View Full Version : "The Colbert Report" 10/17/05 premiere
tony touch
10-17-2005, 11:06 AM
I love the Daily Show so I definitely plan on checking this out. I wonder how much of a copy of DS it will be- from the description, it sounds like it will be fairly similar. (11:30 pm ET on Comedy central)
Mike Farrington
10-17-2005, 11:19 AM
I'm looking forward to it. In an Entertainment Weekly piece, Jon Stewart said that it was essentially like having Stephen do a 30 segment. I remember when Colbert filled in for Jon one day, I think when Jon's son was born, and he wasn't very good at interviewing people. His whole DS persona is being "fake", so I don't think doing serious interviews is really for him.
BTW, the second table of contents page in the current EW has an awesome (read: funny) picture of him.
I'm going to miss him on the DS. Even though they're in the same studio, I assume that doing a 30 minute show would take up all of his time. I hope "This Week In God" survives, that's one of my favorite segments. I've seen Cordry do it, but I think Helms might be better at it.
SeanC
10-17-2005, 11:21 AM
Thanks for the heads up. I had forgotten to setup the SP previously, all set now.
:)
SparkleMotion
10-17-2005, 12:34 PM
In the latest EW, he insists it's going to mostly be a direct parody of Bill O'Reilly, who, IMO, is ripe for the needling.
Remember, "it's French, bitch!" :)
mrpantstm
10-17-2005, 01:36 PM
I've set it to record tonights episode. we'll see if he can make it on his own (I think he can).
wingerzzz
10-17-2005, 02:27 PM
I am rooting for him. I would love for him just to stay on the DS, but he is too talented for that. Best he move on to this than a crappy sitcom.
I also read that this will be more straight parody and will have more fluff news than the DS. I think it might be like the DS but with Jimmie Glick hosting in terms of him staying in character and giving his guest a hard time. It appears his guests are their to debate "issues" then just an informal interview.
northmoor
10-17-2005, 06:22 PM
I'm looking forward to checking this one out, too. I always like seeing a parody of Bill MacArthy or, I mean, O'Reilly.
xultar
10-17-2005, 06:33 PM
In the latest EW, he insists it's going to mostly be a direct parody of Bill O'Reilly, who, IMO, is ripe for the needling.
Remember, "it's French, bitch!" :)
rofl!!!!!!
vertigo235
10-17-2005, 08:27 PM
Personally I think Ed Helms is much better, and even prefer Coordery over Colbear, but I'll be watching!
Mike Farrington
10-17-2005, 09:10 PM
Personally I think Ed Helms is much better, and even prefer Coordery over Colbear, but I'll be watching!
I can usually forgive several misspellings in a post, especially when it comes to names. But your signature???
vertigo235
10-17-2005, 09:44 PM
I can usually forgive several misspellings in a post, especially when it comes to names. But your signature???
Yes I don't bother to spell the names correctly, I could have checked but I assumed you know who i'm talking about.
But about the signature...
WOW! It's obviously a typo, and not a misspelling, and you win the award for noticing because it's been like that for years!
I thought the premier was hilarious. Tons of LOL moments. Colbert does his Daily Show schtick but also had some nice adlibbing in the interview segment. The headline reading gravitas showdown was great as well.
"We invited Mother Theresa to respond to these charges"
Definitely keeping the SP.
:up:
bentleyml
10-18-2005, 12:05 AM
It was wonderfully funny. I couldn't stop laughing.
kdmorse
10-18-2005, 12:11 AM
I was pleasantly surprised. I figured he didn't have enough talent in him to be more than a sidekick, and that this would be little more than an overly stretched out comedy sketch.
It seems I was wrong, and he seemed more than capable of carrying the show on his own. His talents were probably being wasted as a Daily Show sidekick. He did spend a bit too much time on the whole 'don't believe in words/books' bit, but beyond that, it was really quite good.
Only time will tell if he can keep it up.
"uniting america with the vastness of space, in a beautiful but un..."
Bong! Are you done with this program? If you delete it now, there will be more room for programs to be recorded.
Oh comedy central, why can't you keep to your own schedule? I may never know how that line ends! If only their were reruns to catch. There are? The show airs 4 more times in the next 24 hours, and my tivo's going to record all of them, because they all have generic guide data? Oh comedy central...
