Episode 5071 (5/21/2009)

epguideiconEPISODE NUMBER: 5071 (May 21, 2009)
GUEST: Green Day
SEGMENTS: Ida the missing link fossil, Shashi Tharoor gets the Colbert Bump, Formidable Opponent
VIDEOS: Thursday, May 21, 2009 (Full access video)

I always appreciate a high energy show right before a break, which we’ve got coming up next week. That call to India was about 5 levels of wrong. And it felt so very right. I loved Stephen’s conversation with “Ghandi” the best, I think.

Formidable opponent is always fun, but it was super fun with the changing schools on the podium (and of course, Rainbow). There were some zingers in there, like the comment about water fountains, that made me say out loud, “Oh no he DI’INT!” I love it when Stephen gets blazingly politically incorrect.

I’ve never considered myself to be a Green Day fan, but I really liked their performance. Tre was hysterical in the interviews, and I loved the callback of that horrible Colbert song (and sweater – help me baby Jesus!)

Feel free to share your thoughts and favorite lines from the show in the comments.

  • I have not been this angry with scientists since they came out with Apple Raspberry Fun Dip. Strawberry/Grape, like Jesus intended!
  • Now these Monkey See Monkey Doofuses are buying into the missing link madness.
  • Jimmy, put up that photo of Aunt Ida from Thanksgiving. See? No resemblance. I hope she’s taking her calcium.
  • This one was so much better than my pick for the Preakness, Headed for Alpo.
  • Jai Did It!
  • You know you’re in the next city when you reach the end of the sign displaying the name of the previous city.
  • Hey, this is Ghandi, thank you for everything you have done for our people!
  • By the way, if you want to flatter Barney Frank’s ego, remind him what a great dancer he is.
  • Prescott University – Prescott Institute of Technology
  • And your honorary prescription pad. (Reused jokes FTW!)
  • Blue Colbert: What’s wrong with a Fantasy land? Rainbow and I love it here, don’t we fella?
  • Red Colbert: Touche. Blue Colbert: When did you learn French? Red Colbert: Honorary degree …!
  • Red Colbert: No, that hurt people. Blue Colbert: Didn’t hurt the water fountain industry.
  • Red Colbert: Can we talk about abortion for a minute? Blue Colbert: Why not, it’s a funny word, like guacamole.
  • Red Colbert: The President urged us not to demonize each other. Which is really too bad, because you’d look great with a little pitchfork. Blue Colbert: Thank you!
  • Don’t get me wrong, I admire punk music because it takes the problem and makes it as loud as possible.
  • Stephen: I hear a lot of anger against religion in your music, why is that? Jesus loves you, you know that part, you’ve heard that part. Tre Cool: I just hate sandals.
  • Tre Cool: How are we going to follow that?! [walks off stage]

Comments

  1. Tiger says:

    RazzApple Fun Dip turns your tongue the best color though! I am not sure how many people watched that joke and then whipped out a forgotten Fun Dip (and, setting aside the chips and salsa, began to consume it.)

    I actually voted for Formidable Opponent, though, because those are always so fan and SO impressive. I loved the ND on the chest, as well as the fantasy unicorn and the devilish part. a lot of the ideas about idealism and pragmatism were also teaching good US history. (I like the color-coded episode guide too!)

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  2. Laaaura says:

    Formidable is my favorite segment, so I voted for that, but that Indian phone call was hysterical!

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  3. there are two things in this world that i absolutly love. stephen colbert and green day. green day has been my favorite band since i was ten. i am a child of the dookie era . :) i’ve been way too excited for this episode all week. though practically squeeling through the whole thing, i’ve gotta say the second my tv screen panned to all four of my heros, i lost it. tonight was an epic episode for me. haha! yes! i am that cheesy. <3

    stephen making billie laugh, and tre throwing down his stool totally rocked my world!

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    • Ullygirldk says:

      Billie is actually a fan of Jon and Stephen. in an interview he said: “I like Jon Stewart. and I love stephen Colbert. I think he is the funniest human being on the planet” or something like that:P

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      • Ashley says:

        LOL. I found the quote! I find so cute that Billie Joe loves them so much.

