I like the Colbert Report. Some of the stuff doesn’t work (who designed that set? What is with the Frazier Thomas bookshelves?) The set IS too busy and is a distraction.
I like (well, I find funny) Colbert’s character. Some of the interviews don’t work. I loved the one with the astro-physicist, and the one last noc with the actor who lives in MI. I doubt the actor was clued in to the satire–and Colbert came close to a personal attack on him(which I didn’t like)–his interviews need something. He needed to say something like (turns to camera and says): see, this is hard hitting reporting at its finest. Just what you’d expect from the most trustigous name in news today…
Maybe that’s explaining the joke, I don’t know. But Colbert came across as an ass (in more than just his role) last noc.
I love the word. It summarizes so pithily what is wrong with news coverage today, and it also skewers bias.
I think it’s a good fit with TDS. I am glad that it is NOT TDS.
They do need to build it, though–he needs more than just him. I think he may have started --there was a small bit involving “Just Another Day” or morning–the blonde and the Spanish speaking guy at the end. I had not see them before (I haven’t seen every episode). He needs some more back and forth like that.
And Adam Corolla is everything that is wrong with TV today. He should pay us for being subjected to his promos! Blech, yuck and ick.
This thread is fascinating, because just yesterday I decided that I prefer The Colbert Report to The Daily Show. I don’t stay up late enough to watch them in their normal time slots, so I catch both of them the next day in the 8:00-9:00 hour. Usually I flip back and forth between TDS and other things, but I’ve found myself sticking more consistently with TCR. For me, the difference between the two shows is that TDS is more serious – it combines straight parody with trying to make serious points about the news. TCR is just pure comedy. Yesterday, for instance, I sat through Jon’s boring interview with Doris Kearns Goodwin about her Lincoln bio. Although he threw in a few good jokes, most of it was about as exciting as a book review show on C-SPAN. Meanwhile, Colbert interviewed a physicist, and the entire interview was a very funny parody. I have noticed Colbert’s unpolished speaking style, but I think that will improve over time. Jon Stewart is wonderful, but I think the Daily Show has become a little too concerned with the real news. The Colbert Report is just trying to make me laugh, and so far doing a pretty good job.
I think I like the Colbert Report so much because I emphasize with Stewart and Colbert so much.
These guys, and their writers are subjected to a continuous feed of cable news, and I can only imagine what they must go through as they watch. We have this strange situation where cable news is dominated by the huge anchors with their huge egos that force THEIR news at you. That’s why I had said to watch at least one of them before tuning in, because these cable news anchors are ridiculous! Stewart, since 9/11 has started his own personal vendetta attacking news media. He’s already taken down Cross Fire, showing it to be nothing but partisan talking points, and now they’re moving forward.
Stewart did a bit last week where he showed an idiot reporter in a canoe, who was supposed to act like she was in 10ft of water, only to have two guys walk past in ankle deep water. That bit showed up on Fox News four days later! Stewart is saying stuff that nobody else is willing to say, and I find CNN will show at least one of his segments per week as a way to make fun of other stations. You’re going to start seeing that with Colbert, as he continues to rip on Bill O’Rilly et al.
I think we’re all used to political satire, but theses guys have taken it one step further to take on news media, and Colbert’s show is a significant part. Stewart’s show is about making fun of the stories, Colbert’s show is making fun of the story tellers. Its not supposed to be slapstick or a bunch of fart jokes, and I’m sorry people can’t see that.
And anyway, even if so, that’s TDS’s schtick. The little montages with Bush going “[phrase of the day]” over and over and over, with all intermediate context excised, is a TDS trademark. It’s a comedy show, not a news show. The fact that it ends up providing more news, more clearly, than mainstream news shows is a reflection on them, not on TDS.
I’m sorry; trying to accomplish something IRL so I keep jotting a paragraph and then jumping up, only to go, “man, I shoulda added–”
Anyway.
The point that TDS is making by removing the context (often) is that most news shows use manipulated context to spin the soundbites; that some moments of reality really do speak for themselves, and when you strip away the carefully orchestrated context that most news shows nest their news in, you might get a clearer look at the truth. That sometimes the truth is ridiculous, so join me in pointing and laughing. The context that TDS often strips away from a moment of unvarnished truth is usually analogous to the wizard’s curtain, you ask me.
Yeah, but Olbermann is intentionally funny when he wants to be. And never screams at people. Countdown does real news the first half and then makes fun of the idiots in the news the second half. It’s news for people who like TDS. The anti-Colbert.
It’s all in the name of comedy, but sometimes it’s annoying because it misleads. They did that with one of the responses on Miers’ questionnaire last week and I was annoyed when I saw her full answer, because Jon prefaced it with "this is her real response.
I’m really enjoying TCR. So far, each program has had me laughing out loud more than once. That’s a lot more than I can say for a most of the “comedy” shows that are on these days.
“The Word” is brilliant in my mind. The interviews are hit-and-miss. And the other segment is also hit-and-miss. I suppose that is a little tough to watch through every night, and could quickly become a drudge… Except that my Tivo has a Fast Forward button, and I use it generously. Even if there’s only five minutes of laughs, that works just ifne for me.
I haven’t been too impressed with TCR so far, part of the problem is that they still haven’t gotten their footing yet. I think the show would be a lot funnier if Colbert’s character was more like Howard Beale, who, after all, was the inspiration for a lot of the show’s like O’Reilly’s, Rush’s, etc., etc. etc.
Howard Beale, the inspiration for O’Reilly? Er… a prescient prediction of the phenomenon, perhaps, but I don’t really see it as an inspiration, per se.
Well, O’Reilly’s certainly too stupid to have seen the flick, but I imagine that his producers have probably seen it. (Except for that one who sued him because he supposedly sexually harassed her. I really wish she’d have sold Olbermann the tapes.)
Last night’s episode wasn’t very good. I love The Word, but I’ve come to hate this fake interview where he’ll ask questions to a person at a press conference. There’s nothing funny about it at all.
It’s a’ight. I did like his reference to his (cute) floppy ear and his comment regarding Vincent D’Onofrio’s head tilting. Dangit. This just makes me want theStrangers with Candy movie all the more.