-Ken
Langree
10-18-2005, 12:38 AM
I enjoyed it alot, and it looked like Phillips was having alot of fun.
Michelle5150
10-18-2005, 12:44 AM
Huh.
We thought it smacked of first show jitters. It wasn't very good or funny at all. Especially considering all the good hype. We'll keep watching though hoping he's just nervous and will settle into the roll and move from under Jon's shadow after a few shows, but it was a rough start.
Certainly not going to give up on it though. I really want to like it, and I know it'll get better once the show finds it's own legs.
Hilarious. Colbert is great with that whole phony gravitas thing.
:up:
Oh, and it took me a second to realize the pompous pronunciation.
The "cole-bare" "re-pore"
well, his last name is pronounced cole-bare, so it's only half pompous :D
and it was great for him to have Phillips on as his first guest. He's said for years that he's who he models his Fake News Persona after. SP was a good sport to come on and essentially make fun of himself for 15 minutes.
well, his last name is pronounced cole-bare, so it's only half pompous :D
and it was great for him to have Phillips on as his first guest. He's said for years that he's who he models his Fake News Persona after. SP was a good sport to come on and essentially make fun of himself for 15 minutes.
Oh, I know... it's the "report" that took just a beat to realize what he was doing. I thought it was hilarious. That whole intro where he was pointing out everywhere it said Colbert on the set, right down to the "C" shape of the desk was great.
Mike Farrington
10-18-2005, 04:48 AM
Oh, and it took me a second to realize the pompous pronunciation.
The "cole-bare" "re-pore"
That's because, as somone else already mentioned..... "It's French. Bitch."
:)
That's from a few years back when the whole 'Colbert Repoŕt' show was just a joke. They've had one or two fake commercials they would pull out every once in a while when the show ran short. You know, like those "Jon Magazene' fake ads. The announcer would say the title in a booming voice (with the french accent on 'report'), and then Stephen would rip off his glasses in an overly self-important way and proclaim "It's French. Bitch."
I'm pretty sure the fake title used to have an accent mark too. I looks like they dropped that, but I'm glad they kept the pronunciation.
-Mike
Magister
10-18-2005, 09:14 AM
I thought it was pretty damned funny. Except for the anti-2a rant, it was a great show.
mrpantstm
10-18-2005, 09:42 AM
I enjoyed it. especially the Top 5 Terror list with the comments on the side. great stuff.
kind of reminded me of The Showbiz show with David Spade. That kind of open studio with only Colbert to keep things going. I think The Colbert Report will probably stick around longer than The Showbiz Show though ;)
FourFourSeven
10-18-2005, 10:40 AM
It was okay. The Stone Phillips stuff was funny, but they won't be able to have Stone Phillips as their guest every night. The rant in the beginning went a bit too long.
I'd prefer to see the Daily Show turned into an hour-long show, with a 15 minute "Colbert Report" segment in it. I think it could be amusing for 15 minutes a day, but a 30 minute show seemed to be stretching it.
porges
10-18-2005, 11:28 AM
My problem is that I don't want to devote 4 hours a week to late night TV; that's pretty much why I stopped watching Letterman. As it is, I often skip the interview segment of The Daily Show.
By the way, this week both TDS and Colbert have real guide info. Itwould be nice if this meant that the appearance of the new show will make CC turn over a new leaf, but I'm not betting on it.
canyonero!
10-18-2005, 11:30 AM
It was okay. The Stone Phillips stuff was funny, but they won't be able to have Stone Phillips as their guest every night. The rant in the beginning went a bit too long.
I'd prefer to see the Daily Show turned into an hour-long show, with a 15 minute "Colbert Report" segment in it. I think it could be amusing for 15 minutes a day, but a 30 minute show seemed to be stretching it.
I honestly don't believe TDS would be nearly as good if it ran for an hour everyday. The current 2 segments + guest is perfect. They don't stretch themselves too thin, and it shows.
DevdogAZ
10-18-2005, 12:52 PM
Holy self-congratulatory programming, Batman!