        “I like Jon Stewart and love [Stephen] Colbert. He’s the funniest human being on the planet.”

        Even Billie Joe is a member of The Colbert Nation. ^_^

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  4. Marko says:

    The part when Tre walked off was great but was toppped by when they actually covered Stephen’s song in the middle of theirs.

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  5. SazzrahUK says:

    Green Day have been my favourite band for about 10 years, and The Colbert Report is my favourite TV show, so combining the two together nearly made my head explode! You could tell Billie Joe finds Stephen hilarious, loved the interview and the performance, the whole show was pretty great actually!

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  6. luvtcr says:

    So glad to see Formidable Opponent back! It has been way too long!

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  7. forsakinghalfloves says:

    Hey, I use Windows Vista! No breakdowns yet *knocks on wood*

    Hahaha!! Jai Did It!! Bollywood Dancing!!! Gandhi!!

    Amazing to see Formidable Opponent in action and see Stephen make the transition from one side to the other. Very cool.

    And my high school batch chose “Time of Your Life” as our graduation song. :)

    reCAPTCHA: making rest Good night, Zoners! :)

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  8. I loved the Bollywood chair dancing — there’s something about Stephen’s chair dancing that always cracks me up. I had to give it to the Ida segment simply because of the Preakness/Alpo joke. How could you not laugh hysterically and cringe at the same time? What a way to start a break — happy vaca everyone!

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  9. vigwig says:

    Green Day was tops for me, with their awesome playing and it getting.

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  10. kristin says:

    This was a bit bitter sweet for me. Green Day was my absolute favorite band about 5 years ago but they’ve slowly disappointed me with each new album so it’s sad that I couldn’t be excited for this. :C Good episode anyway!

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  11. Michele says:

    I thought the Green Day interview was really funny, especially when Tre kicked his stool and stormed off the stage. Good performance too, but I’ve liked Green Day since their early days. Formidable Opponent was a hoot! I always enjoy those. The call to India was so very wrong, but so very funny. All in all it was a nice way to end the week before a break!

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  12. wren says:

    Somewhere I’ve got a cassette of a live Green Day show from 1990 or so, which includes an early favorite, “Paper Lanterns”.

    Great show – as an academic (& with the robes to prove it), I loved the commencement edition of Formidable Opponent, how his hood changed color instead of the tie! Also really well written as usual.

    All in all a great way to end the week, but now I’m sad about next week’s break :(

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  13. Till says:

    I’ve never particularly liked post-mainstream Green Day, but their first two albums (mostly the very first) are raw adolescent angst that would be copied by inferior pop-punk bands for the next 10-15+ years.

    It’s not something I listen to every day (not anymore!), but it feels sincere and human, which is beautiful in its own way.

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  14. ColbertGirl27 says:

    I voted for formidable opponent because that segment always blows my mind. In fact, I think it’s an advanced version of The Word. Just amazing.

    I thought his shows in Iraq might follow this upcoming break, but it looks like he will be having on guests as usual after the break. Ah, the suspense! Maybe the show will take place around the 4th of July.

    recaptcha: comedy divisors

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  15. Electra says:

    I loved Formidable Opponent this time just because it once again showcased the honorary degree from my alma mater, Knox College! I wasn’t sure they were actually passing the degree back and forth until Pragmatic Stephen held it up to show the Knox Crest. Swear to God, the fact that my school made him a “doctor” is my primary source of geek pride these days.

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  16. ColGeek says:

    Oh my goooossshhh.
    The “it didn’t hurt the water fountain industry” line was so inpolitcally correct (I like to switch up the beginnings of those two words) it had me gasping and laughing at the same time for the rest of Formidable Opponent.
    Wonderful episode.

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  17. Gezunt says:

    I cannot find the full access video what happened?!

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    • DB says:

      Just added it – thanks for the reminder! (I have to go back and add it the next day.)

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