# Colbert Report (no politics in OP) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709 "2005-10-18T04:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/1 "2005-10-18T04:27:56Z")
Anyone catch this? I thought it was the best O’Reilly parody I’ve ever seen, but I wonder if there’s enough meat in the concept to sustain a long-running show. I like Stephen Colbert, and I’m happy for him that he’s got his own show, but I’ll miss him on the Daily Show. I thought he and Jon had excellent chemistry, with Jon being a superb straight man for Stephen. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/2 "2005-10-18T04:50:23Z")
I liked it a lot, but I expected to. The energy was really high, and some of the early bits were _really_ absurd. As was the gravitas thing with Stone Phillips, actually. The weirdness is a kind of diversification - none of the Phillips stuff has anything to do with their pundit parody. I do think it can last, but we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/3 "2005-10-18T05:07:09Z")
I thought it was excellent. Laughed harder than at The Daily Show. I Love the little summary lines in the first segment… “Pitchers and Catchers”! Yet I’m prone to overanalyzing, so I wonder how they can keep it up as well. If they come up with enough segments that they can rotate them and only do each one weekly or so, it could work. He actually has to carry more of the show alone than Jon does, because TDS has the correspondents to do a third of the show, in addition to the third for the interview. That’s tough. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/4 "2005-10-18T05:08:19Z")
He’s going to have some help. There will be some call-in and audience response type things. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/5 "2005-10-18T05:36:18Z")
I thought this show was terrible, a real disappointment considering how good he is on the Daily Show. The show just seemed like a random parody of various news-magazine shows without much humor. Also I don’t like how he seemed to take himself too seriously. They shouldn’t pretend to be a real show, but just admit its not real like the Daily Show. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/6 "2005-10-18T05:38:24Z")
Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to say that the interview with Stone Phillips was totally pointless. It wasn’t funny at all, and Colbert doesnt seem to have the insight or the passion for the issues which Jon Stewart usually brings to his serious interviews. They didn’t even talk about anything. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/7 "2005-10-18T05:55:08Z")
> [@Qwertyasdfg](#): > > Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to say that the interview with Stone Phillips was totally pointless. It wasn’t funny at all, and Colbert doesnt seem to have the insight or the passion for the issues which Jon Stewart usually brings to his serious interviews. They didn’t even talk about anything. Er, its lack of point was rather the point. Colbert is doing a parody of the self-important blowhard “journalist” of the O’Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh, etc. type. Windbags with nothing to say that doesn’t cultivate their own little cults of personality. ---
**Author:** ![Xixox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/13edae/32.png) [@Xixox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xixox)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/8 "2005-10-18T06:30:52Z")
I laughed lots. I’m glad they’ve got something _good_ to follow up after The Daily Show, as opposed to Adam Carolla. They need to junk Too Late ASAP. I thought the Colbert Report was a decent jab at the other self-important punditry circuses. I think if they can keep changing things up, they’ll do just fine. I hope he gets to carry the God Machine over from TDS - I’ll miss that greatly if it has been retired. I think the Gravitas segment is a good summary of Colbert’s best talent. Stone Philips saying “If you’ve ever sat naked on a hotel bedsheet, this next story will shock you” (or however it was phrased) – totally priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/9 "2005-10-18T06:37:45Z")
> [@Xixox](#): > > I hope he gets to carry the God Machine over from TDS - I’ll miss that greatly if it has been retired. The New York Times (or CNN) reported that Rob Corddry is inheriting the segment. Nobody’s going to top Colbert in it, but it IS more of a Daily Show thing, I think. **Qwerty** - thing is, I don’t think this show is about the issues. (Neither is The Daily Show, exactly, but this show is less so.) It’s a sendup of a different part of the media machine. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/10 "2005-10-18T06:37:58Z")
