SPOILER ALERT: CNN and “The” USA Today preview “Operation Stephen: Going Commando”

I am loving all these updates like I couldn’t tell you. Big tip of the hat to Jennie for her work gathering the overnight stories for us here in the States, both CNN and The USA Today are getting in on the fun.

From The USA Today:

Stephen Colbert delivers laughs to American troops
By Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq — Apparently, all it took for victory in Iraq was a visit by late-night funnyman Stephen Colbert.

“By the power vested in me by basic cable, I officially declare we have won the Iraq war!” the mock pundit joked before a cheering crowd of about 300 U.S. servicemembers who gathered here on Sunday for a taping of his TV show, The Colbert Report.

. . .

Before the show, some soldiers wondered whether Colbert, whose TV persona pokes fun at conservative punditry, would dial it down for a military audience.

No way. “He went totally all out,” said 1st Lt. Virginia Brickner, 29, of Van Wert, Ohio.

. . .

Full article available here

And here’s the skinny from CNN:

In Iraq, Colbert gets military haircut to show his solidarity
June 8, 2009 — Updated 0453 GMT
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq

. . .

Colbert, wearing a business suit made of the same camouflaged material used for soldiers’ desert uniforms, submitted to a regulation military haircut as hundreds of U.S. troops cheered wildly Sunday.

The comedian, who satirizes conservative TV pundits on his “Colbert Report,” began his “Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando” USO tour Sunday in the Baghdad headquarters of the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq.

“It must be nice in Iraq, because some of you keep coming back again and again,” Colbert said, joking about the multiple tour many troops have had in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. Some troops had accumulated enough frequent flyer miles to earn them a free ticket to Afghanistan, he joked.

. . .

Full story posted here

This is so incredible, seriously. I’ll get the Good Morning, America video posted as soon as it’s available, too, because it’s hilarious. There will be sneak peeks of Stephen in basic training, flying with the Thunderbirds (he pulled nine Gs?!), and more.