Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Ralph Fiennes/Allison Williams/Mike Birbiglia - full transcript
Announcer: From
30 rockefeller Plaza in
New York, it's "late night with
Seth Meyers."
Tonight --
Sarah Jessica Parker,
nbc news chief White House
correspondent, Hallie Jackson,
featuring the 8g band with
Franklin Vanderbilt.
♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ladies and gentlemen,
Seth Meyers.
Seth: Good evening, I'm
Seth Meyers.
This is "late night."
How is everybody doing tonight?
[ Cheers and applause ]
That is fantastic to hear.
In that case, let's get to the
news.
President Trump held a press
conference today after democrats
took back control of the house.
People thought he would be mad.
But I don't know, I thought he
was pretty energetic and upbeat.
Here we go --
well, if you don't mind
Mr. President --
come on.
That this caravan.
We need the people --
your campaign --
your campaign --
wait, wait.
That's enough.
Put down the mic.
You are a rude, terrible person.
In Jim's defense, I've
traveled with him, and watched
him.
He's a diligent reporter who
busts his butt like the rest of
us.
Well, I'm not a big fan of
your's either.
You aren't the best.
[ Light laughter ]
Why are you pitting Americans
against one another, sir?
Peter, what are you trying to
be him?
I don't why you said --
Mr. President.
Such a racist question.
There are some people --
that's such a racist
question.
It's a racist question.
I don't know who little John is.
I Don''t know --
he was on "the apprentice."
I don't know.
Oh, he was.
Okay.
Yes.
Oh, I see.
Sir, you have --
quiet, quiet, quiet.
Where are you from please?
Japan.
Say hello --
say hello to shinzo.
[ Audience ohs ]
Seth: Well, that's definitely
a man who was up all night
watching cable news.
[ Laughter ]
That was either a press
conference, or a demonstration
of every side effect of Chantix.
[ Laughter ]
President Trump this afternoon
fired Attorney General
Jeff sessions.
Wow, you know it was a rough
election for Republicans when
even the ones who weren't
running are losing their seats.
[ Laughter ]
That's right.
[ Cheers and applause ]
That's right, Attorney General
Jeff sessions stepped down
today.
Apparently he's been on a stool
this whole time.
[ Laughter ]
"Little help.
Little help."
[ Laughter ]
Attorney General Jeff sessions
wrote in a letter to president
Trump, quote, "at your request,
I am submitting my resignation."
Okay, but if it's at his
request, then it's not a
resignation.
That's like saying that you're
breaking up with someone because
you don't like the way they
threw you out of the house.
[ Laughter ]
President Trump said today that
after last night's election, the
Republicans defied history, and
expanded their senate majority.
Of course, it's easy to defy
history when you literally don't
know any of it.
[ Laughter ]
President --
[ cheers and applause ]
President Trump said this
afternoon that he will adopt a,
quote, war-like posture if house
democrats move to investigate
him personally.
That's right.
He's going to develop bone spurs
in his feet.
[ Laughter ]
Msnbc apologized last night for
airing footage of Democratic
senate candidate beto o'Rourke
cursing.
They also apologized for airing
footage of Ted Cruz, period.
[ Laughter ]
We're terribly sorry.
[ Applause ]
We realize now there may have
been children in the room.
New York governor Andrew cuomo
has been elected to a third
term.
Said new yorkers, "great, we're
still stuck down here."
[ Cheers and applause ]
Navy officials confirmed this
week that 14 sailors from the
nuclear reactor department of
the "u.S.S. Ronald Reagan" will
face disciplinary action in
connection to LSD abuse.
One sailor said it was the worst
thing to happen to him since
Ronald Reagan came back to life,
jumped over a rainbow, and
dunked a basketball on him.
[ Laughter ]
Cover girl cosmetics has become
the biggest makeup brand to
completely eliminate animal
testing.
So unfortunately, this horse is
back to doing her own.
[ Laughter ]
Police in Toronto recently
caught a woman trying to smuggle
25 handguns across the U.S.
Canada border by hiding them in
the gas tank of her car
submerged in gasoline.
[ Laughter ]
And if you look closely at this
footage, you can see what tipped
the police off.
[ Explosion ]
[ Light laughter ]
Scientists in China claim they
found a way for the military to
use the calls of sperm whales to
send encoded messages.
Said whales, "then maybe we can
change our name to code whales?
[ Laughter ]
We could be code whales now
maybe?"
[ Laughter ]
And finally a coffee chain in
London said this week that it
will allow stores to refuse
caffeine sales to people under
the age of 16.
While a coffee chain in America
just unveiled frappuccino's for
babies.
[ Laughter ]
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a
great show for you tonight.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Her new movie "here and now" is
in theaters this weekend.
She's one of our favorites,
Sarah Jessica Parker is back on
the show.
[ Cheers and applause ]
She is the msnbc news chief
White House correspondent, and
host of "msnbc live with
Hallie Jackson.
"Hallie Jackson is here on a
day when we will have plenty to
ask her about.
Now before we get to our guest,
if you get a chance to look at
the paper this morning, you
might have seen there was a new
study on migrating tree frogs.
Wait, I'm sorry, I could be
wrong here, but I think I smell
some smoke.
And that can only mean one
thing, it's time for "ya burnt!"
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Welcome to the burn
zone.
We got a lot of topics to sizzle
through, but not a lot of time.
Over here is the burner, let's
turn on the gas, and load her
up.
Whoo, flaming hot cheetos!
First up, exit polls.
Hey, exit polls, you want to
know who I voted for?
Your mother!
[ Laughter ]
If I wanted an inaccurate guess
at who's going to win the
election, I'd just ask "the
huffington post."
Side burn, huffpo.
Side burn.
Seth: Also exit pollsters,
stop hanging around outside
elementary schools, you creeps.
[ Light laughter ]
You're like r. Kelly without the
microphone.
[ Laughter ]
Exit polls, exit on out of here.
Ya burnt!
Scented candles!
Hey, kids!
You love the smell of pie, but
hate the hassle of eating and
enjoying it?
[ Laughter ]
Try scented candles.
Nothing is more disappointing
than walking into a kitchen that
smells like cookies, and finding
out it's just a ball of wax.
[ Laughter ]
Also, I'm trying to cover up the
smell of cooked fish, not make
it smell like the fish died
eating gingerbread.
[ Laughter ]
And, by the way, anytime I walk
into a house and smell fresh
linen, I know you just took a
dump.
[ Laughter ]
Scented candles, smell ya later.
Ya burnt!
Luggage carousels!
You're not a carousel.
Carousels are fun.
What you are is a luggage
gutter.
[ Light laughter ]
If I wanted to see something
move this slowly, I'd just
follow Robert Mueller's Russia
investigation.
[ Light laughter ]
Side burn, Mueller.
Come on, Bobby, give us some
candy.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: And why is everyone
lining up by the chute?
You just spent five hours on a
plane, stop trying to shave off
the last 15 seconds.
[ Light laughter ]
Also, can we talk about the
weird cardboard box covered in
saran wrap?
It's been circling the baggage
claim for 30 minutes, and I
think I heard a muffled scream
come from inside of it.
[ Light laughter ]
Luggage carousels, keep on
moving.
Ya burnt!
V-neck sweaters!
For the man who thinks --
[ cheers and applause ]
We hit a nerve.
[ Laughter ]
V-neck sweaters!
For the man who thinks this
outfit could use a little more
visible white undershirt.
[ Laughter and applause ]
V-neck sweaters, what are you
for?
All those times people say, gee,
my torso, and arms are freezing.
But my clavicles are roasting.
Why are you exposing just my
neck?
You're the ass-less chaps of
winter clothing.
That's redundant.
All chaps are ass-less.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: V-neck sweaters, see
you neck time.
Ya burnt!
[ Applause ]
Marathons!
Hey, marathons, if I wanted to
waste my day watching someone
travel 26 miles by foot, I'd
binge watch the "lord of the
rings."
Frodo needs a gatorade.
Seth: Marathon weekend is
like any other weekend in
New York City, except the people
going to the bathroom on the
street are in much better shape.
[ Light laughter ]
Marathons, my nipples may be
chaffed, but you, ya burnt!
Lemon-lime soda!
Face it, lemons and limes are
basically the same thing.
We don't need both of you.
You're the property brothers of
soda.
[ Laughter ]
Also, soda without the caffeine?
That's like asking for heroin
without the high of 10,000
orgasms.
Been there brother.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: Lemon-lime soda, seven
up yours.
Ya burnt!
Layering!
Oh, great, high of 72, low of
55?
I'll just wear four shirts in
case I step into a shadow, and
it suddenly feels colder than
Thanksgiving dinner in a swing
state.
Maybe I wouldn't have to wear
all these scarves if I hadn't
left my jugular exposed with
this [ Bleep ] v-neck!
[ Laughter ]
V-neck.
Double burn.
[ Laughter and applause ]
Seth: Layering, hit the
hamper, ya burnt!
Beto o'Rourke!
You may have lost the election,
but at least you got the drop
the f-bomb on national TV.
Let's take a look.
[ Cheers and applause ]
I'm so [ Bleep ] proud of you
guys.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Damn.
With that kind of potty mouth,
it's only a matter of time
before you become president!
[ Light laughter ]
Seriously, I haven't heard that
much swearing on msnbc since the
time Chris Matthews sat on a
thumbtack.
[ Light laughter ]
And that's why, beto, you're
this week's unburnable!
Ascend to safety, my friend.
I'm so bleeping proud of you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Button-fly jeans!
Just what I wanted, a padlock
for my pants.
Nothing I love more than getting
to the bathroom, and having to
spend five seconds of panic not
knowing if I'm going to get you
open in time.