I thought the initial episode was pretty funny but I see a lot of problems for the future. First, I don't see how they're going to keep getting guests if it's just going to be SC making fun of them for 10 minutes. Sure, it's funny and they'll get some guests, but most people who agree to go on talk shows have ulterior motives (i.e. they're plugging something) and if they don't have that opportunity here, it will be difficult to get them. Second, all of jokes relating to his pompousness were funny in this episode, and may continue to be for a short time, but it will get old. The studio is set up to take advantage of that joke, with all the different instances of his name plastered everywhere and him standing in front of the painting of himself standing in front of a painting of himself. Like I said, it's funny now, but it won't be the 22nd time you see it.
I hope this show succeeds. I like Colbert and think he's got a lot of talent. But the pompous ass character can only get laughs on that same joke for a limited time. Hopefully they branch out and put some useful info into the show. The reason TDS is so successful (besides the fact that it's hilarious) is that it gives actual news and many people watch it with the feeling that they are at least getting some exposure to current events. If the CR stays as it was in the first ep, it will be difficult for people to tune in very often for just a 30 min. comedy show that doesn't really provide anything to the viewer.
FourFourSeven
10-18-2005, 03:20 PM
I honestly don't believe TDS would be nearly as good if it ran for an hour everyday. The current 2 segments + guest is perfect. They don't stretch themselves too thin, and it shows.
I agree that an hour would be too long. But I do find myself wanting more, and another 10-15 minutes of TDS followed by 15-20 minutes of Colbert would be pretty nice.
BrettStah
10-18-2005, 03:43 PM
I agree that an hour would be too long. But I do find myself wanting more, and another 10-15 minutes of TDS followed by 15-20 minutes of Colbert would be pretty nice.
I bet that the "Colbert Report" is only about 22 minutes long anyway most nights, excluding commercials, so it sounds like it's in the ballpark.
Mike Farrington
10-18-2005, 03:52 PM
I wouldn't mind if they extended TDS by 5 minutes. Make it a 35 minute show. All the other late night shows start at 11:35, so this wouldn't interfere with them.
Of course, it makes repeating the show 4 times per day problematic. But they could just trim it down or something.
trainman
10-18-2005, 04:53 PM
I wouldn't mind if they extended TDS by 5 minutes. Make it a 35 minute show. All the other late night shows start at 11:35, so this wouldn't interfere with them.
Of course, it makes repeating the show 4 times per day problematic. But they could just trim it down or something.
Just fill out to the end of the next half-hour with pieces of stand-up comedy routines. That's what they did back in the olden days when they were repeating "Mystery Science Theater 3000" weekdays at midnight -- the early-season "MST3K" episodes ran a few minutes longer than later ones, so sometimes the shows wouldn't end until past 2:05. (If TiVo had existed back then, I'm sure there would have been some serious Season Pass padding. :D )
Jeeters
10-18-2005, 10:35 PM
I was only mildly amused during the beginning, and during Stone (er, "Mr Phillips") interview. But when they did that gravitas showdown, I kept busting out laughing. Very well done, that bit was.
4inziksych
10-18-2005, 11:23 PM
I laughed all the way through.
I didn't think I would like it that much becuase although I love the Daily Show news recaps (I must be the only person in the whole world who feels like this) but I get really bored with the same old Daily Show mock interviews, it's like the same stupid joke over and over. It seems like he's at least getting out of that.
What was that line, somethink like "You get it! You've been it getting for years now!"
busyba
10-19-2005, 01:23 AM
I finally watched this. It's a nearly pitch-perfect mocking of Bill O'Reilly: the self-aggrandizement, the arrogance, the jingoism disguised as patriotism, the utter disdain for facts.
The only thing missing was a harrased female intern and a sodomized falafel, but I guess they have to save something for the second show.
A (probably) unintentionally funny moment was when SC was having his "ad-lib banter" with the "producer" guy and you could see what he was going to say before he said it on the teleprompter just over the producer's shoulder. The prompter even had stage direction for the producer character, something like "SHRUGS UNCOMFORTABLY". Too funny....
Great show, but I wonder how they'll be able to keep it up for 4 nights a week.
jgerry
10-19-2005, 01:30 AM
Huh.
We thought it smacked of first show jitters. It wasn't very good or funny at all...
