On this Thursday’s episode of The Colbert Report, Stephen opened his ‘Smile File,’ discussed a couch and John Prine sang.

Stephen began the broadcast by discussing that, recently, depressing news had surrounded us. Syria had chemical weapons and Breaking Bad was ending. TO make up for that, Stephen opened his ‘Smile File’ to cheer us all up.

What was first on the list? A heartwarming story about a kitten saved from a burning building? Nope. The first story was Ariel Castro, the man who killed himself in a jail cell after he was convicted for the kidnapping of three women in Ohio. Stephen showed a clip from FOX News to show his point.

Eric Bouling said on his show that he was happy that Castro had killed himself because it saved the taxpayers money. Bouling went as far to say that other prisoners should do the same- especially in Gutomino Bay. Stephen curtly replied to that statement, “what are they waiting for; charges?”

Stephen took Bouling’s statement further, saying that, since social security was so expensive, old people should do the same thing as well. He finished the file by stating that when Stephen watches Bouling, it makes him want to kill himself.

The second in the ‘Smile File’ did include kittens. Apparently, in New York City, an entire line of the subway was shut down because kittens were on the tracks. Stephen read quotes from the New York City mayoral candidates on their opinions of the matter. Most of them said that they would stop the train for the kittens, however, on said that he would not have stopped the train.

Joe Lhota, Stephen said, was the only pro-dead-kitten candidate. He then called out the owner of the two kittens and created a game show. He invited Lhota onto his show to “kill those cats!” Obviously, Lhota didn’t show.

Stephen made a brief announcement that the week of 9/9; he would be having another one of the Colbert Book Club segments. Next week’s? Any book by JD Salinger (Except for Catcher and the Rye)

Stephen had another product placement mocking in this episode (following Wednesday’s Perfect Polly) and this time it was the Bulletproof Couch- a couch that had bulletproofed pillows and a gun rack underneath.

The guest on the episode was singer/songwriter John Prine. Prine was, apparently, one of Stephen’s favorite singers. He interviewed Prine quickly and then the man sang a song from his rereleased album.

This was a solid episode of Colbert, except for that lame couch bit. There should be a rule, only criticize one product per week.