[ Light laughter ]
Button-fly jeans, zip it!
Ya burnt!
Music biopics!
If I really wanted to watch
someone pretend to be a musician
for two hours I'd go to a
pitbull concert.
[ Audience groans ]
Side burn, pitbull.
Don't pretend you wouldn't
trade lives with him, Meyers.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: The queen biopic is in
theaters, but I don't want to
see an actor playing
Freddie Mercury.
I want to see Freddie Mercury as
he's supposed to be seen, as a
hologram at an Adam lambert
concert.
[ Laughter ]
Music biopics, another one bites
the ya burnt!
[ Siren ]
Uh-oh!
That sound means things are
really heating up, which means
it must be time for our speed
round, the Blaze, election
edition.
[ Siren ]
John king, gets your hands off
the map bro, you're going to be
the first guy to get me-too'd by
a touch screen.
Ya blazed!
[ Laughter and applause ]
Hey CNN, I haven't seen that
many people in a studio since
arcade fire's last recording
session.
Ya blazed.
Nevada!
You elected a dead pimp to the
state assembly.
Who was his opponent?
A [ Bleep ] plug with a cocaine
dictation?
Ya blazed!
Mitt romney, you come from
Michigan.
You were the governor of
Massachusetts.
And now you're a senator from
Utah.
You change teams more often than
LeBron James.
Ya blazed!
Florida, now I know why you're
shaped like a penis, because
every year you [ Bleep ] us.
[ Laughter ]
Ya blazed!
[ Buzzer ]
[ Cheers and applause ]
Oh, that buzzer means we're out
of time.
That has been "ya burnt."
[ Cheers and applause ]
We'll be right back with
Sarah Jessica Parker.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Welcome back,
everybody.
Give it up for the 8g band right
over there.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Also sitting in with us again
tonight.
He's a singer-songwriter and the
drummer for four-time grammy
winner, Lenny kravitz, whose
latest album, "raised vibration"
is out now.
For more information on his
music and work in Chicago
communities, check out
everybody.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you.
Seth: Our first guest tonight
is an Emmy award winning actress
you know and love from hbo's
"sex and the city" and
"divorce."
She stars in the new film, "here
and now" which will be in
theaters, on demand, and digital
this Friday.
Please welcome back to the show
our friend,
Sarah Jessica Parker, everyone!
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
Seth: Hi.
Hi.
Seth: I am very, very happy
to have you here.
You're so kind.
Seth: Always such a pleasure.
I have to ask --
we'll see how you feel at the
end.
Seth: Okay, yeah.
I'll check in.
Reserved judgment.
Seth: I'll give you an
assessment.
Did you stay up late last night?
Did you watch election returns?
I did, I did, I did.
Seth: How do you feel?
I feel -- how do you --
[ light laughter ]
Maybe I would say I would like
to use you as a sort of
yardstick.
A sort of -- my gold standard
for how I should feel
emotionally.
Seth: Okay.
My level of rationality,
post-midterm, post-cable
exposure.
Seth: Yes.
You know, projection.
Seth: It was a hard --
I forgot how stressful
projections are.
God I wish they would stop
that part in a way.
Seth: Yeah.
I wish it was more --
at the very --
they wouldn't say anything about
results and at the end of the
night they would go, "this
happened."
exactly.
Seth: And you would just go,
"okay, great."
And let it be on a slow
scroll or just let it sort of,
rise to the surface.
Maybe it's sort of -- appears
and then it dissolves.
Seth: Yeah.
[ Light laughter ]
But I feel as if -- and I
feel as if two things were
happening last night.
I feel like one place was trying
to be extremely calm.
Seth: Yes.
If you know what I'm talking
about.
Seth: Uh-huh.
One outlet.
And then I feel like another
outlet was really lively and it
felt like maybe it was like the
common space in a dorm.
Seth: Right.
Everybody just kind of -- yeah.
You know, but I don't know.
How do you feel?
I don't know --
Seth: The only thing I found
very stressful last night is how
every time something, happened
they would go, "we have a big
result" and you realize they
never say, "this next one is
meaningless."
[ Light laughter ]
I know.
Seth: "We have a meaningless
result from a state that doesn't
matter."
[ Laughter ]
Yeah.
But you know, I don't quite know
how to feel either.
I mean, I certainly know I could
feel worse.
Right, right.
I've said that to myself.
Seth: I didn't feel that two
years ago.
Yeah.
No, no --
Seth: You know what I mean?
Two years ago I didn't say,
"well, it could have been
worse."
That didn't happen.
[ Laughter ]
Exactly.
And then in fact, it proved to
be worse.
Seth: Right.
But of the night, I couldn't
imagine.
You thought, well, yes.
There's some comfort in knowing
it can't be.
Seth: With that, yeah, so --
but I'm also trepidatious about
what it means -- I mean, I
don't --
based on even the events of
today, I don't feel like, "well,
we had a midterm and then
everything settles down."
Right.
Now this is a question that I
did, I asked so many --
mostly I asked television last
night, but some people around me
did say that's a good question.
When people were --
I wouldn't say gloating.
But there was, you know, some
people felt really positive
about this blue wave.
Let's call it a wave.
And they were saying, you know,
this is an opportunity for the
democrats, you know, a-b-c.
And I kept screaming, "but what
in the next -- there's two more
months.
What if he -- for instance,
should fire or ask the attorney
general to, like, yeah,
exactly."
Seth: You should resign.
Yeah.
Seth: Yeah.
I think we'd be better off
apart!
Yeah, exactly.
[ Light laughter ]
What about when the remaining
two months -- it's like an
opportunity, it's a recipe for
all sorts of -- you know?
Seth: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[ Light laughter ]
And nobody -- well, no one on
the television would answer me
because they couldn't hear me.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: And that's really one
of the downsides of television,
right?
I mean, everybody says we're
living in the golden age of
television, and you're like,
"well how come they won't talk
to me?"
[ Laughter ]
I had -- a long time ago
somebody --
I was telling a story about my
friend, he told me this really,
you know, amusing story.
And I went ahead and I told the
story.
And then they asked, "which
friend was that?"
And I was like, "I think it was
Johnny Carson."
Johnny Carson told all of
America this story last night.
[ Light laughter ]
But he was my friend.
Seth: Yeah.
That's totally normal and you
shouldn't feel weird.
I mentioned the golden age of
television.
I want to tell you this, because
everybody says right now there's
so many good shows and it's so
hard to figure out what to
watch.
My wife and I are watching, "sex
and the city."
We're watching two episodes a
night.
Wow.
Seth: I have never watched
that.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Yeah.
Wow, two episodes a night?
Seth: This is a request my
wife made and said, "hey, this
is a show I've watched a hundred
times.
And I feel like you would
understand me better if you
watch this show."
And I want to say, I'm enjoying
it so much and it is a show that
I underestimated having not
seen, just based on --
did somebody say wow?
[ Laughter ]
Seth: But I didn't -- but I
will admit and obviously I cost
myself.
Unfortunately I'm getting this
great life experience now.
Yes.
Seth: But have you found
that's happened before where
people said to you, oh I
thought, even just based on the
color palette of the show?
Right.
Well, first of all, yes.
I want to say that I think it's
very big of you to share not
just with me, but with all of
America.
[ Light laughter ]
That you feel that your life
is --
Seth: It's enriched.
Enriched.
Seth: Yeah.
That's what I was gonna say.
I will say it's really lovely to
hear because I think there
was -- there's always been a
slight, you know, I do feel that
the show suffered a wee bit from
a sort of an idea.
A preconceived idea which often
had nothing to do with anyone
having seen it.
But because you could assume
there were sort of things that
we knew and saw, whether you saw
this.
This sort of titillating --
Seth: Yeah.
You know, in the candid
language, this salty dialogue
and the costumes and the shoes.
But, in fact, I feel like the
show always offered up actual
profundity and the writing was
really smart and moving and
clever.
And I think beautifully
illustrated.
An attempt at finding love,
finding home, you know?
So I am so thrilled to hear
you --
Seth: Also, I just didn't --
I think the part I'm really
drawn to -- we're in season 6.
You're with berger.
I hope it doesn't work out.
[ Laughter ]
Yeah.
Seth: You know, I thought the
show would have more of a bow on
it.
If that makes an sense.
Right.
Seth: These characters are so
human and messy in a way that
really resonates.
And especially like, where it
starts.
That's the part about it I did
not realize, because there are
certain shows you watch.
And, you know, you can tune in
to a Seinfeld, any season and
there's the same four
characters.
Right, which is comforting.
Seth: This is a very
different experience.
Like, the arc of it is really an
accomplishment.
Yeah.
Seth: I'm not to the point --
cause when we started, my wife
said it's, you know, whatever,
however many episodes.
And you're like, oh boy.
Seth: And I was like, "oh
boy, here we go."
This seems like it's going to be
a lot of t.V.
The things we do for love.
Seth: And now I'm like, "we
only have 17 left."
[ Laughter ]
Aww, that's so lovely.
Seth: So, thank you for that.
I want to talk about your movie.
We'll be right back with more
from Sarah Jessica Parker.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
I know, I'm the worst.
I suck.
You guys want to quit, be my
guest.
Since it's only a three-day gig
at bird land.
And I know you all have so much
weed to smoke.
So many video games to play.
All right.
So we're good?
You got it, mama.
Seth: Welcome back to "late
night," everybody.
We're here with
Sarah Jessica Parker.
[ Cheers and applause ]
"Sex and the city" was a love
letter to New York.
This is another -- this film
takes place in New York City --
it does.
Seth: -- Over the course of
24 hours.
Mm-hmm.
Seth: It depicts it a
different way.