...I really want to like it, and I know it'll get better once the show finds it's own legs.
I seem to recall that TDS was also pretty sucky right after Jon Stewart took over. It took him about a year before he really settled in. I think it's safe to say the show is much better now than it was 6 years ago. I can hardly even remember the Craig Kilborn years.
I laughed the whole way through the show, and Tuesday's show was just as funny. I do think you have to like the Colbert brand of over-the-top humor.
I like it, I'm keeping my SP.
Mike Farrington
10-19-2005, 04:29 AM
A (probably) unintentionally funny moment was when SC was having his "ad-lib banter" with the "producer" guy and you could see what he was going to say before he said it on the teleprompter just over the producer's shoulder. The prompter even had stage direction for the producer character, something like "SHRUGS UNCOMFORTABLY". Too funny....
I don't think it was unintentional at all. Just very subtle. Especially funny since it's a pretaped show.
sieglinde
10-19-2005, 12:55 PM
This one is on the cusp of my SP right now. I really don't have time to watch it and it is just not funny to me. I think I like the Daily Show because it is the best journalism on TV. (I hope nobody from the UK is reading this because I am ashamed of that fact but then again BBC was pretty sucky also when I was in the UK this summer.)
This one is on the cusp of my SP right now. I really don't have time to watch it and it is just not funny to me. I think I like the Daily Show because it is the best journalism on TV. (I hope nobody from the UK is reading this because I am ashamed of that fact but then again BBC was pretty sucky also when I was in the UK this summer.)
I hope you mean comedy. I am sympathetic with a lot of their points, but you have to acknowledge that it isn't journalism.
Colbert is hilarious. My favorite parts of the Daily Show have been his pieces. And going back to when Steve Carell was on there, the Even Steven segments were great. I don't know if he can sustain 30 minutes every night, but I'll keep watching to see.
I would rather have one show that crams in the best of both of these shows in 30 minutes. But I think Comedy Central needed to give Colbert something of his own to keep him. Just my suspicion that he was getting antsy at being a 2nd banana.
busyba
10-19-2005, 02:47 PM
I hope you mean comedy. I am sympathetic with a lot of their points, but you have to acknowledge that it isn't journalism.
True, yet while shooting for comedy they manage to fall bass-ackwards into something that comes way closer to journalism than a lot of journalists these days manage to achieve.
And more's the pity.
cheesesteak
10-20-2005, 08:46 AM
Why didn't they just make TDS an hour?
mrpantstm
10-20-2005, 10:39 AM
Why didn't they just make TDS an hour?
because Jon Stewart needs to get back to his hookers and booze :D
Mike Farrington
10-20-2005, 11:51 AM
because Jon Stewart needs to get back to his hookers and booze :D
And killing hobos.
KnitBunny
10-20-2005, 12:33 PM
And killing hobos.
And his job night-managing a Bennigan's. He's a busy guy!
sieglinde
10-20-2005, 02:26 PM
I have seen journalistic things on the Daily Show. They are not doing actual going out and getting the story but sometimes they show past statements by government officials that they have just denied. Journalism by video clip is not ideal but it is a form of journalism.
I loved their Iraq special they did years ago with Bush saying that he promised a humble foreign policy. That is a form of journalism.
Poondantry
10-29-2005, 01:43 AM
Unfortunatly...I doubt it will be in the next few months. He is really funny, even though some bits are little tardo for my taste. Overall I would suggest the Three Green Thumbs for this show. It makes the next day better to see Colbert do the thing he does so well (play a dumbass).
I wish this show well. We need more comedy in our overly serious world. :rolleyes: :up:
M Tate
10-29-2005, 02:41 AM
I've really liked this so far. The only complaint I would have is it seems as when there is a non-politically involved guest on to promote something, there doesn't really seem to be an idea of how to interview them. Colbert has pretty much stayed in character during the interviews, which I like, but with some random actor on I'm not sure that will really work well long term.
FourFourSeven
10-29-2005, 11:20 AM
I think the show is improving as it goes along. The interview with the guy who wrote the relationship book was excellent, especially when they "took some phone calls." Of course, part of the reason it worked was that the guest played the straight man to Colbert's character, much like Stewart does on TDS.
