Last night, Stephen Colbert invited an unlikely guest to help spread some holiday cheer on the Late Show: actor, activist, and former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins.
The growling punk, who appeared on the show to promote his new film He Never Died, participated in a musical number Colbert dubbed a “Very Rollins Christmas”, which saw the two taking turns singing “Carol of the Bells”. Though Colbert was as sweet as could be, Rollins was, unsurprisingly, anything but cherubic — he flailed his arms and screamed into the mic like a hyperactive, devilish fiend who’s had one too many gingerbread cookies.
(Read: Henry Rollins used to work at Häagen-Dazs)
During the program, Rollins and Colbert also sat down for a brief chat. The two talked mostly about Rollins’ perpetual anger (“Are you still angry?”; “Yes.”) and how it continues to motivate him (“My anger gets me up … makes me read more, ask more questions, makes me write more … “). And, while Rollins doesn’t technically celebrate Christmas — he jokingly says he’s “not at war with” the holiday — he does have something of a routine come December 25th: “I listen to records and curse the darkness.” Sounds perfect to me.
Below, watch videos of the “Very Rollins Christmas” and Rollins’ interview.
