Fantasy Colbert League Weekly: April 14 – 17

Welcome to No Fact Zone’s weekly roundup of ‘Colbert Report’ guests, created in the spirit of the oft-enjoyed Fantasy Colbert League. While we can’t start up the online version of the game again, we can make it so that you can get the information you need about the guests before they come on the show.

Just like you, we want to be it-getters before the interviews start. So we’ve compiled brief bios, issues or events that Stephen might bring up during the interview, and a fun Fract (Freedom Fact) to impress your fellow viewers during the commercial breaks. Read, enjoy, and see if you can anticipate how Stephen might nail each of the following guests!

Editor’s Note: As always, these guests are subject to change.

Monday, 4/14: John Legend, Mayor Michael Nutter, Chris Matthews

It feels like mere days ago that John Legend and Stephen were melodically battling over Lady Liberty. Will it be Round Two or will the City of Brotherly Love calm their feud?

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter supports presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Look for Stephen to ask him why, even though Stephen doesn’t see race or gender. Mayor Nutter has been in office since January 2008.

Stephen interviewed Hardball host Chris Matthews on the Report in January 2006. Will Matthews, who gets that thrill up his leg over Barack Obama, square off with Mayor Nutter over the Democratic candidates?

• Fract: Michael Nutter and Chris Matthews are both Philadelphia natives, but John Legend has just released a ‘Live from Philadelphia’ CD.

Tuesday, 4/15: The Roots, Michelle Obama

The Legendary Roots Crew is hot off an appearance as the house band for Sunday’s ‘Night of Too Many Stars‘, an concert for autism education hosted by Jon Stewart. They’ve won multiple Grammy awards since they started playing in 1993 in – you guessed it – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their new album ‘Rising Down‘ will be released in late April 2008.

We have also received word of a last-minute guest addition to Tuesday’s show: Michelle Obama, hopeful candidate for First Lady!

• Fract: The band’s album ‘Tipping Point‘ was inspired by author and friend of the Report Malcolm Gladwell’s book of the same name.

Wednesday, 4/16: Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders, Governor Ed Rendell

Do the cheerleaders of the NFL Philadelphia Eagles know how to tumble? Stephen will be surrounded by black and ‘midnight green’ spandex tonight.

To balance out the bounce, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell will also be a guest. He endorses Senator Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential candidate and served as mayor of Philadelphia in the early 1990s. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and is a serious Eagles fan.

• Fract: In 2005, Governor Rendell made a wager with then-Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney before Superbowl 39, promising that he and his family would sing the National Anthem while wearing a New England Patriots jersey at a Philadelphia 76ers/Boston Celtics basketball game if the Eagles lost the Superbowl (which they did). Romney made the same promise but the world did not get to hear the Romney family sing that year.

Thursday, 4/17: Representative Patrick Murphy

Representative Patrick Murphy took his seat in the House of Representatives in January 2007 to represent Pennsylvania’s 8th District (the Fightin’ Eights!). He ran on a “Murphy Plans” platform of initiatives for Iraq, ethics reform, online protection, and a GI Bill of Rights, successfully challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick. He has recently published an autobiography titled ‘Taking the Hill: From Philly to Baghdad to the United States Congress.’

• Fract: Wikipedia states that in February 2008, Murphy was the only House member to vote against a resolutiuon congratulating the New York Jets on their 2008 Superbowl win. “As a former 700-level security guard and lifelong Eagles fan, I couldn’t, in good conscience, vote for the New York Giants,” Murphy said. “The only thing worse would have been a resolution honoring the Dallas Cowboys.”