If there’s one name automatic captions should be able to nail, it’s the host of the show you’re watching. And yet, over multiple episodes of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, I noticed a recurring error: captions getting Colbert’s name hilariously wrong.
Sometimes it’s “Steven Coal Bear,” other times it’s just a jumble of guesses that make you wonder if the AI was multitasking. It’s hard not to laugh, but it also makes you think—if it can’t get the host’s name right, what else is slipping through the cracks?
It’s not just Colbert’s show. I flipped over to Jimmy Kimmel Live! and spotted the same issue—captions tripping over guest names, fast-paced jokes, and even simple phrases. Interviewing Kathy Bates, who starred in “Misery”, James Caan became James Kahn’s, and Jimmy’s sidekick Guillermo became… well, not even an actual word!
Automatic captions are improving, sure. But when accuracy matters—like for accessibility, clarity, or just keeping up with fast comedy—there’s no substitute for human touch. A real person knows that “Coal Bear” isn’t about climate change, and that timing is everything when delivering a punchline.