But did you enjoy telling
another story that the city is
so much a part of it?
Yeah, I loved it.
I loved it for a lot of reasons
and shooting in New York is
always special.
But I loved that the city played
a different character, I think,
in this movie.
It's not a city as seen, you
know, to the eyes of
Carrie bradshaw.
That city was really
aspirational and full of promise
of potential, and this is a city
that, I think, feels like it
really has betrayed the
character I played.
That it's, like, taken more than
it's given and asked more than
she could possibly offer and
it's still this place that is
dangling, and sort of, elusive
success as it does for many
people, and for all of us in its
own way.
But we also got to shoot in
different neighborhoods that we
never had a chance to shoot in
and, you know, there are
8 million stories in this city.
[ Light laughter ]
And there's a lot more to tell,
and I love shooting here for
that reason.
Seth: You play a jazz singer
in the film.
This is the most you've ever
sung in a film.
Mm-hmm.
Seth: Was that intimidating
or exciting?
How did that feel?
It was -- it was exciting.
Rufus Wainwright wrote this
beautiful song for the movie
called "unfollow the rules," and
I was really excited.
I mean, I was nervous.
But I like that our director is
this film maker named fabien --
fabien constant, and he's
French, and so he was been very
influenced by, you know, the
French cinema and this, sort of,
different kind of musical
performance, which is a lot of
interpretation versus like, big
numbers and --
so, I like that, you know, it
was about sort of telling a
story and experiencing more --
more breath than bravado.
So, it was really nice.
It was easier than like,
the 11:00 number, for instance.
Seth: Right.
You know.
Seth: You -- you also you
have so much else going on.
You have a shoe line --
I do.
Seth: You have a store
downtown.
We have a store that just
opened in seaport, and we have a
permanently temporary,
temporarily permanent pop-up
shop on 52nd street.
[ Light laughter ]
Yes.
Seth: Is it true you actually
show up at the store and help
try to sell the shoes?
As often as possible.
Seth: That seems very
hands-on.
It's so hands on feet.
Seth: Yeah.
It's so -- [ Laughter ]
I have seen so many -- so many
feet.
I have seen and smelled --
[ Laughter ]
And I have to say I love it.
I really do it all the time.
I do it as often as possible, if
I'm not shooting or needed
elsewhere, and it's a great way
to meet people and to learn
about other people's lives.
We have, you know, people
traveling from all over the
country.
And it's a good way to grow a
business, frankly.
I mean, you learn about what you
need and, you know, how your
product is satisfying somebody
and what they want and it's --
it's been enormously fulfilling.
Strange as it sounds, and I am
there as often as possible, for
hours in a stock room.
They're on the floor and when I
say on the floor, I mean on the
floor.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: Yeah.
Do you have that foot thing?
The sizers?
No, we don't anymore.
Seth: You got to get the
sizer.
I have one at home.
Seth: Yeah.
I have one at home.
I just -- there's a whole
generation that I think would
feel like it would scare them.
I don't think they've ever seen
it.
Seth: Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
That's true.
And I almost think it would
feel like a weapon versus my
attempt to be as completely, you
know, offering the best
experience.
Seth: Right.
You know, the most informed
experience.
But also, we don't do with --
widths, and you know, the size
and measurement for widths is no
longer relevant in most shoe
stores.
You know that, right?
Seth: Yeah.
I mean how often -- when was
the last time you were measured?
Right?
Seth: Yeah.
It just doesn't happen.
Seth: That's true.
For children maybe.
Still.
Seth: Yeah.
We're just -- whatever.
We just hammer his foot into the
shoe.
[ Laughter ]
You just like, sag on the
bottom.
Seth: Yeah.
We're like, "we do not have time
for this."
How about when they curl
their toes.
Has he curled his toes?
Can you put it in his shoe yet?
And you just are like, "are you
kidding me?"
Seth: There was definitely a
time when I put on a shoe and I
would say to my wife, "I think
this is too small," and she said
"it's fine."
And then the velcro like, popped
off.
Yeah, yeah.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: And the shoe just shot
across the room.
Yeah, it might be a little
small.
Seth: Might be a little
small.
Yeah, little small.
Seth: You also have a -- we
talked about this last time you
were here.
You have a literary imprint.
I do, yes.
Seth: And that must be also
fulfilling.
It is.
Seth: Do you have a new book
coming out?
Yes, a book coming out in
January called "golden child,"
by Claire Adams.
[ Applause ]
A beautiful -- a beautiful story
about a family in Trinidad and
Tobago.
And our first novel called "a
place for us," by
Fatima farheen mirza debuted on
"the New York times" best seller
list. It shared this -- it
shared the 13th or 12th spot
with tommyo range who wrote an
exquisite debut this year called
"there there."
And for literary fiction, that's
really an amazing accomplishment
that speaks of the --
of the talents and skills of
these new authors.
So, I'm enormously proud.
Seth: And it's incredible
that you give them that
platform, and thank you so much
for being here, and spending
time with me.
Oh, my god.
It's my pleasure.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Sarah Jessica Parker,
everybody.
"Here and now" will be in
theaters on demand this Friday.
Seth: We'll be right back
with more "late night."
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Welcome back,
everybody.
You know at times like these,
it's important to remember there
are two sides to every news
story.
To make sure you get to see
important issues from all sides,
we've invited two of our writers
who have very different points
of view.
We will examine their opinions
in a segment we call, "point,
counterpoint."
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Ally, Amber, thank you
so much for being here today.
First topic --
♪♪♪
President Trump exaggerated a
threat of the migrant caravan
traveling toward the U.S. border
to terrify Americans into voting
republican.
Did this stunt work?
Ally.
It did.
It stoked enough hate and fear
to encourage terrorism on our
own soil, by Trump supporters.
This whole scenario is the worst
thing I could think of.
Seth: Amber?
You know what the worst thing
I could think of is?
An angry bear!
[ Light laughter ]
I don't know why he's angry.
And he won't tell me.
He's trying to act like
everything's fine, but I can
tell by the look on his fuzzy
little face that it's not.
[ Laughter ]
Do you want fish?
Honey?
Just tell me.
[ Light laughter ]
That's the worst thing I could
think of.
Seth: Another great point.
Next topic.
♪♪♪
The midterms were yesterday and
democrats won back the house.
What will they have to do now to
win back the White House in
2020?
Ally
I don't know, but I'm worried
democrats will tear each other
apart.
So many rising stars have
already hinted at a run.
And I remember how vicious
Bernie vs. Hillary was in 2016.
Where we'll be in two years, I
can only wonder.
Seth: Amber.
Oh, I loved
"the wonder years."
[ Laughter ]
I love it when you can hear
Kevin's little internal
monologue say, "that was when it
all changed."
[ Laughter ]
What?
We're talking about the future
of democrats.
You know who had a great
future?
That "wonder years" kid.
He went on to do "boy meets
world."
[ Light laughter ]
No, that was his little
brother, Ben savage.
Fred savage did "the wonder
years."
[ Light laughter ]
You know that?
[ Light laughter ]
Seth, she keeps getting us
off topic.
Seth: Ally, it's called
"point, counter point."
You get to make a point, she
gets to make a counterpoint.
That's how it works.
[ Laughter ]
Next topic.
♪♪♪
President Trump claims he can
end birthright citizenship with
an executive order, despite it
being guaranteed by the 14th
amendment.
Are we facing another
constitutional crisis?
Ally.
Every day with Trump is a
constitutional crisis.
[ Light laughter ]
I'm starting to think a bunch of
old, white slave owners from
240 years ago didn't provide us
with a clear moral road map to
this country's future.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: Amber?
I love road maps!
[ Light laughter ]
That used to be the only way you
could get anywhere.
You didn't have navigation
systems like Tom Toms.
You had my dad, Tom, and my
brother, Tom.
They would bark directions at my
mom, garmin.
[ Laughter ]
Boy, those were some pretty good
memories.
♪♪♪
Good old family vacations
crammed in the backseat with my
siblings.
The road before us filled with
endless possibilities.
I would stick my head out the
window and --.
Seth: Amber, I think you
might be using you've your
wonder years voice.
Oops, I am.
Next topic!
[ Siren ]
[ Laughter ]
Seth: It might be time for
the Blaze.
[ Laughter ]
A new "united report" says we
will have a climate change
crisis as early as 2040 that
will affect billions.
With the U.S. out of the Paris
climate agreement, is there any
hope, ally?
♪♪♪
is climate change going to
kill me?
I always thought Trump would.
But maybe climate change will.
Hey, ally.
You can hear me?
Guess so.
And it sounds like your wonder
years voice is also upset.
You know what would cheer you
up?
What?
If we sang together.
Sure.
♪ what what you do
if I sang out of tune
would you stand up ♪
♪ and walk
out on me lend me your ears
and I'll sing ♪
♪ you a song
I will try not to sing out of
key ♪
Seth: Hey, guys, can I join?
Sure.
Sure ♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Whoa, how did you do that.
Seth: Most of my internal
monologue is just harmonica
music.
[ Light laughter ]
That sounds terrible.
Seth: It's actually a living
nightmare.
[ Light laughter ]
All: This has been, "point,
counterpoint."
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: We'll be right back
with Hallie Jackson, everyone!
♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Our next guest is nbc
news' chief White House
correspondent.
You can see her on "nbc news
today", "nightly news with
Lester holt," and weekdays on
msnbc at 10:00 A.M.
Please welcome to the show
Hallie Jackson, everyone.
♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Oh, my god, Hallie.
Hi.
Seth: Thank you so much for
being here.
You have made quite an effort to
be here, because I saw you live
at 2:00 A.M. on the White House
lawn last night.
Correct.