And Thursday's recorded interview with Barney Frank was pretty funny...
I still think the show would probably work better as a long segment in an extended Daily Show, but can understand why they wouldn't extend TDS when it works so well as it is.
Mike Farrington
10-29-2005, 04:56 PM
He's been fumbling his words a bit, but he'll get the hand of it. He plays more of a role than Stewart does. He has transposed words a few times, and has messed up the tense quite a few times. As he gets more comfortable, I think those kinda things will happen less and less.
tony touch
10-31-2005, 09:15 AM
The show gets a fairly negative review from USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2005-10-30-colbert-report_x.htm
I'm just bumping this thread to note that I am still quite amused by the Colbert Report. I was initially concerned that the joke couldn't last very long, but I'm still really digging it.
Good stuff.
And BTW...it's almost spring, so watch out for bears...
SparkleMotion
02-01-2006, 05:00 PM
He's been nothing short of consistently damn funny, IMO. It's gotta be tough to maintain an A to A- average, but they've managed so far!
I'm surprised at how quick witted he actually is diring interviews. I figured that persona took a lot of preparation and they probably had most everything planned, but I think he has ad libbed remarkably well during those conversations.
Bananfish
02-01-2006, 05:12 PM
It has stayed good simply because Mr. Colbert is just so outstanding at the "role" he's playing. Craig Kilborn also played it smarmy, but you got the feeling with Kilborn that that was actually just him, while with Colbert you know it's a well-oiled act. Plus the Word segment is consistently an amazingly clever, well-written segment - my hats off to whoever's responsible for writing that, whether it's Colbert or his staff.
The only thing I find a little disconcerting sometimes are the interviews. Two things really. The first is minor, but the whole "look at me, I'm running around high-fiving the audience to put the focus on me even though I just introduced a so-called guest" thing is tired now. I realize he's spoofing the egos and hubris of the people that host political talk shows, and it was funny for a while, but I get it already.
Which leads me to the second item - there are times when I wish Colbert would just conduct an intelligent interview instead of the smarmfest they sometimes are. I'm amazed at the high quality of guests (especially political guests) he gets, given they know they're just going to get "nailed" during the interview. I have enough confidence in Colbert's acumen to know he could do a bang-up job doing an intelligent interview that could really reveal some insights about the people he interviews and their viewpoints.
It has stayed good simply because Mr. Colbert is just so outstanding at the "role" he's playing. Craig Kilborn also played it smarmy, but you got the feeling with Kilborn that that was actually just him, while with Colbert you know it's a well-oiled act. Plus the Word segment is consistently an amazingly clever, well-written segment - my hats off to whoever's responsible for writing that, whether it's Colbert or his staff.
The only thing I find a little disconcerting sometimes are the interviews. Two things really. The first is minor, but the whole "look at me, I'm running around high-fiving the audience to put the focus on me even though I just introduced a so-called guest" thing is tired now. I realize he's spoofing the egos and hubris of the people that host political talk shows, and it was funny for a while, but I get it already.
Which leads me to the second item - there are times when I wish Colbert would just conduct an intelligent interview instead of the smarmfest they sometimes are. I'm amazed at the high quality of guests (especially political guests) he gets, given they know they're just going to get "nailed" during the interview. I have enough confidence in Colbert's acumen to know he could do a bang-up job doing an intelligent interview that could really reveal some insights about the people he interviews and their viewpoints.
I don't really disagree with anything you say there, but I would say that it is a Comedy Central show, after all. While it uses news as its springboard, it's mission is to get laughs. I don't really have any problem with it skewing towards comedy instead of news.
I do think he could get more serious discussion out of the guests, I wouldn't even mind seeing it, but I'm fine with erring on the side of funny. ;)
bigpuma
02-01-2006, 05:31 PM
I find that by skipping the interviews on both TDS and TCR I get 30 minutes of hilarious comedy each and every night. Sometimes, if the guest is intriguing enough I will watch them.
