As much as it hurts, because I was already going to Ikea picking out my desk, CBS made a great choice. I placed a call to Stephen to congratulate him. He hasn't returned it. Something about not knowing who the fuck I am. But I'm sure at some point he will reach out.
And not to toot my own horn, but you haven't seen any gracious concession announcements from Craig Ferguson or Sarah Palin. Show some class, guys. Just cause I finished second...
Again, my heartiest best wishes to Stephen Colbert. Just keep Darlene Love's annual Christmas performance and you'll have a nightly viewer in me.
(Anyone know when Kimmel's deal is up?)
35 comments :
Ferguson did tweet him a congratulations.
Maybe you can take over Last Call with Carson Daly?
I wonder what this means for Craig. Will he stick around at 1230 and just keep doing what he does. Under the radar, but likely having the most fun (and least amount of pressure). -Sammy
You were robbed Ken!
>I wonder what this means for Craig.<
It means $8 million if the reports are accurate. Apparently he had it in his contract that he got that amount if someone else took over from Letterman.
I have a hunch that Ferguson is bored and ready to move on. He does the best 30 minute show on television, once the guests come out there's no one better, but it's a shame that he's decided to piss away the first half his show with the lame robot and the horse.
He has a syndicated gameshow coming out that he's hosting, so maybe that's where his interest is these days.
I'm not a Colbert fan, but then, I hadn't been watching Dave much lately, either, so I guess it won't make much difference to my viewing routine. Wish they'd given it to Conan, or tried something really bold and tapped Greg Gutfeld (something to appeal to the half of Americans who didn't vote for Obama; THAT would've been different). But at least it's not Chelsea Handler, so I won't have to block CBS from my U-Verse box. I'll just stick with watching Conan while recording Kimmel's monologue, then flipping over to Craig Ferguson.
Ken -- I don't know if you've heard, but Stephen Colbert is going to replace Letterman, so I guess you (and Sarah Palin) are now out of the running. Check google news, it was just announced around noon today.
It's not that I'm complaining, exactly, that Colbert plays a character. I don't mind that it's all an act. But I have to wonder, given the CBS demographics, will CBS viewers realize that it's an act? Come to think of it, are we sure CBS management knows?
A nice internet boomlet going on to place Larry Wilmore in the half hour following The Daily Show, in The Wilmore Report.
Really hope that happens....
And, most of important of all, he's from my hometown of Charleston, SC! How can he go wrong? :)
~ Shelia
Actually, Ken, you did get the 11:30 slot at my house. I haven't watched the talk shows in a long time. But most nights, when it's on time, I watch the first half hour of Olbermann (which most nights is brilliant) then I flip over to Hallmark and catch a little Frasier.
Colbert once sang Stand By Me a cappella with Michael Stipe and Brian Eno. That's a walk off right there. You could see the genuine enthusiasm he had for many of his guests and I'm sure it was soured by the distance his character had to keep during interviews. It's part of his genius that he was able to balance both, but I'm sure it was wearing. I haven't watched late night for years, but I'll definitely give it a go.
I love this choice but I don't know what I'll do without The Colbert Report. It's been the only news source I've trusted for the last six years.
I wouldn't expect Jimmy Kimmel to leave his show voluntarily -- ever. I think he's entertaining, and he really seems to be enjoying himself. But can you imagine him being as successful doing anything else? (Plus, I imagine if he were no longer famous Howard Stern might stop going on family vacations with him.)
>But can you imagine him being as successful doing anything else?
Kimmel did a good job as moderator on Win Ben Stein's Money, The Man Show, and also his NFL gig. I've never found his current show interesting though.
Ken,
Sorry to say but this has all the hallmarks of another Conan or Katie Couric flame out.
Why is it so hard for the Coasts to "Get" middle America? A sizable portion of America is conservative.
No conservative will WANT to pay attention to a guy who's whole shtick is MAKING FUN OF THEM.
Would you have preferred Rush Limbaugh take over?... No? huh wonder why.
His "act" works on Comedy Central because the whole viewership is JUST people who want that.