Seth: That's in D.C.
That's not here.
It's three and a half hours
away.
Seth: Three and a half hours
away.
So, talk me through, 'cause you
were on the "today show" this
morning.
Right.
Seth: So, what was your
schedule then after you wrapped
at 2:00 A.M.?
So, go home, pack a bag, hop
a flight, first shuttle out of
Washington to come here, "today
show."
I did my show for msnbc and I
don't know if you heard, the
president held a press
conference today.
Seth: Yeah, he did.
[ Light laughter ]
And so, we did special
reports for that for nbc news,
two and a half hours.
This thing was long.
It was his longest press
conference ever, and then I was
doing a pre-interview with one
of your producers for this show
and Jeff sessions resigned.
Seth: Yeah.
And then we hopped off the
phone went back in it for that.
Seth: There's so much to
unpack there.
Let's start with sessions in
that he did not mention it.
Donald Trump did not mention it
during a hour and a half press
conference.
Well, he was asked --
Seth: Yes.
About him very specifically.
Seth: And yet chose -- but
there's obviously something he
knew was happening.
What is your take on this?
Yeah.
Seth: What are you hearing
from your sources as far as was
this a forced resignation?
100%.
The president asked
Jeff sessions to resign.
Jeff sessions handed him that
resignation letter, which said
"you asked me to resign.
Here is my resignation letter."
[ Light laughter ]
This is not surprising.
This was expected.
This has been rumored, if you
guys follow the news, rumored
for months and months.
That doesn't mean it's not still
significant.
Right?
This is a really sort of
critical moment here.
Because if you look at the arc
of where Republicans were, for
example, back last year,
remember when Lindsey Graham,
the --- senator said, "there
will be holy hell to pay if
Donald Trump fires
Jeff sessions.
Lindsey Graham has certainly
changed his tune as Republicans
have come to accept, I think,
kind of reluctantly that
relationship is just broken.
It's broken beyond repair.
So, what I'm hearing, what we're
hearing from our team at nbc
news is that Jeff sessions may
not be gone from the political
world.
He's considering possibly per
people close to him running for
his old senate seat back in
Alabama.
Seth: That Doug Jones seat.
Right.
Going up against Doug Jones.
So he may end up back in
Washington, perhaps working with
or against President Trump
again.
Seth: I don't think he'll
ever work against
President Trump.
That is my takeaway.
That I feel as though most of
the Republicans who have shown
resistance to him ultimately are
never going to truly resist
anything Donald Trump tries to
do.
The interesting thing about
Jeff sessions is there a lot of
headlines -- listen, this all
matters as it relates -- a lot
of it matters as it relates to
the special counsel
investigation.
Right?
With Jeff sessions recused
himself from, that was, in the
eyes if the president, the
original sin.
The thing he could never forgive
Jeff sessions for.
But here's the thing.
If you look at the DOJ, they've
actually implemented almost more
than any other agency,
Donald Trump's agenda.
Seth: Yeah.
Jeff sessions has done
exactly what Donald Trump has
wanted him to do.
So, it's this really
interesting, I think, split or
dichotomy between the political
sphere, the political side of it
and then the policy side.
Seth: I want to ask about the
fact that Donald Trump, you
know, the Russia investigation
is the reason he fires
Jeff sessions.
Obviously, that's a little more
stressful for him now that the
democrats have taken back the
house and they have this power
of oversight.
Do you think -- obviously, based
on the press conference today,
it struck me that was a man who
was a little stressed out.
Is it likely that that's what
stressing him out?
Part of it, yeah.
Seth: Yeah.
I think he's -- listen, for
the first time he's now in
Washington, he's inside the
White House and he is facing a
check on his power.
That has not happened for him
before.
So, I think he's in this mode
where he's looking around and
that's what we're hearing from
folks is -- [ Applause ]
And he's seeing, "hey, democrats
do control the house of
representatives."
there will be an onslaught of
subpoenas, and that's a hassle
for west wing staffers.
You have to deal with that.
It's paperwork, it's time, it's
energy, and it's also something
that Donald Trump knows is going
to be coming.
Now, what he did today was issue
essentially a threat to the
democrats.
Like, "hey, I'll work with you
on infrastructure.
I'll work with you on trade, but
not if you come at me about my
tax returns," for example.
Nancy pelosi didn't seem so keen
on that when she spoke, so.
Seth: Well the thing I would
say why you wouldn't be keen on
it, and this is just based on
everything he's ever said or
done.
[ Light laughter ]
I don't believe that he's
actually going to be honest on
that deal.
Right?
Do actually see -- do you think
if democrats laid off tax
returns he would actually make a
deal on infrastructure?
So, here's what I can say.
This is the president and this
is a person, and I've covered
Donald Trump for his campaign,
his candidacy, the transition,
the presidency now.
He is somebody who has issued
threats and not always followed
through with them.
And that's the facts of the
case.
So, there's not a lot of past
history to point to that the
president would follow
necessarily follow through on
the threat that's he's making
today.
Seth: You've been at a lot of
press conferences.
Were you watching today at the
mayhem, and was part of you
jealous you weren't there?
Or were you more super relieved
that you were safely far away?
Oh, my god.
I was crawling out of my skin
making phone calls this morning
like, "I got to skip Seth.
I gotta go back."
But I had to be in New York for
my msnbc show.
We have an awesome team at nbc
news, and so there were out
there repping nbc.
I will say this, though,
watching -- we were, sort of, on
set doing the analysis piece for
nbc news for our stations
throughout the day.
There were moments -- that was
tense and uncomfortable.
That's not a hot take.
That's like a very lukewarm
take.
Seth: Yes.
You know, press conference it
is not normal for the east room,
necessary.
But the attacks on the media and
the way that he has these sort
of moments of interactions, that
actually does well for him among
his supporters, and that's
something to remember.
That that actually plays for
him.
Seth: How do you --
obviously, I see you a lot at
press conferences with
Sarah huckabee Sanders.
How, as a reporter, do you
prepare to ask questions to a
person that doesn't always give
an answer to the question that
you asked?
So, it's about thinking
about --
we do not these extensive
discussions with our team.
There's a lot that goes into it.
Right?
You don't just show up with your
notebook at like 2:30 in the
briefing room.
Especially, because the press
briefings have become so rare.
The press secretary has only
held, by our count, three in the
last two months.
That's like a very, very
extremely low number.
So, when you have these
opportunities, you want to make
the most of them.
So, it's about thinking ahead.
And this is not like, you know,
rocket science, but thinking
ahead to what -- how is she
going to deflect your question.
And then how do you ask the
question to try to prevent that
deflection.
Because there's a lot of
discussion about, "hey, do you
really get anything out of these
press briefings?"
Listen, it's about having a
senior administration official
get on the record and try to
hold truth to power.
Seth: Do you feel as
though -- because it strikes me
with this administration more
than ever, whatever they say on
the record, they do not consider
it on the record.
They will often at the next
press briefing say that it was
misunderstood or they didn't
actually say that way.
Is that frustrating?
Because you are getting them on
the record and then they're
saying "no, that you have a
different record."
[ Laughter ]
I mean, yes, it is
frustrating.
Seth: Is that frustrating or
is that awesome?
[ Laughter ]
It's really awesome.
No, of course it's frustrating.
And we talk about that with the
folks inside the White House and
our sources in and around the
west wing.
And like, "hey, this doesn't
make any sense.
This is actually a direct quote
the president said and you're
trying to say this other thing."
I think one of the important
things though, is unlike any
other administration -- now,
this is my first president that
I've ever covered.
So, I'm like --
Seth: Congrats on the first
one.
[ Laughter ]
So, I'm coming into this from
having covered the republican
primary during the campaign.
But this is a president who
unlike any other -- we don't
necessarily need, like,
8,000 million sources.
He has a window into exactly
what he's thinking and exactly
what he's considering on
Twitter.
Seth: Yeah.
There are no surprises.
Seth: Yeah.
And so in a way that's
actually kind of useful.
You hear something from a source
and you're like, "oh, my god."
You send a note, and then he
tweets it.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: That backs it up.
Right, right.
Seth: You -- obviously when
you were covering, especially
the campaign you were on the
road a lot.
You had a very unique way of
being nutritional with your
eating 'cause I know being on
the road having done it for
years, it's hard to eat well.
What was your trick?
Baby food.
Seth: Okay.
But, so I said this in an
interview once.
So here's the thing.
There's pouches.
It's like Kale and spinach and
pears.
You have kids, you know.
Seth: Yeah.
Like, happy baby and you get
them at the grocery store.
Pack them in a suitcase, and
then when you're out on the road
you pop in a gas station and you
get like beef jerky and then
have one of those things and
you're good to go.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: Yeah.
It's a total meal.
Seth: But, you've had an
issue --
very glamorous.
You've had an issue at tsa with
this.
Right, because it looks like
the liquid in your bag.
Seth: Yeah.
So, the tsa agents will stop
and look at it, "well, what is
this?
And I'll be like, "well, that's
baby food.
It's allowed.
It's four ounces, but it's okay
because it's for children."
And they go, "well, you don't
have a baby."
Seth: Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
But you don't know where I'm
going that there's not a baby,
and so -- [ Laughter ]
Seth: Very nice loophole.
Very well played.
Hey, keep up the great work.
Thank you so much for making
time for us tonight.
I really appreciate it.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Hallie Jackson, everybody.
You can see her weekdays at
10:00 A.M. on msnbc.
We'll be right back, everybody.
Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: My thanks to
Sarah Jessica Parker,
Hallie Jackson, everyone.
Franklin Vanderbilt, and of
course the 8g band.
Stay tuned for "Carson daly."
We'll see you tomorrow.
