By Brenda Ortega
MEA Voice Editor

Never as a journalist in metropolitan Kansas City, nor an assistant professor at a mid-size public university in Missouri, did MEA member Matt Bird-Meyer get a kiss from comedian and late-night talk host Stephen Colbert.

Bird-Meyer notched that unbelievable experience after becoming a professor of journalism and humanities at Monroe County Community College (MCCC) in the southeast corner of Michigan.

He served as a camera operator in Colbert’s uproarious guest hosting of a local community-access show, “Only in Monroe,” which first aired on the day following the final episode of “Late Night with Stephen Colbert” on CBS in May.

“It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV,” Colbert quipped to open the show that featured Monroe-specific jokes and bits, plus Michigan-native celebrities. “I’m grateful to be able to be here on Monroe Community Media before they also get acquired by Paramount.”

Dubbed “The Professor” in the episode — since viewed by millions — Bird-Meyer (mostly) stayed off camera, stage-right of the Emmy-winning comedian, including for the kiss that came after Colbert and the show’s two regular hosts ingested vodka shots and helium.

“He planted one; he absolutely did,” Bird-Meyer confirmed. “He came over and I just blacked out. I’m like, what is happening? Sure enough. And then after the show was done, I texted my wife, ‘Colbert just kissed me. Oh my god.’”

A few times, as Colbert improvised, Bird-Meyer appeared in view for a second or two. “I was wearing a flat cap and blue sweatshirt, and briefly I was on camera stifling a laugh. I became a doorman, which was totally unplanned. I didn’t even know when to open the door.”

Bird-Meyer got invited for the gig because he regularly uses the studio at Monroe Community Media (MCM) to teach video production to his journalism students. The nonprofit, housed at City Hall, provides media education and services in the county.

Creative Director Genevieve Benson, just 18 months into a role at MCM after finishing a fine arts degree at The City University of New York, said she wanted Bird-Meyer and a student to help make the show in keeping with the organization’s mission.

“Our role is to teach educators like Matt, and also community members, how to use the space so they can create their own shows and media,” Benson said.

The Colbert surprise was top-secret, so Bird-Meyer offered 10 advanced students a chance to participate in a “really cool project.” From three who volunteered, Maggie Robinson — editor of The Agora, the student newspaper that Bird-Meyer advises — drew the short straw.

Robinson “freaked out” when given a non-disclosure agreement to sign with the project’s details, Bird-Meyer said, adding he was also grateful and honored to be invited as an educator.

“I bring students into the studio and give them hands-on experience using the cameras, the switcher, the soundboard, mics — all of that stuff. But here’s a professional, commercial show with a full crew coming in. Here’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Bird-Meyer never could have predicted it. After writing and editing at newspapers around Kansas City, earning advanced degrees and breaking into state university ranks, he came to MCCC for the strong union contract — salary, benefits, guaranteed working conditions.

Now he and his student were two of four camera operators, including an MCM staffer and another contracted by Colbert’s show. Late Show Director Yvonne De Mare and Emmy-winning Technical Director Karen Obel Cape patiently guided the process, Bird-Meyer said.

“I can’t say enough about Yvonne and Karen in the control room. They were so professional and they were so willing to help and teach. And Maggie — my student — was soaking it all in, learning new things, making friends with the crew.”

Stars are born

This wasn’t the first time Colbert guest hosted “Only in Monroe.” He also borrowed the mic in 2015, just before launching on CBS, so it was fitting to return for the Late Show’s ending.

“It’s been 11 years since the last time we sat down together; what did you do?” Colbert asked original hosts Michelle Baumann and Miss America 1988, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko-Wilson, both nurses in the community who recently relaunched “Only in Monroe” after a hiatus.

They talked grandchildren and discussed health struggles in helium-altered voices, downed shots and compared Bigfoot mating calls, then phoned Colbert’s replacement in the 11:30 p.m. time slot on CBS — Byron Allen — to ask about guest hosting his new show.

Actor and Chelsea resident Jeff Daniels appeared and made his favorite sandwich of peanut butter, potato chips and barbecue sauce. Choking and mumbling through a dry mouthful, Colbert joked, “The one thing I would’ve changed — I would’ve had a drink of any kind here. I’m on the edge of panic.”

Bird-Meyer’s job was to keep his camera trained on Colbert’s musical sidekick/straight-man, Jack White, the Detroit-born Hall-of-Fame frontman of The White Stripes. But during rehearsal of a “community calendar” segment, the professor got an idea and pitched it.

He asked if it would be funny for the professor to correct Colbert and Daniels on their pronunciation of a word, he said, “And Colbert is like, ‘You could try.’” Bird-Meyer screwed up his courage to do it but lost his nerve when the time came.

That’s when Colbert turned and asked, cameras rolling, “Now, Professor — you had something you wanted to add here?”

He obliged, Colbert snapped back, and “It was awesome,” Bird-Meyer said.

Beyond the laughs, Colbert’s return to Monroe was meaningful. His show’s cancellation is widely seen as appeasing President Donald Trump — upset by the comedian’s jokes — to win federal approval of a merger by CBS parent company Paramount.

“People are discontented with these enormous media conglomerates controlling all of the content,” said Benson, MCM creative director. “That’s why it was so awesome that Stephen came to this public access center.

“It was his way of doubling down to say — not only am I going to go off with a bang, but I’m also going to go to this local community station that is the antithesis to CBS.”

Similar stations exist in Bloomfield Hills, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and elsewhere, she said.

Bird-Meyer hopes people remember, “A professional TV show came to this tiny public access cable station and did this awesome thing — and you can do something creative and cool, too.

“It’s radio, it’s podcasting, it’s cable television, and Genevieve is making ‘zines. She’s doing really cool stuff on social media. She’s brought a whole new energy, and it’s perfect timing that this happened.”

Benson took a star turn on the show as an unscripted comic player in several bits, called away from her office — where she was working on a budget — to walk into scenes in progress.

“I couldn’t watch it while it was unfolding, which actually helped because I was so confused every time I entered the room,” she said, laughing.

At one point, handed two chili dogs from competing restaurants for Colbert and White to taste-test, Benson quickly forgot which was which. “They told me right before I entered the room. They were like, this is Vince’s; this is Monroe Original. But I have the memory of a goldfish!”

None of the fun would have been possible without incredible cooperation by city officials, including the actual fire marshal who approved the (no spoilers) final sequence, all of whom are acknowledged in a lengthy list of credits at the end.

Bird-Meyer and Benson said Colbert was kind off-camera, joking like an old friend, showing photos of a French fry topped with ketchup to ask if it looked like comedian Conan O’Brien.

What is painful are the 200+ crew out of work for no good reason, they agreed.

“It was breaking my heart talking to them, and they’re saying, ‘Hardly any of us know what we’re going to do,’” Bird-Meyer said.

“It’s a tragedy the Late Show was canceled,” Benson added. “All of those folks are so talented, and we loved working with them. It’s such a diverse crew, and so many women in powerful positions. I’m hoping there’s work out there for them, and if not, then they can work with us.”