Stephen Colbert hosted a Michigan public-access show, grilled Eminem on Bob Seger

Monroe, Michigan, got an unexpected jolt of star power on Wednesday when Stephen Colbert stopped by MPACT, the local public-access TV station, to host Only In Monroe, a local interest program. Why? "Since my last show ended in December, I've been itching to host a talk show again," Colbert explained, "but my new theater's not ready yet, so I decided to head over to Monroe, Michigan, look around, and give it a Michigander."
Let's be honest, the show is 41 minutes long and you're probably not going to watch all of it. About four minutes in, Colbert starts interviewing the show's regular hosts, Michelle Bowman and Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson, and at the 22-minute mark he has on "a local Michigander who is making a name for himself in the competitive world of music," Marshall Mathers. ("We didn’t know that the guest was going to be Eminem until the day of," MPACT program director Lance Sottile tells The New York Times. "It just sort of happened and we were like, 'Oh — oh my gosh.'")
Colbert asked Eminem about his musical influences, and when the rapper said he likes Bob Seger, Colbert grilled him on Seger songs. Colbert won. The premise is that Colbert has no idea who Eminem is, or that he's famous. "I'm so confused right now," Eminem said after a bit. "I can't tell if you're serious, or..." That's sort of always the question with Colbert, but hosting a local public-access show proves he's serious about... something. Watch as much of this very special edition of Only In Monroe below. Peter Weber
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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