview below!