I am currently radiating waves of bitter feeling in the direction of Canada’s “Comedy Channel,” which has not picked up _The Colbert Report_ and continues to run _Everybody Loves Raymond_ repeats after _The Daily Show_. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Loblaw_1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/11 "2005-10-18T06:49:19Z")
I’m half-way through on the West Coast and he just did his Bill O’Reilly send up in the first segment. It was the longest sustained O’Reilly paroday I’ve seen. (Now he’s mocking O’Reilly by showing off his Peabody.) Anyway the opening segment was a hoot. But he can’t keep doing 7 minutes of Bill O’Reilly every night. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/12 "2005-10-18T06:53:50Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I am currently radiating waves of bitter feeling in the direction of Canada’s “Comedy Channel,” which has not picked up _The Colbert Report_ and continues to run _Everybody Loves Raymond_ repeats after _The Daily Show_. Ooh that sucks, cause it was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to suffocate to death. I think this show is going to change my life. 😛 Just kidding. You’ll be fine without it. It was ok, but not nearly as good as the Daily Show IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/13 "2005-10-18T07:10:27Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I am currently radiating waves of bitter feeling in the direction of Canada’s “Comedy Channel,” which has not picked up _The Colbert Report_ and continues to run _Everybody Loves Raymond_ repeats after _The Daily Show_. _Everybody Loves Raymond_ is comedy? Who knew? I thought it was one moron’s mid-life crisis brought to the small screen. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/14 "2005-10-18T07:27:01Z")
I’m willing to give it a chance. A lot of the first show seemed to be setting up the character. I liked the 5 threat segment. I thought the Stone Philips interview was pointless (but kind of liked the use of lighting to push the egotistical Colbert character) but the gravitas bit was fantastic. It reminded me a bit of the Johnny Carson - Jack Webb copper clapper bit as the two of them tried not to crack up. I hope they do some political satire though - otherwise it will get thin. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/15 "2005-10-18T08:10:31Z")
> [@Bob Loblaw](#): > > But he can’t keep doing 7 minutes of Bill O’Reilly every night. Why not? O’Reilly’s been a 60 minute a night self-parody for years. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/16 "2005-10-18T08:59:27Z")
Well, I’ll give it another chance, but I am, so far, unwowed. Too much reliance on Stone Phillips (never thought I’d be typing THAT phrase), and Colbert’s strength does NOT lie in improv’d repartee. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/17 "2005-10-18T13:13:16Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The New York Times (or CNN) reported that Rob Corddry is inheriting the segment. Nobody’s going to top Colbert in it, but it IS more of a Daily Show thing, I think. They might rename it, though. Before Colbert there was _God Stuff_ with Joe Bob Briggs. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/18 "2005-10-18T14:33:25Z")
I thought it was pretty good—hysterical at points (the gravitas-off) and a little… little… shtickish? Reaching? Something. But something that seems that’ll go away after he hits his stride and the show evolves (an evolution I’m looking forward to!) One question—it first came up with Stewart’s introduction on the DS, then again from Colbert. I would have thought it was just me, but it sounded like it came up often enough to perhaps be intentional. Are they pronouncing it as The Colbert _Rapport_? The play on words would be somewhat apropos, but I’m wondering if anyone else heard it. Looking forward to the next week, _especially_ Thursday’s show—I’ve got tickets! (And it looks like I may end up with two extra, if anyone’s interested) Rhythm ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/19 "2005-10-18T14:39:26Z")
Anything with Steven Colbert is bound to be pretty good. I’m glad to see him as the centerpiece of the show, although I wish he could get out of the fake news thing and do some more edgy and out there stuff. His comedic overacting in melodramatic roles is the best in the history of the human race (see: strangers with candy). ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709/20 "2005-10-18T14:48:41Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > One question—it first came up with Stewart’s introduction on the DS, then again from Colbert. I would have thought it was just me, but it sounded like it came up often enough to perhaps be intentional. Are they pronouncing it as The Colbert _Rapport_? The play on words would be somewhat apropos, but I’m wondering if anyone else heard it. They’re just pronouncing “report” like “Colbert”, without the T sound at the end. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colbert-report-no-politics-in-op/326709.md?page=2)