The media can’t get enough of this story, and it’s easy to understand why. Even though THE USA Today‘s photo (above) suggests that Conan “won” this fight, we all know who the real winner was: America. Which means that Stephen won.
From the Associated Press, via THE USA Today (my emphasis added):
Conan, Stewart, Colbert unite in TV feud
NEW YORK — With teleprompters emptied by the writers strike, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have been transformed into a bloodthirsty, if well-dressed mob.
. . .
And after too many slights (O’Brien called Colbert the “temporary host” of The Colbert Report ), the trio congregated Monday, roaming across three shows and two networks.
Eventually, blowtorches, bricks, stunt doubles and even a little dancing were employed.
“My favorite comedy is comedy where nothing is achieved and there is no point,” O’Brien said in a phone interview Tuesday. “That this whole Huckabee fight turned into an insane Marx brothers dance was fitting somehow.”
Pooling the hosts’ combined talents had the intended upshot of filling time. NBC’s Late Night and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are working without writers because of the strike.
“Nonsense! That was never, ever the point!” contradicted O’Brien before relenting. “Certainly it was a source of inspiration. The fight itself is three people with a box full of props playing for about an hour.”
. . .
The trio put off the tussle until Stewart finished his show, only to reunite on Colbert. Again, the fight needed to be postponed while interviews were attended to by the TV hosts.
Later, across town at Late Night, the feud culminated in an elaborate fight that ended only when the trio appeared to simultaneously knock each other out — the image frozen in a LeRoy Neiman-like painting.
“Conan’s claims on Mike Huckabee could not go unanswered,” Stewart and Colbert said in a joint statement Tuesday. “We just hope the kids out there learned that sometimes the best way to resolve a conflict is with violence.”
For anyone watching, it was clear the three hosts share a certain comedic sensibility. Such playfulness would seem impossible with other late-night talk-show hosts; CBS’ David Letterman and NBC’s Jay Leno, for instance, have long had icy relations.
“The three of us have come along in the same comedic environment,” said O’Brien. “Our shows all probably have their distinct flavor, but this happened because the three of us knew we would like doing this with each other.”
(Tips of the hat to Kina and Jessica, who pointed me to two clones of this story while I was typing!)
@Ms Interpreted
“..we all know who the real winner was: America. Which means that Stephen won.” hee! truer words were ne’er spoke!
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@ dustdevil,
I’d love to take sole responsibility for that idea, but several people have made that connection since the feud began. Jennie and at least one or two others have pointed it out in comments here today (I’m sorry, I can’t recall who else; I looked, but nothing popped out at me!), and I’ve been seeing similar comments on other boards, etc.
It’s no less true for having been repeated, though, right?
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I want more Jon and Stephen joint statements. They always have such wonderful messages that should be learned.
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Yeah I want more Jon ad Stephen statements too. They are a wonderful trio. So entertaining. They need to do this kind of stuff more. Even after the writer’s strike is over.I think I’ll watch Conan now too.
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I wan to see the two of them as the New Lewis/Martin or Burns and Allen
Colbert/Stewart (or Stewart/Colbert) are fast becoming the newest and greatest Comedy Team since William Shatner
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I will start watching Conan now that I know how funny he is. I wasn’t a viewer of his show before the feud began.
“well-dressed mob” is very funny!
@Em
I agree that Stephen and Jon should issue more joint statements. Maybe it can be a segment for both shows or for the “news breaks” they have during commercials.
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@One of the Heroes
Agreed. For any random happening, they should issue joint statements, whether it concerns them or not.
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@Em
I can definitely picture Jon and Stephen just going around issuing random joint statements. Genius! It would work especially well for Colbert because everything is about him anyway. Isn’t it?
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@Jessica
I was thinking the same thing. To Stephen’s character, anything he cares about is newsworthy.
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@ Everyone Re: Joint Statements,
Maybe we’ll get something with a particular bang when the strike is over. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that Saturday goes well — according to Nikki Finke, there’s going to be a huge WGA meeting for both East and West on Saturday, where they’ll disclose the details of the preliminary deal with the AMPTP. Let’s hope it’s a fair one at that! (Sorry for the strike aside…)
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“Conan’s claims on Mike Huckabee could not go unanswered,” Stewart and Colbert said in a joint statement Tuesday. “We just hope the kids out there learned that sometimes the best way to resolve a conflict is with violence.”
LOL!
Also, smoking is cool…
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@Not Esteban
And this is the Pepsi generation.
@Lisa
I don’t mind a strike aside when the information makes me feel hopeful.
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