# The Colbert Report in Iraq **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 9, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246 "2009-06-09T20:45:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/1 "2009-06-09T20:45:54Z")
Stephen Colbert had his first show from Iraq yesterday. You can tell that the soliders love him, and he was quite amusing. I loved what good sports McCain and Obama were poking fun at themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/2 "2009-06-09T20:53:38Z")
I should have guessed that he was in the Middle East a couple weeks ago when they took a vacation. That was a great episode. Not quite as topical as it usually is, but then he’s very clearly doing a USO entertainment-style show rather than his usual stuff. The show built beautifully from the Bob Hope-style standup at the start to the Word to Basic to the haircut. I was dying by the end, especially with Obama’s appearance. “Yes, there is chapstick inside!” ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/3 "2009-06-09T21:02:24Z")
Was I not paying attention or is Obama doing a lot more…“unpresidential”…appearances than Bush did. I’m not counting his campaigning, I’m just talking about guest things. Like the Tonight Show, and this. I wouldn’t think Bush would do too much AFTER 9/11 since that’s where all of his controversy came from, but it’s just something I am noticing. Am I right in this?? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/4 "2009-06-09T21:04:30Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Was I not paying attention or is Obama doing a lot more…“unpresidential”…appearances than Bush did. > > I’m not counting his campaigning, I’m just talking about guest things. Like the Tonight Show, and this. I wouldn’t think Bush would do too much AFTER 9/11 since that’s where all of his controversy came from, but it’s just something I am noticing. Am I right in this?? Well, you have to understand, he’s not just the president of the United States…he’s a CELEBRITY. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/5 "2009-06-09T21:07:13Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > Well, you have to understand, he’s not just the president of the United States…he’s a CELEBRITY. > :rolleyes: Not really, but why should he be all business? He’s coming across as a pretty accessible guy, which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/6 "2009-06-09T21:21:44Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Not really Yes, really. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/7 "2009-06-09T21:27:52Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I should have guessed that he was in the Middle East a couple weeks ago when they took a vacation. According to the Times, they are taping only a few days ahead, so the show last night was done Friday or Saturday. But the monologue reminded me of the Bob Hope ones I saw as a kid. Nice job Stephen. The Obama joke about the ears was great. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/8 "2009-06-09T21:28:23Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > Yes, really. Fine, whatever. They should have him host the Emmys. Can we get back to the show? ---
**Author:** ![bink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@bink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bink)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/9 "2009-06-09T21:50:29Z")
I love it. That digital camouflage suit is just fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/10 "2009-06-09T21:51:40Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > According to the Times, they are taping only a few days ahead, so the show last night was done Friday or Saturday. > > But the monologue reminded me of the Bob Hope ones I saw as a kid. Nice job Stephen. The Obama joke about the ears was great. [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/07/colbert.iraq/index.html?iref=newssearch) says the show was taped on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/11 "2009-06-09T21:51:50Z")
I liked that he was holding a golf club during the opening ala Bob Hope. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/12 "2009-06-09T22:05:05Z")
We were dying here, absolutely fabulous stuff. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/13 "2009-06-09T22:11:12Z")
I love how he is billed in the credits now: Executive Producer Sir Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A. A shame the military doesn’t offer “honorary” ranks. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/14 "2009-06-09T22:36:06Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I love how he is billed in the credits now: > > Executive Producer > Sir Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A. > > A shame the military doesn’t offer “honorary” ranks. The “Dr.” comes from an honorary doctorate from Knox College, and the “Sir” is from being named a Knight of the Colbert Nation by the Queen of Jordan. [This story](http://www.military.com/news/article/army-news/stephen-colbert-tackles-basic-training.html) from the Army News Service refers to him as “Private Stephen Colbert,” and he was wearing a private’s stripe on his camo suit, so he may actually have a military rank. Whether his producer’s credit will be changed to reflect this is to be seen. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/15 "2009-06-09T22:45:15Z")
Are people really giving Obama flak over this or should I be ducking? He took probably 5 minutes while doing one of his weekly addresses to be part of a moral booster for the troops that he is Commander in Chief of. I don’t know if I would consider this “unpresidential” at all. Because it was a comedy show? Please, it’s not as though it was just a typical TCR episode. Besides, I’m sure that little bit of time spent to tell a joke meant a whole lot more to those soldiers than any of Bush’s [490 days](http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/16/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4728085.shtml)on his ranch(plus another 487 at Camp David). That is not to say they didn’t welcome any appearance by Bush, they did of course, as he too was their CiC. But a shout out to the Armed Forces is a whole lot more presidential than clearing brush. As for the Tonight Show appearance, debatable, but I think that was an effort to balance out the Stimulus Bill “[debate](http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/28/cable-news-stimulus/)” that was happening on the cable news channels at the time. Back to the OP, Colbert was outstanding as usual. It was cool to see him get such a great reaction from the troops. McCain was funny, and supposedly Sarah Palin will be on sometime in the week, that should be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/16 "2009-06-09T23:15:04Z")
> [@tds1273](#): > > Are people really giving Obama flak over this or should I be ducking? For the record, I was not against the appearance at all. I thought it was nice, and very funny. I just merely posed the question cuz I was curious. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/17 "2009-06-09T23:25:10Z")
Fair enough. I suspect the ‘Bush-isms’ probably kept him from making too many unscripted appearances as well. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/18 "2009-06-10T00:18:42Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > A shame the military doesn’t offer “honorary” ranks. I know in the Air Force he could be an “honarary” squadron commander. We had one at me squadron, although I never saw him. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/19 "2009-06-10T00:21:04Z")
> [@bink](#): > > I love it. That digital camouflage suit is just fantastic. :D:D:D ---
**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:** [June 10, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246/20 "2009-06-10T00:26:39Z")
> [@tds1273](#): > > Fair enough. I suspect the ‘Bush-isms’ probably kept him from making too many unscripted appearances as well. This was a scripted appearance, taped before the show - so he was safe. I assume a Colbert show writer did the bit about the ears - otherwise I’m even more impressed by him. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-report-in-iraq/499246.md?page=2)