With a national program he will need to appeal to people in fly over. Get advertisers who run companies in fly over. AND be less of a jerk to conservatives.
I would say he can't do that. The guy has built everything around ridiculing the very people he will now need in his demographic.
Just a terrible terrible choice. Stewart would have been much better as a choice... But I think Steward is WAY to intelligent to believe that the Daily Show would appeal to a mass market.
Colbert by taking this position believes that fly over is too stupid to get that he's making fun of them. But they will figure it out quickly. AND he will flop.
I would LOVE to see The Wilmore Report after The Daily Show. I always enjoy seeing him when he's on with Stewart--and that's much too seldom as far as I'm concerned. He was the first person I thought of to replace Colbert.
I think this will be interesting. Not that I watch a lot of late night tv, so I'm not really their market; but the few times I have tuned in recently, I've been a bit disappointed at the lack of polish in some of the hosts. It's kind of hard to Colbert as someone different that that version of himself he's been doing, so I can understand the detractors. But he has a lot of experience, and has more to offer than just a fresh face. Networks have been trolling for younger viewer using younger hosts, but I think that has generally backfired. Late night viewing is its own market, and I think the expectations are a bit more upscale. Can Colbert pull it off? I don't know, but I can see a reason for optimism. I might actually make the effort to watch once he takes over.
Colbert dropping his character will enjoy the same success as the debut of New Coke.
It's like being a kid when you see your teacher walk into a bar.
Dissonance.
I gotta agree with Angry Gamer.
>A sizable portion of America is conservative.
No conservative will WANT to pay attention to a guy who's whole shtick is MAKING FUN OF THEM.<
You don't think that Limbaugh turns off the microphone at the end of his show and laughs about how the hayseeds will eat up what he just said? Colbert just lets the audience in on the joke.
Watch Voice in the Crowd. It's truer today than it was half a century ago.
But what's with his ears? They look like they belong on different heads.
So... he's playing the REAL Stephen Colbert on The Late Show, right?
He's clearly fantastically smart and funny. Just watch this clip of him on The Tonight Show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQm3FjLo-mk
Even if it was all scripted, Colbert does a fantastic job of making it seem real. And the bits that are clearly ad-libbed are wonderful.
Oh well, Ken. You'll just have to make do filling in for Marilu.
To those that think Colbert is making fun of conservatives on his show. He's not. He's making fun of stupid people, most of whom happen to be conservative. If you watch the show with an open mind, you'd see that.
WavyDavy: Did you not read the first line of this article? :)
ODJennings: Pretty sure you meant A Face in the Crowd.
I hope Colbert doesn't suffer like Enterprise. A good show that was derided by Trekkies because it wasn't cheesy enough. Are the fans from Comedy Central going ot be annoyed if he doesn't keep his show as it was?
ODJennings, Obama is the Andy Griffith character.
"Anonymous said...
But what's with his ears? They look like they belong on different heads."
Stephen Colbert is deaf in one ear, and that ear is mildly deformed. Your sensitivity is right up there with your personal courage, Anonymous.
Nice to see the conservatives already terrified of Colbert getting a larger audience. The way he exposes the lies and and hypocracies of the right-wing just make you quake so badly that you're declaring him a failure in advance, by assuming that all of the "Heartland" are right-wing yahoos. Angry Gamer (Is that the name on your birth certificate, Gamer?) and Aloha Billy, I look forward to Colbert proving you so very, very wrong. (It's not likeLetterman hasn't been wearing his liberality on his sleeve for some years now.
CBS tried out Rush Limbaugh in that time slot when Pat Sajak sank like a stone. It was the first time I ever had the misfortune to see that sentient bag of pus. He failed very, very quickly. He had (as has Angry and Aloha) mistakenly believed that Middle-America is made up entirely of the sorts of fools and idiots that listen to his radio bilge. Turns out the American Lunatic Fringe is not anywhere near as large as the conservatives wish it is.
