Speaker A
Stephen: Hey! Welcome back! Now, welcome back! My next guests are childhood friends who turned their dream into one of the most iconic ice cream brands on the planet.
Ben & Jerry join Stephen Colbert to celebrate 18 years of Americone Dream, $7.4M raised for charity, and the ice cream's lasting legacy.
Key Takeaways
- Americone Dream is a successful and enduring ice cream flavor created by Ben & Jerry in partnership with Stephen Colbert.
- The collaboration has raised significant charitable funds, totaling $7.4 million over 18 years.
- The charitable donations have supported 138 different organizations.
- Despite the end of Stephen Colbert’s show, the Americone Dream brand and its charitable efforts will continue.
- The episode blends humor, nostalgia, and philanthropy to celebrate a unique partnership.
Summary
- Ben & Jerry, childhood friends and iconic ice cream founders, appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
- They discuss the creation and success of the Americone Dream flavor, which remains a top ten favorite.
- Stephen shares anecdotes about the collaboration and the quirky origins of the flavor.
- The conversation includes humorous reflections on past ice cream flavor mistakes.
- Stephen recalls a playful rivalry and peace negotiation involving Willie Nelson's Peach Cobbler ice cream flavor.
- The Americone Dream Dream Fund has donated $7.4 million to 138 charities over 18 years.
- Stephen emphasizes that despite the show's ending, the Americone Dream and its charitable mission will continue.
- The episode closes with a paraphrase of Ted Kennedy’s speech, highlighting ongoing hope and commitment.
Chapters
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Please welcome to "The Late Show," Ben & Jerry! [Cheers and applause] ♪ ♪ Oh, my goodness, guys, it is so great to see you again.
Speaker A
A chat with Ben & Jerry has to cover some props. Gentlemen, shall we? Thank you, thank you.
Speaker A
You need one of those. Stephen: Just to remind everybody, this is Americone Dream. Give me my spoon!
Speaker A
Stephen: You just thought you were going to go bobbing for caramel. Is Bill Nale ice cream with caramel swirl and fudge-covered waffle pieces?
Speaker B
You finally figure that out. Stephen: You're here because we are celebrating an 18-year relationship tonight.
Speaker B
I remember how this began. Do you remember how this relationship began? You were doing the "Colbert Report." You were a quirky anti- You were a quirky anti-authoritarian kind of guy.
Speaker B
That's what we need. No one's going to reach the heights that you have currently reached.
Speaker B
Stephen: Thank you very much. What I remember is how it actually came about, and I'm curious if the way it normally goes is I thought we were going to work together on a flavor.
Speaker B
You're laughing already. And a cooler just showed up at my office with dry ice in it and three unmarked pints.
Speaker B
It was white with numbers on the top, and I was to try all three of them and go, "Any one of these appeal to you?"
Speaker B
Is not how it normally goes? You know, I channeled the flavors out of the Clinton, the left collective unconscious.
Speaker B
Stephen: You're like an oracle too. This flavor was in my head. I knew the chocolate sugar cone pieces would be a real hit.
Speaker B
Somebody sucked that idea out of my brain and into your pints. Stephen: How is it doing?
Speaker B
Is it still a top ten flavor? Absolutely top ten. Absolutely rock solid. Year after year in the top ten.
Speaker B
Stephen: Wonders how many flavors? 80 flavors? I know there are 300 retiring flavors.
Speaker B
I'm curious, have there been any real mistakes? Then, have you ever shanked it? There was lemon peppermint carob chips.
Speaker B
Stephen: It was almost acceptable with lemon peppermint, and you pushed the entire thing into a ditch.
Speaker B
It was a mistake. We weren't supposed to make the flavor, and I was making the ice cream.
Speaker B
He finally admits it. Stephen: That it was his fault? It was anonymous before. Now on live TV.
Speaker B
This is like national TV. Stephen: You flew too close to the sun. [Laughter and applause]
Speaker C
You know, several years ago, Ben and I realized it wasn't that great for us to say we had been wrong.
Speaker C
We wanted to be more upfront. We wanted to be more upfront and say, "I stand corrected."
Speaker C
Stephen: You remember coming on back in the old days. I had a beef with Willie Nelson because Willie got an ice cream right after my ice cream.
Speaker C
It was called Peach Cobbler at --
Speaker D
Country Peach Cobbler. Stephen: I was mad at him and a war of words between me and Willie.
Speaker D
To solve it, we brought in the negotiator Richard Holbrook to negotiate peace between me and Willie Nelson.
Speaker D
We have a click right here. I want to thank you for making my ice cream the only celebrity Arthur celebrity art ice cream you're putting out this year.
Speaker D
Willie Nelson, Peach Cobbler? Stephen: Willie Nelson has a flavor? What's in it? Tax forms and cash?
Speaker D
My ice cream is not as good or better than your ice cream. [Audience reacts]
Speaker E
Stephen: All right. Not going to say ladies first, but you have the pigtails. Go ahead.
Speaker E
Are you ready? All right. That's very good. Stephen: I accept your apology. Willie Nelson!
Speaker E
[Laughter and applause] Richard Holbrook. Before we go, I want to thank you both for something.
Speaker E
We have a tradition at the show people don't know about, is that all my proceeds from this go to something called the Americone Dream Dream Fund.
Speaker E
For the last 18 years, what I've done is allowed my staff to give the money away because I only have this ice cream because I have a television show that you all know this to.
Speaker E
You noticed it because it was good, and it was good because of the work that they do.
Speaker E
We give it away every year. Tonight was the night we gave away this year's fund, and we cleared the fund completely this year since it's our last Christmas together.
Speaker E
138 charities received donations tonight from the staff. [Cheers and applause] Thanks to our partnership.
Speaker E
Over the years, including what we give away today, the staff of the "Colbert Report" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" has donated $7.4 million to charity.
Speaker E
Thank you so much. Thank you for making that happen. Thank you so much. You're a wonderful partnership.
Speaker E
And, the show may be ending, but what's happening to Americone Dream? The Americone Dream will go on.
Speaker E
The dream continues! Stephen: All right. That in mind, I'd like to end by paraphrasing Ted Kennedy from his 1980 Democratic Convention speech.
Speaker E
For me, this broadcast will come to an end. But for all those who care, has been our own, the work goes on, the hope still lives, and those Americone Dreams shall never die.
Speaker E
[Cheers and applause] Ben & Jerry, thank you so much! Americone Dream is available everywhere ice cream is sold!
Speaker E
We will be right back!
Topics:Ben & JerryStephen ColbertAmericone Dreamice creamcharityThe Late ShowColbert Reportcelebrity ice creamfundraisingWillie Nelson
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