Colbert’s interview with Uber CEO interrupted by protester

Stephen Colbert continued what promises to be a penchant for an eclectic mix of guests on this third night as host of The Late Show, welcoming Uber founder Travis Kalanick and U.S. Vice-President joe Biden. Former Uber drivers have also filed numerous lawsuits against the company seeking the kind of benefits available to employees.

“The Late Show” cut the interruption from the broadcast, but Colbert reportedly handled the situation deftly and without having to remove the two men from the theater, USA Today reported.

Kalanick was obviously ready for this, repeating the company line about its drivers: Working for Uber gives them flexibility. “That should be a Bentley you’re riding around in, but instead it goes to a taxi owner who owns the license to own and operate that cab”, he said.

The conversation also had Kalanick tackling everything from Uber destroying the cab business to surge pricing and driverless cars. “Of course”, he answered when Colbert asked, adding that his rating is ideal: “All five-star rides”.

While interviewing Kalanick about his wildly popular ride-sharing app, Colbert and Kalanick were heckled by protesters, upset over the negative impact Uber is having on the NYC taxi industry.

“Google is doing driverless, Tesla is doing driverless, Apple is doing driverless”, Kalanick said. Do you want to be part of the future or do you want to resist the future? “We feel in many ways we do not want to be like the taxi industry before us, and so that’s how we think about it”, he said. His app company has been shaking up and decimating the taxi industry in cities across the world, including in New York City. Kalanick told Colbert how the food is prepared before someone orders it and sits in a driver’s vehicle until it is ordered.