JakeyB
02-01-2006, 05:41 PM
I loved the Word when he went into the audience. Ended up right back to "Abort" or abortion, where he originally started :)
Dromomaniac
02-01-2006, 06:49 PM
The only thing I find a little disconcerting sometimes are the interviews. Two things really. The first is minor, but the whole "look at me, I'm running around high-fiving the audience to put the focus on me even though I just introduced a so-called guest" thing is tired now. I realize he's spoofing the egos and hubris of the people that host political talk shows, and it was funny for a while, but I get it already.I agree, it's a little awkward. And sometimes, I get the impression the guest has no idea what he's doing. Probably not the case, but if it were, it could make for a very awkward start to the interview.
This is a comedy show, but I like how Colbert can often make an astute, witty point using comedy. He does seem to be very sharp, even when working off the script.
I actually think the show has improved a bit since it premiered. :up:
Bananfish
02-01-2006, 07:07 PM
I don't really disagree with anything you say there, but I would say that it is a Comedy Central show, after all. While it uses news as its springboard, it's mission is to get laughs. I don't really have any problem with it skewing towards comedy instead of news.
I do think he could get more serious discussion out of the guests, I wouldn't even mind seeing it, but I'm fine with erring on the side of funny. ;)
Well, then, I won't really disagree with anything you say there either!
I'm not saying he should check his wit and funny bone at the door when he crosses over to the interview area. Naturally the focus should be comedy ... but if he can get something interesting that happens to be a serious answer, well, I like that too, and I've seen him come dangerously close to getting some extraordinarily interesting stuff out of guests before cutting their answers off with a zinger or asking another quick question in order to "keep the show moving."
His "persona" allows him to ask some wild but insightful and interesting questions that a "regular" interviewer can't get away with. And partly because the guest wants to be part of the fun, and partly because Colbert's style is disarming, often the guest will actually answer his questions. If he lets them.
Bananfish
02-01-2006, 07:16 PM
I find that by skipping the interviews on both TDS and TCR I get 30 minutes of hilarious comedy each and every night. Sometimes, if the guest is intriguing enough I will watch them.
I do that too. And I sandwich them around Jeopardy (which takes about 12 minutes).
pdhenry
02-01-2006, 07:17 PM
I don't really disagree with anything you say there, but I would say that it is a Comedy Central show, after all. While it uses news as its springboard, it's mission is to get laughs.So is the Daily Show, but John Stewart knows when to talk serious.
ibergu
02-01-2006, 10:04 PM
Is it me or is Jon Stewart not funny anymore?
I tape a 1 hour manual recording of the Daily Show and the Colbert report and I find myself fast-forwarding thru TDS to get to Colbert.
I think The Colbert Report is one of the funniest shows on TV. I was worried at first, but I get more laugh out loud yuks from his show than most others.
Dromomaniac
02-02-2006, 12:57 AM
Is it me or is Jon Stewart not funny anymore?
I still like TDS. More than I like TCR. Although, TDS can be hit-or-miss. Sometimes it seems like they're low on material, and the 'feature' stories can sometimes just be lame. I suppose TCR has a higher level of consistency.
Dromomaniac
02-02-2006, 01:05 AM
I don't really disagree with anything you say there, but I would say that it is a Comedy Central show, after all. While it uses news as its springboard, it's mission is to get laughs.
So is the Daily Show, but John Stewart knows when to talk serious.
So is Late Show with David Letterman, but David Letterman doesn't know how to talk serious. (See Letterman vs. O'Reilly.) I think SC would really have to break character to engage the guest in intellectual dialogue, while it's already part of JS's "character." Either way, I really enjoy both shows.
kiljoy
02-02-2006, 02:56 AM
Well, then, I won't really disagree with anything you say there either!
I'm not saying he should check his wit and funny bone at the door when he crosses over to the interview area. Naturally the focus should be comedy ... but if he can get something interesting that happens to be a serious answer, well, I like that too, and I've seen him come dangerously close to getting some extraordinarily interesting stuff out of guests before cutting their answers off with a zinger or asking another quick question in order to "keep the show moving."
His "persona" allows him to ask some wild but insightful and interesting questions that a "regular" interviewer can't get away with. And partly because the guest wants to be part of the fun, and partly because Colbert's style is disarming, often the guest will actually answer his questions. If he lets them.You took the words right out of my mouth. That said, he did do a pretty good interview a few days ago (of course, I can't remember who it was) where he didn't interrupt and let it be lighthearted but still got a point across.