30 rockefeller Plaza in
New York, it's "late night with
Seth Meyers."
Tonight --
Sarah Jessica Parker,
nbc news chief White House
correspondent, Hallie Jackson,
featuring the 8g band with
Franklin Vanderbilt.
♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ladies and gentlemen,
Seth Meyers.
Seth: Good evening, I'm
Seth Meyers.
This is "late night."
How is everybody doing tonight?
[ Cheers and applause ]
That is fantastic to hear.
In that case, let's get to the
news.
President Trump held a press
conference today after democrats
took back control of the house.
People thought he would be mad.
But I don't know, I thought he
was pretty energetic and upbeat.
Here we go --
well, if you don't mind
Mr. President --
come on.
That this caravan.
We need the people --
your campaign --
your campaign --
wait, wait.
That's enough.
Put down the mic.
You are a rude, terrible person.
In Jim's defense, I've
traveled with him, and watched
him.
He's a diligent reporter who
busts his butt like the rest of
us.
Well, I'm not a big fan of
your's either.
You aren't the best.
[ Light laughter ]
Why are you pitting Americans
against one another, sir?
Peter, what are you trying to
be him?
I don't why you said --
Mr. President.
Such a racist question.
There are some people --
that's such a racist
question.
It's a racist question.
I don't know who little John is.
I Don''t know --
he was on "the apprentice."
I don't know.
Oh, he was.
Okay.
Yes.
Oh, I see.
Sir, you have --
quiet, quiet, quiet.
Where are you from please?
Japan.
Say hello --
say hello to shinzo.
[ Audience ohs ]
Seth: Well, that's definitely
a man who was up all night
watching cable news.
[ Laughter ]
That was either a press
conference, or a demonstration
of every side effect of Chantix.
[ Laughter ]
President Trump this afternoon
fired Attorney General
Jeff sessions.
Wow, you know it was a rough
election for Republicans when
even the ones who weren't
running are losing their seats.
[ Laughter ]
That's right.
[ Cheers and applause ]
That's right, Attorney General
Jeff sessions stepped down
today.
Apparently he's been on a stool
this whole time.
[ Laughter ]
"Little help.
Little help."
[ Laughter ]
Attorney General Jeff sessions
wrote in a letter to president
Trump, quote, "at your request,
I am submitting my resignation."
Okay, but if it's at his
request, then it's not a
resignation.
That's like saying that you're
breaking up with someone because
you don't like the way they
threw you out of the house.
[ Laughter ]
President Trump said today that
after last night's election, the
Republicans defied history, and
expanded their senate majority.
Of course, it's easy to defy
history when you literally don't
know any of it.
[ Laughter ]
President --
[ cheers and applause ]
President Trump said this
afternoon that he will adopt a,
quote, war-like posture if house
democrats move to investigate
him personally.
That's right.
He's going to develop bone spurs
in his feet.
[ Laughter ]
Msnbc apologized last night for
airing footage of Democratic
senate candidate beto o'Rourke
cursing.
They also apologized for airing
footage of Ted Cruz, period.
[ Laughter ]
We're terribly sorry.
[ Applause ]
We realize now there may have
been children in the room.
New York governor Andrew cuomo
has been elected to a third
term.
Said new yorkers, "great, we're
still stuck down here."
[ Cheers and applause ]
Navy officials confirmed this
week that 14 sailors from the
nuclear reactor department of
the "u.S.S. Ronald Reagan" will
face disciplinary action in
connection to LSD abuse.
One sailor said it was the worst
thing to happen to him since
Ronald Reagan came back to life,
jumped over a rainbow, and
dunked a basketball on him.
[ Laughter ]
Cover girl cosmetics has become
the biggest makeup brand to
completely eliminate animal
testing.
So unfortunately, this horse is
back to doing her own.
[ Laughter ]
Police in Toronto recently
caught a woman trying to smuggle
25 handguns across the U.S.
Canada border by hiding them in
the gas tank of her car
submerged in gasoline.
[ Laughter ]
And if you look closely at this
footage, you can see what tipped
the police off.
[ Explosion ]
[ Light laughter ]
Scientists in China claim they
found a way for the military to
use the calls of sperm whales to
send encoded messages.
Said whales, "then maybe we can
change our name to code whales?
[ Laughter ]
We could be code whales now
maybe?"
[ Laughter ]
And finally a coffee chain in
London said this week that it
will allow stores to refuse
caffeine sales to people under
the age of 16.
While a coffee chain in America
just unveiled frappuccino's for
babies.
[ Laughter ]
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a
great show for you tonight.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Her new movie "here and now" is
in theaters this weekend.
She's one of our favorites,
Sarah Jessica Parker is back on
the show.
[ Cheers and applause ]
She is the msnbc news chief
White House correspondent, and
host of "msnbc live with
Hallie Jackson.
"Hallie Jackson is here on a
day when we will have plenty to
ask her about.
Now before we get to our guest,
if you get a chance to look at
the paper this morning, you
might have seen there was a new
study on migrating tree frogs.
Wait, I'm sorry, I could be
wrong here, but I think I smell
some smoke.
And that can only mean one
thing, it's time for "ya burnt!"
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Welcome to the burn
zone.
We got a lot of topics to sizzle
through, but not a lot of time.
Over here is the burner, let's
turn on the gas, and load her
up.
Whoo, flaming hot cheetos!
First up, exit polls.
Hey, exit polls, you want to
know who I voted for?
Your mother!
[ Laughter ]
If I wanted an inaccurate guess
at who's going to win the
election, I'd just ask "the
huffington post."
Side burn, huffpo.
Side burn.
Seth: Also exit pollsters,
stop hanging around outside
elementary schools, you creeps.
[ Light laughter ]
You're like r. Kelly without the
microphone.
[ Laughter ]
Exit polls, exit on out of here.
Ya burnt!
Scented candles!
Hey, kids!
You love the smell of pie, but
hate the hassle of eating and
enjoying it?
[ Laughter ]
Try scented candles.
Nothing is more disappointing
than walking into a kitchen that
smells like cookies, and finding
out it's just a ball of wax.
[ Laughter ]
Also, I'm trying to cover up the
smell of cooked fish, not make
it smell like the fish died
eating gingerbread.
[ Laughter ]
And, by the way, anytime I walk
into a house and smell fresh
linen, I know you just took a
dump.
[ Laughter ]
Scented candles, smell ya later.
Ya burnt!
Luggage carousels!
You're not a carousel.
Carousels are fun.
What you are is a luggage
gutter.
[ Light laughter ]
If I wanted to see something
move this slowly, I'd just
follow Robert Mueller's Russia
investigation.
[ Light laughter ]
Side burn, Mueller.
Come on, Bobby, give us some
candy.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: And why is everyone
lining up by the chute?
You just spent five hours on a
plane, stop trying to shave off
the last 15 seconds.
[ Light laughter ]
Also, can we talk about the
weird cardboard box covered in
saran wrap?
It's been circling the baggage
claim for 30 minutes, and I
think I heard a muffled scream
come from inside of it.
[ Light laughter ]
Luggage carousels, keep on
moving.
Ya burnt!
V-neck sweaters!
For the man who thinks --
[ cheers and applause ]
We hit a nerve.
[ Laughter ]
V-neck sweaters!
For the man who thinks this
outfit could use a little more
visible white undershirt.
[ Laughter and applause ]
V-neck sweaters, what are you
for?
All those times people say, gee,
my torso, and arms are freezing.
But my clavicles are roasting.
Why are you exposing just my
neck?
You're the ass-less chaps of
winter clothing.
That's redundant.
All chaps are ass-less.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: V-neck sweaters, see
you neck time.
Ya burnt!
[ Applause ]
Marathons!
Hey, marathons, if I wanted to
waste my day watching someone
travel 26 miles by foot, I'd
binge watch the "lord of the
rings."
Frodo needs a gatorade.
Seth: Marathon weekend is
like any other weekend in
New York City, except the people
going to the bathroom on the
street are in much better shape.
[ Light laughter ]
Marathons, my nipples may be
chaffed, but you, ya burnt!
Lemon-lime soda!
Face it, lemons and limes are
basically the same thing.
We don't need both of you.
You're the property brothers of
soda.
[ Laughter ]
Also, soda without the caffeine?
That's like asking for heroin
without the high of 10,000
orgasms.
Been there brother.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: Lemon-lime soda, seven
up yours.
Ya burnt!
Layering!
Oh, great, high of 72, low of
55?
I'll just wear four shirts in
case I step into a shadow, and
it suddenly feels colder than
Thanksgiving dinner in a swing
state.
Maybe I wouldn't have to wear
all these scarves if I hadn't
left my jugular exposed with
this [ Bleep ] v-neck!
[ Laughter ]
V-neck.
Double burn.
[ Laughter and applause ]
Seth: Layering, hit the
hamper, ya burnt!
Beto o'Rourke!
You may have lost the election,
but at least you got the drop
the f-bomb on national TV.
Let's take a look.
[ Cheers and applause ]
I'm so [ Bleep ] proud of you
guys.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Damn.
With that kind of potty mouth,
it's only a matter of time
before you become president!
[ Light laughter ]
Seriously, I haven't heard that
much swearing on msnbc since the
time Chris Matthews sat on a
thumbtack.
[ Light laughter ]
And that's why, beto, you're
this week's unburnable!
Ascend to safety, my friend.
I'm so bleeping proud of you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Button-fly jeans!
Just what I wanted, a padlock
for my pants.
Nothing I love more than getting
to the bathroom, and having to
spend five seconds of panic not
knowing if I'm going to get you
open in time.
[ Light laughter ]
Button-fly jeans, zip it!
Ya burnt!
