Get the most important digital marketing news each day.

Note: By submitting this form, you agree to Third Door Media's terms. We respect your privacy.

Stephen Colbert Demands Google Apology For Getting His Height Wrong

Comedian jokes about wanting retraction and cash settlement, but he doesn't take aim at Apple's Siri -- which also gets it wrong

Danny Sullivan on October 16, 2014 at 5:10 pm

Increasingly, Google has been trying to provide people with direct answers to questions rather than sending them to web sites. That got Google into trouble yesterday with comedian Stephen Colbert, because it cut an inch off his height.

On his show last night, Colbert joked about googling himself as he regularly does, only to be horrified to learn that Google lists his height as 5 foot 10 inches:

Indeed, Google is still listing his height that way now:

The problem is that Colbert is actually 5′ 11″ — so Google has robbed him of an inch:

Who_s_Attacking_Me_Now__-_Larry_Page_-_The_Colbert_Report_-_Video_Clip___Comedy_Central 2

Colbert then spoke directly to Google CEO Larry Page, saying that he demands a retraction, apology, substantial cash settlement “or I will see your ass in court.”

Colbert explained that his actual height puts him in the company Brad Pitt and Russell Crowe. “These are my peers. When we’re in the steam room naked no shoes, we’re looking at each other eye-to-eye… seriously, 5′ 10″, those are Matt Damon numbers.”

He concludes by pointing out that Google lists Page’s height as … 5′ 11″ and says, “Couldn’t stand the competition, huh.”

Why Google Gets It Wrong

On our sister site Search Engine Land, we’ve covered other mistakes Google has made, as it has accelerated its use of direct answers. Here are two examples:

The challenge Google faces is that it really doesn’t “know” anything — it only gets answers from others, and those answers, not vetted by human beings for accuracy, can be wrong.

I just did a presentation at Dreamforce this week on this very topic. Below are my slides (which eventually will become an article):

The Growth of Google Direct Answers – A Dreamforce14 Presentation by Danny Sullivan from Search Engine Land

And Siri Also Gets It Wrong

By the way, Siri also gets Colbert’s height wrong:

Colbert didn’t raise that when he made an video appearance during Apple’s iPad event today. Perhaps that would have been awkward, but more likely, he didn’t even check.

Here’s Colbert’s full-clip:

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,The Colbert Report on Facebook,Video Archive

About The Author

Danny Sullivan

Danny Sullivan was a journalist and analyst who covered the digital and search marketing space from 1996 through 2017. He was also a cofounder of Third Door Media, which publishes Search Engine Land, Marketing Land, MarTech Today and produces the SMX: Search Marketing Expo and MarTech events. He retired from journalism and Third Door Media in June 2017. You can learn more about him on his personal site & blog He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.