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Here’s How 11 Comedians Acted at the Pope’s House

Featuring Chris Rock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and some lady with a plant.

While the official list announcing the invitees included Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jim Gaffigan, Whoopi Goldberg, Tig Notaro, Chris Rock, and Conan O’ Brien, also in attendance to represent American comedy at the event were Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mike Birbiglia, and Ramy Youssef. While communication today often generates conflict, you know how to bring together diverse and sometimes contrary realities.” He then issued the directive that the comedians must “help us, with a smile, to see reality with its contradictions, and to dream of a better world.” Once he’d delivered this speech in Italian, the gathered entertainers lined up to shake his hand, giving us a brief glimpse at how each celebrity deals with meeting a pope who may only sort of know who they are, if at all. Afterward, without his glasses and with his eyes brimming with tears, Colbert gushed about how he’d just read the pope’s memoir and would love to do a cooking segment with him: “Evidently, he makes a great tortellini in brodo.” Perhaps that’s what he pitched during their handshake?

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