Music biopics!
If I really wanted to watch
someone pretend to be a musician
for two hours I'd go to a
pitbull concert.
[ Audience groans ]
Side burn, pitbull.
Don't pretend you wouldn't
trade lives with him, Meyers.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: The queen biopic is in
theaters, but I don't want to
see an actor playing
Freddie Mercury.
I want to see Freddie Mercury as
he's supposed to be seen, as a
hologram at an Adam lambert
concert.
[ Laughter ]
Music biopics, another one bites
the ya burnt!
[ Siren ]
Uh-oh!
That sound means things are
really heating up, which means
it must be time for our speed
round, the Blaze, election
edition.
[ Siren ]
John king, gets your hands off
the map bro, you're going to be
the first guy to get me-too'd by
a touch screen.
Ya blazed!
[ Laughter and applause ]
Hey CNN, I haven't seen that
many people in a studio since
arcade fire's last recording
session.
Ya blazed.
Nevada!
You elected a dead pimp to the
state assembly.
Who was his opponent?
A [ Bleep ] plug with a cocaine
dictation?
Ya blazed!
Mitt romney, you come from
Michigan.
You were the governor of
Massachusetts.
And now you're a senator from
Utah.
You change teams more often than
LeBron James.
Ya blazed!
Florida, now I know why you're
shaped like a penis, because
every year you [ Bleep ] us.
[ Laughter ]
Ya blazed!
[ Buzzer ]
[ Cheers and applause ]
Oh, that buzzer means we're out
of time.
That has been "ya burnt."
[ Cheers and applause ]
We'll be right back with
Sarah Jessica Parker.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Welcome back,
everybody.
Give it up for the 8g band right
over there.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Also sitting in with us again
tonight.
He's a singer-songwriter and the
drummer for four-time grammy
winner, Lenny kravitz, whose
latest album, "raised vibration"
is out now.
For more information on his
music and work in Chicago
communities, check out
everybody.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you.
Seth: Our first guest tonight
is an Emmy award winning actress
you know and love from hbo's
"sex and the city" and
"divorce."
She stars in the new film, "here
and now" which will be in
theaters, on demand, and digital
this Friday.
Please welcome back to the show
our friend,
Sarah Jessica Parker, everyone!
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
Seth: Hi.
Hi.
Seth: I am very, very happy
to have you here.
You're so kind.
Seth: Always such a pleasure.
I have to ask --
we'll see how you feel at the
end.
Seth: Okay, yeah.
I'll check in.
Reserved judgment.
Seth: I'll give you an
assessment.
Did you stay up late last night?
Did you watch election returns?
I did, I did, I did.
Seth: How do you feel?
I feel -- how do you --
[ light laughter ]
Maybe I would say I would like
to use you as a sort of
yardstick.
A sort of -- my gold standard
for how I should feel
emotionally.
Seth: Okay.
My level of rationality,
post-midterm, post-cable
exposure.
Seth: Yes.
You know, projection.
Seth: It was a hard --
I forgot how stressful
projections are.
God I wish they would stop
that part in a way.
Seth: Yeah.
I wish it was more --
at the very --
they wouldn't say anything about
results and at the end of the
night they would go, "this
happened."
exactly.
Seth: And you would just go,
"okay, great."
And let it be on a slow
scroll or just let it sort of,
rise to the surface.
Maybe it's sort of -- appears
and then it dissolves.
Seth: Yeah.
[ Light laughter ]
But I feel as if -- and I
feel as if two things were
happening last night.
I feel like one place was trying
to be extremely calm.
Seth: Yes.
If you know what I'm talking
about.
Seth: Uh-huh.
One outlet.
And then I feel like another
outlet was really lively and it
felt like maybe it was like the
common space in a dorm.
Seth: Right.
Everybody just kind of -- yeah.
You know, but I don't know.
How do you feel?
I don't know --
Seth: The only thing I found
very stressful last night is how
every time something, happened
they would go, "we have a big
result" and you realize they
never say, "this next one is
meaningless."
[ Light laughter ]
I know.
Seth: "We have a meaningless
result from a state that doesn't
matter."
[ Laughter ]
Yeah.
But you know, I don't quite know
how to feel either.
I mean, I certainly know I could
feel worse.
Right, right.
I've said that to myself.
Seth: I didn't feel that two
years ago.
Yeah.
No, no --
Seth: You know what I mean?
Two years ago I didn't say,
"well, it could have been
worse."
That didn't happen.
[ Laughter ]
Exactly.
And then in fact, it proved to
be worse.
Seth: Right.
But of the night, I couldn't
imagine.
You thought, well, yes.
There's some comfort in knowing
it can't be.
Seth: With that, yeah, so --
but I'm also trepidatious about
what it means -- I mean, I
don't --
based on even the events of
today, I don't feel like, "well,
we had a midterm and then
everything settles down."
Right.
Now this is a question that I
did, I asked so many --
mostly I asked television last
night, but some people around me
did say that's a good question.
When people were --
I wouldn't say gloating.
But there was, you know, some
people felt really positive
about this blue wave.
Let's call it a wave.
And they were saying, you know,
this is an opportunity for the
democrats, you know, a-b-c.
And I kept screaming, "but what
in the next -- there's two more
months.
What if he -- for instance,
should fire or ask the attorney
general to, like, yeah,
exactly."
Seth: You should resign.
Yeah.
Seth: Yeah.
I think we'd be better off
apart!
Yeah, exactly.
[ Light laughter ]
What about when the remaining
two months -- it's like an
opportunity, it's a recipe for
all sorts of -- you know?
Seth: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[ Light laughter ]
And nobody -- well, no one on
the television would answer me
because they couldn't hear me.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: And that's really one
of the downsides of television,
right?
I mean, everybody says we're
living in the golden age of
television, and you're like,
"well how come they won't talk
to me?"
[ Laughter ]
I had -- a long time ago
somebody --
I was telling a story about my
friend, he told me this really,
you know, amusing story.
And I went ahead and I told the
story.
And then they asked, "which
friend was that?"
And I was like, "I think it was
Johnny Carson."
Johnny Carson told all of
America this story last night.
[ Light laughter ]
But he was my friend.
Seth: Yeah.
That's totally normal and you
shouldn't feel weird.
I mentioned the golden age of
television.
I want to tell you this, because
everybody says right now there's
so many good shows and it's so
hard to figure out what to
watch.
My wife and I are watching, "sex
and the city."
We're watching two episodes a
night.
Wow.
Seth: I have never watched
that.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Yeah.
Wow, two episodes a night?
Seth: This is a request my
wife made and said, "hey, this
is a show I've watched a hundred
times.
And I feel like you would
understand me better if you
watch this show."
And I want to say, I'm enjoying
it so much and it is a show that
I underestimated having not
seen, just based on --
did somebody say wow?
[ Laughter ]
Seth: But I didn't -- but I
will admit and obviously I cost
myself.
Unfortunately I'm getting this
great life experience now.
Yes.
Seth: But have you found
that's happened before where
people said to you, oh I
thought, even just based on the
color palette of the show?
Right.
Well, first of all, yes.
I want to say that I think it's
very big of you to share not
just with me, but with all of
America.
[ Light laughter ]
That you feel that your life
is --
Seth: It's enriched.
Enriched.
Seth: Yeah.
That's what I was gonna say.
I will say it's really lovely to
hear because I think there
was -- there's always been a
slight, you know, I do feel that
the show suffered a wee bit from
a sort of an idea.
A preconceived idea which often
had nothing to do with anyone
having seen it.
But because you could assume
there were sort of things that
we knew and saw, whether you saw
this.
This sort of titillating --
Seth: Yeah.
You know, in the candid
language, this salty dialogue
and the costumes and the shoes.
But, in fact, I feel like the
show always offered up actual
profundity and the writing was
really smart and moving and
clever.
And I think beautifully
illustrated.
An attempt at finding love,
finding home, you know?
So I am so thrilled to hear
you --
Seth: Also, I just didn't --
I think the part I'm really
drawn to -- we're in season 6.
You're with berger.
I hope it doesn't work out.
[ Laughter ]
Yeah.
Seth: You know, I thought the
show would have more of a bow on
it.
If that makes an sense.
Right.
Seth: These characters are so
human and messy in a way that
really resonates.
And especially like, where it
starts.
That's the part about it I did
not realize, because there are
certain shows you watch.
And, you know, you can tune in
to a Seinfeld, any season and
there's the same four
characters.
Right, which is comforting.
Seth: This is a very
different experience.
Like, the arc of it is really an
accomplishment.
Yeah.
Seth: I'm not to the point --
cause when we started, my wife
said it's, you know, whatever,
however many episodes.
And you're like, oh boy.
Seth: And I was like, "oh
boy, here we go."
This seems like it's going to be
a lot of t.V.
The things we do for love.
Seth: And now I'm like, "we
only have 17 left."
[ Laughter ]
Aww, that's so lovely.
Seth: So, thank you for that.
I want to talk about your movie.
We'll be right back with more
from Sarah Jessica Parker.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
I know, I'm the worst.
I suck.
You guys want to quit, be my
guest.
Since it's only a three-day gig
at bird land.
And I know you all have so much
weed to smoke.
So many video games to play.
All right.
So we're good?
You got it, mama.
Seth: Welcome back to "late
night," everybody.
We're here with
Sarah Jessica Parker.
[ Cheers and applause ]
"Sex and the city" was a love
letter to New York.
This is another -- this film
takes place in New York City --
it does.
Seth: -- Over the course of
24 hours.
Mm-hmm.
Seth: It depicts it a
different way.
But did you enjoy telling
another story that the city is
so much a part of it?
Yeah, I loved it.
