Guests announced for ‘The Daily Show’ and ‘The Colbert Report’, writers return
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Yay! It feels wonderful to be blogging about this POST-STRIKE news for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report! The writers are back at work; here’s a little bit on what to expect from tonight’s shows (from The New York Times’ TV Decoder blog):
Putting ‘The’ Back In ‘The Daily Show’
By Brian Stelter
February 13, 2008, 1:15 pmAfter five weeks of “A” show, Jon Stewart will put the “The” back in “The Daily Show” on Wednesday.
The writing staff of Mr. Stewart’s show and the companion program “The Colbert Report” returned to work on Wednesday morning, a Comedy Central spokesman confirmed. Each show employs about a dozen writers. Mr. Stewart and Mr. Colbert are likely to address the end of the strike on their respective late-night shows.
. . .
Mr. Stewart will interview Mark Siegel, an author who collaborated with former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, on Wednesday’s show. Lee Siegel, the author of “Against the Machine,” is booked for Thursday. (The two men are not related.)
On “The Colbert Report,” Mr. Colbert will host David Gracer, an entymologist who believes humans eat bugs instead of meat and chicken, and Richard Thompson Ford, the author of “The Race Card: How Bluffing About Bias Makes Race Relations Worse,” on Wednesday’s show. Leonard Nimoy is booked for Thursday.
Both shows are expected to go dark for a previously scheduled break next week, according to Comedy Central.
Okay, really? Lee Siegel?! He’s the one who was suspended from The New Republic after the “sock puppet” incident, in which he was using his false identity to criticize Jon Stewart. Bizarre!
EDITED TO ADD: Here’s a clearer summary of Siegel’s “sock puppet” woes.
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21 Comments
February 13th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Hmmm. The Lee Siegel interview should be interesting. Wow. Also looking forward to Mark Siegel and Leonard Nimoy. That should be a fun one! I’m so happy the strike is over and the writers are back but it’s bittersweet knowing they’ll be on break next week.
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February 13th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
LEONARD NIMOY! EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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February 13th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Break!?! The writer’s haven’t worked for 3 months and they go on break? Here’s thought, let Jon and Stephen take a well deserved break and let Daum/Silverman host tcr for a week.
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February 13th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
@ vigwig,
It’s an unfortunate coincidence for the viewers that the schedule worked out that way, but I’m still just thrilled, in general, that the writers are coming back. Considering that Jon’s hosting the Oscars a week from Sunday and that he and his writers will need to be working on that, it’s actually lucky for them that TDS will be off next week. Also, I’m guessing that both Stephen and Allison could use a break; since Allison’s now an executive producer, she must have been working during this strike.
For my own selfish purposes, I have to admit that I’ll be a *little* bit relieved to have a lighter blogging burden next week; this strike reporting has really worn me out. I’d rather have the shows to watch, of course, but I’m a *little* grateful for the prospect of a week in which to rest.
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February 13th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I don’t know that I’d be able to sit through the bug guy…that’s just a little too “Fear Factor” for me. I’m slightly bummed that they’ll be on break next week, but Stephen and Jon (and staff) must be exhausted, and I’m sure will be getting some well-deserved rest.
But, I’ll take a week off with the writers back any day!
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February 13th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
@ Ms Interpreted
And a well-deserved rest for you!
I’m sure, too, that this is a very welcome break for Stephen and Jon.
They — and you — have done a wonderful job through all of this. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your hard work!
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February 13th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
So what did Lee Siegel say about Jon exactly? I remember reading about that story before, but only in regards to the sockpuppeting part.
And even though I would never try eating a bug myself, I can’t help but hope that Stephen will take the plunge.
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February 13th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Geeking out over Leonard Nimoy!
And while the schedule may be disappointing to those of us hankering for some written shows, Jon and Stephen and the crew most certainly deserve a break from their grueling schedule. So do you, MsI.
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February 13th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
@ Gaia Faye:
I *think* Siegel’s original rant may have had to do with Jon’s first hosting of the Academy Awards, which tied in to a fuller discussion of how unfunny he finds Jon in general. If I’m remembering this correctly, that makes his appearance on TDS this week even freakier. I may have saved his post on my home computer (god knows why); I’ll have to look and see.
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February 13th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Yes, absolutely…props to Ms. I and everyone at NFZ for always keeping us informed about strike happenings no matter how painful the news was to report. : ) Thank you!!
Now, time for some rest…
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February 13th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Thanks, y’all. It hasn’t been too terrible for me; I’m just looking for a silver lining to the hiatus week, and I *am* a little wiped out. Anyhow, it’s my own problem if I’m tired; DB’s not holding a whip over any of our heads and telling us to blog more or anything. :)
I’m just a little OCD, as has been mentioned here before.
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February 13th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Does anyone know if this is going to be a one week or two week break…with the oscars and all?
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February 13th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I am so, SOOOOOOOO excited for the return of their writers. *happy dance*
Also, I found this blog about a month ago and it’s a great thing. Kudos!
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February 13th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Leonard Nimoy? Leonard Nimoy? Wow. I’m pretty happy about that.
It is kind of funny (funny weird, not funny ha-ha) that the writers will just be going back to work, and then the shows are on break next week. Stephen, I’m sure, will be grateful for it, but poor Jon will be working his butt off to get ready for the Oscars.
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February 13th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
oh, I am so looking forward to Seigel’s appearance…. mreowwwww
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February 13th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
“DB’s not holding a whip over any of our heads and telling us to blog more or anything. :)”
@MsI
She’s not? ;) Thanks for the background info and I echo the other’s sentiments on the first class job you did on the strike coverage *applause*.
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February 13th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Thanks, y’all. We’d have hated for our loyal readers to lose interest in us during those trying times …
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February 13th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Yes, thank you to EVERYONE at NFZ for keeping us all informed and entertained, and for pulling us all through the strike days. You guys have been a huge blessing to us all.
I too was disappointed when I first heard about the TCR and TDS being in reruns next week but then I started thinking about how good it would be for everyone involved in the shows (and the bloggers too, of course), especially since Jon and his writers need to put together his Academy Awards material.
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February 13th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I hope he tag teams a part of the Academy Awards with Colbert or Carell.. Hmm, can he do that?
Or are those special moments reserved for presenting Emmys?
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February 14th, 2008 at 9:31 am
I’m sorry, but the bug guy made me gag on my Americone Dream last night. As if bugs themselves aren’t bad enough (I’m actually terrified of them, and I barely made it through that interview)…ewwwwww!
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February 14th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Hey–
Thanks for the links to the Siegel backstory.
(And I add my voice to the choir of grateful blog consumers.)
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