And it begins
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/04/10/cbss-hiring-of-colbert-rankles-limbaugh-pleases-many-others-a-roundup/
Arianna Huffington @ariannahuff
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I think Stephen Colbert's first guest at CBS should be "Stephen Colbert" from Comedy Central.
You tell em Arianna! Way to blow up the demo!
D. McEwan said...
"Stephen Colbert is deaf in one ear, and that ear is mildly deformed. Your sensitivity is right up there with your personal courage, Anonymous."
Reviewing the steady stream of old-timey, bitter old queen rants, I'd say you aren't the one to be giving lectures on sensitivity, you pathetic old wretch.
Stick to telling us pointless anecdotes of famous people you've met who don't give a rats ass about you.
It's pathetic, but not as pathetic as a public toilet dweller like you trying to give lessons in etiquette.
Sincerely,
Miss Manners
Well you're just a big mean doo-doo head.
Honestly, I don't see why people rag on folks who choose to post anonymously. Why is posting as "anonymous" so cowardly when a any name you might sign to your post is equally anonymous. The name can be made up on the spot. Doesn't have to have the least connection with who I really am. I could sign this post "Darryl." That might be my name or it might not. But if I do sign it "Darryl," why is that so much more courageous than if I chose to post as anonymous? Seems to me that these types of forums are actually designed to encourage anonymous comments. At the very least, comments that are no more meaningful for being signed with a name rather than being posted anonymously.
Hey, Angry Gamer. I'm guessing Jeff Dunham would be your pick to replace Letterman instead of Colbert. He could have that Dead Terrorist mannequin as a sidekick. Such hilarity! Or maybe Dennis Miller would be more to your liking? Isn'tFox news on enough all day? That's plenty of comedy programming right there for you conservatives. Who says Colbert's show has to be a totally political show anyway?
Include me among the Proud Liberals. And I'm very glad not to be a bitter, cowardly right-winger, marooned on the wrong side of History.
"Anonymous said...
D. McEwan said...
"Stephen Colbert is deaf in one ear, and that ear is mildly deformed. Your sensitivity is right up there with your personal courage, Anonymous."
Reviewing the steady stream of old-timey, bitter old queen rants, I'd say you aren't the one to be giving lectures on sensitivity, you pathetic old wretch.
Stick to telling us pointless anecdotes of famous people you've met who don't give a rats ass about you.
It's pathetic, but not as pathetic as a public toilet dweller like you trying to give lessons in etiquette.
Sincerely,
Miss Manners"
Nor are you the one to lecture anyone, on anything, being a homophobic bigot of Rock-of-Gibralter dimensions. Do you actually think spewing hateful bigotry gives you a Moral High Ground? (Do you actually think at all?) It doesn't. You're down there in the slime with other gay-haters. Do they love you at the Westboro Baptist church?
At least I have one virtue you utterly lack, the courage to sign own name name to my comments.
You're a big chickenshit bigot, Miss No-Manners.
In response Greg:
Greg J. said...
Hey, Angry Gamer. I'm guessing Jeff Dunham would be your pick to replace Letterman instead of Colbert. He could have that Dead Terrorist mannequin as a sidekick. Such hilarity! Or maybe Dennis Miller would be more to your liking? Isn'tFox news on enough all day? That's plenty of comedy programming right there for you conservatives. Who says Colbert's show has to be a totally political show anyway?"
You don't have to just take it from me... Kyle Smith tells it like it is.
http://nypost.com/2014/04/11/why-lettermans-replacement-stephen-colbert-isnt-funny/
What is up with all the vitriol on this posts comments board. The trolls have come out on this one. @angry tech gamer the New York Post is one of the biggest rags in
in print. Wow !! don't you wish people would get this serious about issues that really effect this country, like poverty, education, etc. than the changing of a late night host on a comedy blog. Just chill people.
Hmm. NY Post (about as credible as The National Inquirer) says Colbert is not funny. My viewing of him for over 15 years says he is funny. I'm afraid I have to take my own observation over aricles by pinheads.
Sometimes I wish there was something akin to Godwin's Law that forbade mentioning politics in the comments unless it was directly referred to in the post.
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