I loved it for a lot of reasons
and shooting in New York is
always special.
But I loved that the city played
a different character, I think,
in this movie.
It's not a city as seen, you
know, to the eyes of
Carrie bradshaw.
That city was really
aspirational and full of promise
of potential, and this is a city
that, I think, feels like it
really has betrayed the
character I played.
That it's, like, taken more than
it's given and asked more than
she could possibly offer and
it's still this place that is
dangling, and sort of, elusive
success as it does for many
people, and for all of us in its
own way.
But we also got to shoot in
different neighborhoods that we
never had a chance to shoot in
and, you know, there are
8 million stories in this city.
[ Light laughter ]
And there's a lot more to tell,
and I love shooting here for
that reason.
Seth: You play a jazz singer
in the film.
This is the most you've ever
sung in a film.
Mm-hmm.
Seth: Was that intimidating
or exciting?
How did that feel?
It was -- it was exciting.
Rufus Wainwright wrote this
beautiful song for the movie
called "unfollow the rules," and
I was really excited.
I mean, I was nervous.
But I like that our director is
this film maker named fabien --
fabien constant, and he's
French, and so he was been very
influenced by, you know, the
French cinema and this, sort of,
different kind of musical
performance, which is a lot of
interpretation versus like, big
numbers and --
so, I like that, you know, it
was about sort of telling a
story and experiencing more --
more breath than bravado.
So, it was really nice.
It was easier than like,
the 11:00 number, for instance.
Seth: Right.
You know.
Seth: You -- you also you
have so much else going on.
You have a shoe line --
I do.
Seth: You have a store
downtown.
We have a store that just
opened in seaport, and we have a
permanently temporary,
temporarily permanent pop-up
shop on 52nd street.
[ Light laughter ]
Yes.
Seth: Is it true you actually
show up at the store and help
try to sell the shoes?
As often as possible.
Seth: That seems very
hands-on.
It's so hands on feet.
Seth: Yeah.
It's so -- [ Laughter ]
I have seen so many -- so many
feet.
I have seen and smelled --
[ Laughter ]
And I have to say I love it.
I really do it all the time.
I do it as often as possible, if
I'm not shooting or needed
elsewhere, and it's a great way
to meet people and to learn
about other people's lives.
We have, you know, people
traveling from all over the
country.
And it's a good way to grow a
business, frankly.
I mean, you learn about what you
need and, you know, how your
product is satisfying somebody
and what they want and it's --
it's been enormously fulfilling.
Strange as it sounds, and I am
there as often as possible, for
hours in a stock room.
They're on the floor and when I
say on the floor, I mean on the
floor.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: Yeah.
Do you have that foot thing?
The sizers?
No, we don't anymore.
Seth: You got to get the
sizer.
I have one at home.
Seth: Yeah.
I have one at home.
I just -- there's a whole
generation that I think would
feel like it would scare them.
I don't think they've ever seen
it.
Seth: Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
That's true.
And I almost think it would
feel like a weapon versus my
attempt to be as completely, you
know, offering the best
experience.
Seth: Right.
You know, the most informed
experience.
But also, we don't do with --
widths, and you know, the size
and measurement for widths is no
longer relevant in most shoe
stores.
You know that, right?
Seth: Yeah.
I mean how often -- when was
the last time you were measured?
Right?
Seth: Yeah.
It just doesn't happen.
Seth: That's true.
For children maybe.
Still.
Seth: Yeah.
We're just -- whatever.
We just hammer his foot into the
shoe.
[ Laughter ]
You just like, sag on the
bottom.
Seth: Yeah.
We're like, "we do not have time
for this."
How about when they curl
their toes.
Has he curled his toes?
Can you put it in his shoe yet?
And you just are like, "are you
kidding me?"
Seth: There was definitely a
time when I put on a shoe and I
would say to my wife, "I think
this is too small," and she said
"it's fine."
And then the velcro like, popped
off.
Yeah, yeah.
[ Laughter ]
Seth: And the shoe just shot
across the room.
Yeah, it might be a little
small.
Seth: Might be a little
small.
Yeah, little small.
Seth: You also have a -- we
talked about this last time you
were here.
You have a literary imprint.
I do, yes.
Seth: And that must be also
fulfilling.
It is.
Seth: Do you have a new book
coming out?
Yes, a book coming out in
January called "golden child,"
by Claire Adams.
[ Applause ]
A beautiful -- a beautiful story
about a family in Trinidad and
Tobago.
And our first novel called "a
place for us," by
Fatima farheen mirza debuted on
"the New York times" best seller
list. It shared this -- it
shared the 13th or 12th spot
with tommyo range who wrote an
exquisite debut this year called
"there there."
And for literary fiction, that's
really an amazing accomplishment
that speaks of the --
of the talents and skills of
these new authors.
So, I'm enormously proud.
Seth: And it's incredible
that you give them that
platform, and thank you so much
for being here, and spending
time with me.
Oh, my god.
It's my pleasure.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Sarah Jessica Parker,
everybody.
"Here and now" will be in
theaters on demand this Friday.
Seth: We'll be right back
with more "late night."
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Welcome back,
everybody.
You know at times like these,
it's important to remember there
are two sides to every news
story.
To make sure you get to see
important issues from all sides,
we've invited two of our writers
who have very different points
of view.
We will examine their opinions
in a segment we call, "point,
counterpoint."
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: Ally, Amber, thank you
so much for being here today.
First topic --
♪♪♪
President Trump exaggerated a
threat of the migrant caravan
traveling toward the U.S. border
to terrify Americans into voting
republican.
Did this stunt work?
Ally.
It did.
It stoked enough hate and fear
to encourage terrorism on our
own soil, by Trump supporters.
This whole scenario is the worst
thing I could think of.
Seth: Amber?
You know what the worst thing
I could think of is?
An angry bear!
[ Light laughter ]
I don't know why he's angry.
And he won't tell me.
He's trying to act like
everything's fine, but I can
tell by the look on his fuzzy
little face that it's not.
[ Laughter ]
Do you want fish?
Honey?
Just tell me.
[ Light laughter ]
That's the worst thing I could
think of.
Seth: Another great point.
Next topic.
♪♪♪
The midterms were yesterday and
democrats won back the house.
What will they have to do now to
win back the White House in
2020?
Ally
I don't know, but I'm worried
democrats will tear each other
apart.
So many rising stars have
already hinted at a run.
And I remember how vicious
Bernie vs. Hillary was in 2016.
Where we'll be in two years, I
can only wonder.
Seth: Amber.
Oh, I loved
"the wonder years."
[ Laughter ]
I love it when you can hear
Kevin's little internal
monologue say, "that was when it
all changed."
[ Laughter ]
What?
We're talking about the future
of democrats.
You know who had a great
future?
That "wonder years" kid.
He went on to do "boy meets
world."
[ Light laughter ]
No, that was his little
brother, Ben savage.
Fred savage did "the wonder
years."
[ Light laughter ]
You know that?
[ Light laughter ]
Seth, she keeps getting us
off topic.
Seth: Ally, it's called
"point, counter point."
You get to make a point, she
gets to make a counterpoint.
That's how it works.
[ Laughter ]
Next topic.
♪♪♪
President Trump claims he can
end birthright citizenship with
an executive order, despite it
being guaranteed by the 14th
amendment.
Are we facing another
constitutional crisis?
Ally.
Every day with Trump is a
constitutional crisis.
[ Light laughter ]
I'm starting to think a bunch of
old, white slave owners from
240 years ago didn't provide us
with a clear moral road map to
this country's future.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: Amber?
I love road maps!
[ Light laughter ]
That used to be the only way you
could get anywhere.
You didn't have navigation
systems like Tom Toms.
You had my dad, Tom, and my
brother, Tom.
They would bark directions at my
mom, garmin.
[ Laughter ]
Boy, those were some pretty good
memories.
♪♪♪
Good old family vacations
crammed in the backseat with my
siblings.
The road before us filled with
endless possibilities.
I would stick my head out the
window and --.
Seth: Amber, I think you
might be using you've your
wonder years voice.
Oops, I am.
Next topic!
[ Siren ]
[ Laughter ]
Seth: It might be time for
the Blaze.
[ Laughter ]
A new "united report" says we
will have a climate change
crisis as early as 2040 that
will affect billions.
With the U.S. out of the Paris
climate agreement, is there any
hope, ally?
♪♪♪
is climate change going to
kill me?
I always thought Trump would.
But maybe climate change will.
Hey, ally.
You can hear me?
Guess so.
And it sounds like your wonder
years voice is also upset.
You know what would cheer you
up?
What?
If we sang together.
Sure.
♪ what what you do
if I sang out of tune
would you stand up ♪
♪ and walk
out on me lend me your ears
and I'll sing ♪
♪ you a song
I will try not to sing out of
key ♪
Seth: Hey, guys, can I join?
Sure.
Sure ♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Whoa, how did you do that.
Seth: Most of my internal
monologue is just harmonica
music.
[ Light laughter ]
That sounds terrible.
Seth: It's actually a living
nightmare.
[ Light laughter ]
All: This has been, "point,
counterpoint."
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: We'll be right back
with Hallie Jackson, everyone!
♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Our next guest is nbc
news' chief White House
correspondent.
You can see her on "nbc news
today", "nightly news with
Lester holt," and weekdays on
msnbc at 10:00 A.M.
Please welcome to the show
Hallie Jackson, everyone.
♪♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Seth: Oh, my god, Hallie.
Hi.
Seth: Thank you so much for
being here.
You have made quite an effort to
be here, because I saw you live
at 2:00 A.M. on the White House
lawn last night.
Correct.
Seth: That's in D.C.
That's not here.