For those skipping the interviews on TDS, I don't get it. Jon is at his best in the interviews. When he had the 50 People Who Are Screwing Up America book guy (Goldberg) he showed what a great interviewer he is. He doesn't do the creampuff book tour stuff if he thinks the guy is full of it. Unless of course it's a liberal guest.
Tony
I think SC would really have to break character to engage the guest in intellectual dialogue, while it's already part of JS's "character." Either way, I really enjoy both shows.
That's what I was thinking. Colbert is playing a character, Stewart isn't. It's not that I think Colbert couldn't pull it off, it's just not the type of show it is. Not at the moment, anyway. It's a spoof from start to finish. We'll see how things evolve.
Or should I say, we'll see how things design intelligently...just want to cover all my bases. :D
kiljoy
02-02-2006, 03:25 AM
Sure, I understand that's what he's doing. There's no question about it. But...
1) Eventually guests will figure out that the interview will be unpleasant and they won't be able to talk about their book or whatever and they'll stop coming.
2) While I get that it's satire, the audience always knows what Colbert really means. They know that by lambasting something, let's say Intelligent Design or how great Bush is (a great president or the greatest president?), it's a wink and a nod about how stupid that position is. While that kind of character works well when it's the guest you're lampooning, it doesn't work with someone like the guest the other night who went undercover as a man. To Colbert's credit, he didn't go overboard with the character and the interview went fine. The ones who are obviously going to be lampooned will stop appearing on the show, and then you're left with the ones that he's serious with.
Don't get me wrong, I like the show. The Word is on average very good, the threatdown is funny, and wag of the finger tip of the hat works. But just as often, he has a segment or bit that just sucks (listening to Bush's State of the Union Address) or feels forced (bring 'em back or leave 'em dead). I understand he'll grow out of that, but the worst of TCR is about twice as bad as the worst of TDS.
That and he needs to stop tripping over his lines.
Tony
Dromomaniac
02-02-2006, 06:12 AM
... or bit that just sucks (listening to Bush's State of the Union Address) ...Yikes, that whole bit - actually that whole show - was a mess.
Give it some time. I think Colbert will evolve (or design itself, thank you hefe :) ) into a more mature product.
Either that, or the joke will grow old, and he'll be back at TDS. :D
cheesesteak
02-02-2006, 06:45 AM
originally posted by kiljoy
That and he needs to stop tripping over his lines.
He's gotten much better at not flubbing his lines. He'd blow a couple of his lines per day on the first week of the show.
JakeyB
02-02-2006, 10:50 AM
He doesn't do the creampuff book tour stuff if he thinks the guy is full of it. Unless of course it's a liberal guest.
Tony
And that's why I don't watch the interviews. I'm pretty centrist, so I really don't need Jon's left wing view on how his right wing guests are full of it. Nor do I need his fluffing of left wing guests. I catch some interviews occassionally when it's a topic/person I'm interested in, and he isn't a bad interviewer, it's just that he can't get over his own bias when it comes to asking tough questions (IMO).
...but the worst of TCR is about twice as bad as the worst of TDS.
Except for last night...The first reporter segment with the new guy (Jason Jones, or something?) Went over like a lead balloon. Complete silence in the audience. That was the most uncomfortable segment I've ever seen on TDS. Stewart even joked about how bad it was because it couldn't be overlooked. Too bad... it was soon after one of the biggest laughs I ever had from that show. The one where they cut to Hillary Clinton's face and he says something like, "This look on this face is where boners go to die." I think I pulled a muscle laughing.
(None of that is meant to further the other dicussion, just that after reading your post, I couldn't help thinking of this bit since I had just watched it...)
cheesesteak
02-02-2006, 01:17 PM
Just invite Charles Barkley as a guest if you want a barrel of laughs.
trainman
03-23-2006, 03:29 PM
Are we using this as a generic "Colbert Report" thread?
California's 27th, as profiled on "Better Know a District" last night, happens to be my Congressional district. Now I have nothing to look forward to for the next 420-something weeks, unless I move.
SparkleMotion
03-23-2006, 04:08 PM
Yeah, but maybe Duke Cunningham's district will eventually no longer be dead to him. Better keep watching just to be sure. :)
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