It's three and a half hours
away.
Seth: Three and a half hours
away.
So, talk me through, 'cause you
were on the "today show" this
morning.
Right.
Seth: So, what was your
schedule then after you wrapped
at 2:00 A.M.?
So, go home, pack a bag, hop
a flight, first shuttle out of
Washington to come here, "today
show."
I did my show for msnbc and I
don't know if you heard, the
president held a press
conference today.
Seth: Yeah, he did.
[ Light laughter ]
And so, we did special
reports for that for nbc news,
two and a half hours.
This thing was long.
It was his longest press
conference ever, and then I was
doing a pre-interview with one
of your producers for this show
and Jeff sessions resigned.
Seth: Yeah.
And then we hopped off the
phone went back in it for that.
Seth: There's so much to
unpack there.
Let's start with sessions in
that he did not mention it.
Donald Trump did not mention it
during a hour and a half press
conference.
Well, he was asked --
Seth: Yes.
About him very specifically.
Seth: And yet chose -- but
there's obviously something he
knew was happening.
What is your take on this?
Yeah.
Seth: What are you hearing
from your sources as far as was
this a forced resignation?
100%.
The president asked
Jeff sessions to resign.
Jeff sessions handed him that
resignation letter, which said
"you asked me to resign.
Here is my resignation letter."
[ Light laughter ]
This is not surprising.
This was expected.
This has been rumored, if you
guys follow the news, rumored
for months and months.
That doesn't mean it's not still
significant.
Right?
This is a really sort of
critical moment here.
Because if you look at the arc
of where Republicans were, for
example, back last year,
remember when Lindsey Graham,
the --- senator said, "there
will be holy hell to pay if
Donald Trump fires
Jeff sessions.
Lindsey Graham has certainly
changed his tune as Republicans
have come to accept, I think,
kind of reluctantly that
relationship is just broken.
It's broken beyond repair.
So, what I'm hearing, what we're
hearing from our team at nbc
news is that Jeff sessions may
not be gone from the political
world.
He's considering possibly per
people close to him running for
his old senate seat back in
Alabama.
Seth: That Doug Jones seat.
Right.
Going up against Doug Jones.
So he may end up back in
Washington, perhaps working with
or against President Trump
again.
Seth: I don't think he'll
ever work against
President Trump.
That is my takeaway.
That I feel as though most of
the Republicans who have shown
resistance to him ultimately are
never going to truly resist
anything Donald Trump tries to
do.
The interesting thing about
Jeff sessions is there a lot of
headlines -- listen, this all
matters as it relates -- a lot
of it matters as it relates to
the special counsel
investigation.
Right?
With Jeff sessions recused
himself from, that was, in the
eyes if the president, the
original sin.
The thing he could never forgive
Jeff sessions for.
But here's the thing.
If you look at the DOJ, they've
actually implemented almost more
than any other agency,
Donald Trump's agenda.
Seth: Yeah.
Jeff sessions has done
exactly what Donald Trump has
wanted him to do.
So, it's this really
interesting, I think, split or
dichotomy between the political
sphere, the political side of it
and then the policy side.
Seth: I want to ask about the
fact that Donald Trump, you
know, the Russia investigation
is the reason he fires
Jeff sessions.
Obviously, that's a little more
stressful for him now that the
democrats have taken back the
house and they have this power
of oversight.
Do you think -- obviously, based
on the press conference today,
it struck me that was a man who
was a little stressed out.
Is it likely that that's what
stressing him out?
Part of it, yeah.
Seth: Yeah.
I think he's -- listen, for
the first time he's now in
Washington, he's inside the
White House and he is facing a
check on his power.
That has not happened for him
before.
So, I think he's in this mode
where he's looking around and
that's what we're hearing from
folks is -- [ Applause ]
And he's seeing, "hey, democrats
do control the house of
representatives."
there will be an onslaught of
subpoenas, and that's a hassle
for west wing staffers.
You have to deal with that.
It's paperwork, it's time, it's
energy, and it's also something
that Donald Trump knows is going
to be coming.
Now, what he did today was issue
essentially a threat to the
democrats.
Like, "hey, I'll work with you
on infrastructure.
I'll work with you on trade, but
not if you come at me about my
tax returns," for example.
Nancy pelosi didn't seem so keen
on that when she spoke, so.
Seth: Well the thing I would
say why you wouldn't be keen on
it, and this is just based on
everything he's ever said or
done.
[ Light laughter ]
I don't believe that he's
actually going to be honest on
that deal.
Right?
Do actually see -- do you think
if democrats laid off tax
returns he would actually make a
deal on infrastructure?
So, here's what I can say.
This is the president and this
is a person, and I've covered
Donald Trump for his campaign,
his candidacy, the transition,
the presidency now.
He is somebody who has issued
threats and not always followed
through with them.
And that's the facts of the
case.
So, there's not a lot of past
history to point to that the
president would follow
necessarily follow through on
the threat that's he's making
today.
Seth: You've been at a lot of
press conferences.
Were you watching today at the
mayhem, and was part of you
jealous you weren't there?
Or were you more super relieved
that you were safely far away?
Oh, my god.
I was crawling out of my skin
making phone calls this morning
like, "I got to skip Seth.
I gotta go back."
But I had to be in New York for
my msnbc show.
We have an awesome team at nbc
news, and so there were out
there repping nbc.
I will say this, though,
watching -- we were, sort of, on
set doing the analysis piece for
nbc news for our stations
throughout the day.
There were moments -- that was
tense and uncomfortable.
That's not a hot take.
That's like a very lukewarm
take.
Seth: Yes.
You know, press conference it
is not normal for the east room,
necessary.
But the attacks on the media and
the way that he has these sort
of moments of interactions, that
actually does well for him among
his supporters, and that's
something to remember.
That that actually plays for
him.
Seth: How do you --
obviously, I see you a lot at
press conferences with
Sarah huckabee Sanders.
How, as a reporter, do you
prepare to ask questions to a
person that doesn't always give
an answer to the question that
you asked?
So, it's about thinking
about --
we do not these extensive
discussions with our team.
There's a lot that goes into it.
Right?
You don't just show up with your
notebook at like 2:30 in the
briefing room.
Especially, because the press
briefings have become so rare.
The press secretary has only
held, by our count, three in the
last two months.
That's like a very, very
extremely low number.
So, when you have these
opportunities, you want to make
the most of them.
So, it's about thinking ahead.
And this is not like, you know,
rocket science, but thinking
ahead to what -- how is she
going to deflect your question.
And then how do you ask the
question to try to prevent that
deflection.
Because there's a lot of
discussion about, "hey, do you
really get anything out of these
press briefings?"
Listen, it's about having a
senior administration official
get on the record and try to
hold truth to power.
Seth: Do you feel as
though -- because it strikes me
with this administration more
than ever, whatever they say on
the record, they do not consider
it on the record.
They will often at the next
press briefing say that it was
misunderstood or they didn't
actually say that way.
Is that frustrating?
Because you are getting them on
the record and then they're
saying "no, that you have a
different record."
[ Laughter ]
I mean, yes, it is
frustrating.
Seth: Is that frustrating or
is that awesome?
[ Laughter ]
It's really awesome.
No, of course it's frustrating.
And we talk about that with the
folks inside the White House and
our sources in and around the
west wing.
And like, "hey, this doesn't
make any sense.
This is actually a direct quote
the president said and you're
trying to say this other thing."
I think one of the important
things though, is unlike any
other administration -- now,
this is my first president that
I've ever covered.
So, I'm like --
Seth: Congrats on the first
one.
[ Laughter ]
So, I'm coming into this from
having covered the republican
primary during the campaign.
But this is a president who
unlike any other -- we don't
necessarily need, like,
8,000 million sources.
He has a window into exactly
what he's thinking and exactly
what he's considering on
Twitter.
Seth: Yeah.
There are no surprises.
Seth: Yeah.
And so in a way that's
actually kind of useful.
You hear something from a source
and you're like, "oh, my god."
You send a note, and then he
tweets it.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: That backs it up.
Right, right.
Seth: You -- obviously when
you were covering, especially
the campaign you were on the
road a lot.
You had a very unique way of
being nutritional with your
eating 'cause I know being on
the road having done it for
years, it's hard to eat well.
What was your trick?
Baby food.
Seth: Okay.
But, so I said this in an
interview once.
So here's the thing.
There's pouches.
It's like Kale and spinach and
pears.
You have kids, you know.
Seth: Yeah.
Like, happy baby and you get
them at the grocery store.
Pack them in a suitcase, and
then when you're out on the road
you pop in a gas station and you
get like beef jerky and then
have one of those things and
you're good to go.
[ Light laughter ]
Seth: Yeah.
It's a total meal.
Seth: But, you've had an
issue --
very glamorous.
You've had an issue at tsa with
this.
Right, because it looks like
the liquid in your bag.
Seth: Yeah.
So, the tsa agents will stop
and look at it, "well, what is
this?
And I'll be like, "well, that's
baby food.
It's allowed.
It's four ounces, but it's okay
because it's for children."
And they go, "well, you don't
have a baby."
Seth: Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
But you don't know where I'm
going that there's not a baby,
and so -- [ Laughter ]
Seth: Very nice loophole.
Very well played.
Hey, keep up the great work.
Thank you so much for making
time for us tonight.
I really appreciate it.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Hallie Jackson, everybody.
You can see her weekdays at
10:00 A.M. on msnbc.
We'll be right back, everybody.
Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪♪
Seth: My thanks to
Sarah Jessica Parker,
Hallie Jackson, everyone.
Franklin Vanderbilt, and of
course the 8g band.
Stay tuned for "Carson daly."
We'll see you tomorrow.