EPISODE NUMBER: 5084 (June 22, 2009)
GUEST: Simon Schama, Jeff Goldblum
SEGMENTS: The Enemy Within – Cane Fu
VIDEOS: Monday, June 22, 2009
My TiVo betrayed me! I went to bed early so I could get up early to do the guide, and my TiVo didn’t record it! TiVo, you are SO in time out right now! So I had to wait until Hulu got up the show so I could do the guide this morning.
I cannot believe how long Stephen was able to go on and on about Zicam and keep it funny. I love how amused Stephen’s Bill Cosby impression amuses him so much. I cannot believe that the whole sketch was building up to a slam on Rush Limbaugh. Every time I think Rush couldn’t be more of an idiot, he finds a way to slither down just a little bit lower. And I’m so loving how Jeff Goldblum keeps coming on with huge monologues. “Just leave!” HAHAH! It’s just the randomness of it that makes it so excellent. And how adorable was that lady on the Cane Fu segment? I just wanted to take her home and have her feed me soup.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to hug or slap Simon Schama. He was amusing, but at the same time borderline pompous to the point of deserving a knocking down a notch or two. I think after reviewing it a second time, I give it a tentative tip of the hat. The accent alone was worth my time. I’m a sucker for a good accent, I really am.
So what did you think of the show? Lay it on me in the comments.
- Of course, there is some good news – I’ve lost my sense of smell! It’s New York in the summer, Nation. Now not only am I blissfully unaware which subway seats are urine soaked, I no longer worry about gas leaks, my milk is always farm fresh, and never again can I ever be accused of having “dealt it”.
- I think I may already have a sense of super touch.
- And of course, Cliff Huxtable’s favorite prescription, Zeezum-razzum-profen.
- Getting your BA before your PhD is your dad’s way of doing things. Just like researching your medicine’s side effect before you release it.
- The Clintons, I knew it! That explains it all. God only knows where Clinton inserted his Zicam. I think you’re applauding for Bill Clinton doing things with Zicam.
- That may smell like bulls@#t to some people, but not to users of Zicam.
- Just leave!
- That’s why I explore every dark cavern of our American society, like a danger pig, rooting out fear truffle.
- Mark “Hong Kong” Shuey has created a combat system that is turning American’s senior citizens into killing machines. Say hello to your worst nightmare.
- That’s enough. Seriously, stop.
- Well I heard a rumor that you’re going to kill us all.
- Who are you going to believe, Jesus or Kickaro [Cicero]
- I know who the Romans are, and based on your accent you could play a Roman in some sandal epic.
- You ever had bacon tea? Mmm …
- Before the show, I sing the entirety of the National Anthem, and I also sing Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me.”
- Simon Schama: Hold on, boy, let the Professor talk.
“This is a pen… This is my desk… This is my face! Spider doing push-ups on a mirror…”
This ep had so many hilarious bits! Jeff Goldblum’s incessant speeches(“Are we on with the show or is the show on with us?”), Mark describing all the ways he could beat your butt with his cane, “Kickaro”…. The Schama interview was sort of scattered but Stephen still got some good lines in. (Bacon tea? Blehhhhhhh.)
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I had two… no, THREE! particular bouts of giggles with this show, it had so many personal draws to me. :) :) :)
1) Bill Cosby impression?? THANK YOU SO MUCH, STEPHEN.
2) Jeff Goldblum. So random. So strange. Such pure Gold(blum). I loved the way he was wielding that Zicam. xD
3) SIMON SCHAMA OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDD. :D I first knew of him from my art history class, where we would watch Simon Schama’s “Power of Art” DVDs. He was pompous, he was blunt, and we fell in love with him. My fandom of Simon is sorta like mine of Stephen’s– it starts with a kernel of “hey, he’s cool” blossoming to “OH MY GOD I LOVE HIM.” Though I’d have to agree with Gaia, that interview was a bit sporadic in its toss-and-return, both trying to get their word in. It was still like two awesome worlds colliding to make one even more awesome world. :D
Sorry for the long post. But one last word. Wasn’t that story about Simon’s birth cool?
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Charlene – I was also going to declare my adoration of Simon Schama here. (As for The Power of Art, I love the episode where they recreate the young Simon Schama at an art gallery in the 70′s – I can soooo see him dressing that hip. lol) He was a guest before on the show and it was pretty much the same.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Ohhhh my goodness thank you thank you for showing me that video! :D It made me inordinately giddy, especially because I love “The Power of Art” so much… my favorite must be the Bernini one.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Spider doing push-ups on a mirror. lmao!
When that lady said, “My pants are always too short” or whatever her exact quote was, I about died. The way she said that just cracked me up.
Rezumm-Frazzem-Profen. ahahah!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Love the opening–”just checking to see if I have a bald spot” Gosh, his hair really is short! I wonder how long it will take to grow his thick locks back?!
And…bacon tea? Bacon makes everything better–just like chocolate!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Oh it was so hard to choose between the whole Zicam bit and The Enemy Within! I went with The Enemy Within with the Zicam bit coming in a very close second. Haven’t there been warnings out about Zicam for several years now? I wonder how many more random Jeff Golblum appearances we’ll be treated to. LOL! I really loved The Enemy Within! The little snippets from the seniors were hilarious. I enjoyed the interview. Yes, Schama is pompous but that was so much fun to watch. “Hold on boy. Let the professor talk.” LOL!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I voted for the interview. Schama is my fav historian. I’ve read a couple of his books and they are good reads. His History of Britain series on History Channel was great.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Like many others I can’t quite get the phrase Zeezum-razzum-profen out of my head. So fun to say.
I vote for Zicam, one because of the hysterical Goldblum return, and B because I love pretty much anything Stephen does in reference to medication. Cheating Death, pain pills for his wrist, the character’s strong subjectivity to addiction…it’s always good. Sort of like his consistently great performance with food.
reCAPTCHA: Donut it!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Really good episode again (I’m in such a good mood? No, I think it really was . . .)
Fantastic use of “The Murder in the White House” saga. The use of Goldblum’s appearance again in this episode was probably the funniest and most clever because Goldblum now literally, in the flesh, became Stephen’s equivalent of Obama’s “pesty fly” at the White House. “Just leave!” Stephen says. A complete turn around. The spotlight is removed completely from Obama and his fly and now placed totally on Stephen and his “Fly.” So clever.
Enjoyed the Zicam and Cane Fu segments. We had heard about the taping of the Cane Fu segment at NFZ earlier and when to possibly expect it’s future use on the Report. In fact, I voted for it here.
However, almost without exception, my favorite segment of The Report episodes is Stephen’s interview. This is true for a completely different reason outside the context of any particular show. The reason for me is it is pure Stephen Colbert, using his fantastic and “beautiful mind,” unscripted, but always thoroughly prepared with notecards and ideas beforehand. What a joy to watch someone so talented and so nice despite the character he takes on. An example of the “so nice” appeared in last night’s episode.
I truly enjoy watching Stephen have fun using his quick wit and improv skills while making decisions about whether to turn the dial up or down, so to speak, depending on the reaction of his guest. If one watches closely, Stephen does this “dial turning” very expertly, in a considerate way (a very edearing quality, actually), generally quite in tune with the comfort level of his guest. When Simon Schauma said, “Hold on, boy, let the Professor talk,“ or something akin to this, Stephen made a funny remark about “Dr. Colbert something, something, something . . .” and then “ceded the floor” to Schama without interruption for “7 minutes” – what was pretty much the rest of the interview. Let me ask all of you -which of the two men was more endearing to absolutely anyone watching that show?
Actually, however, I think I may check out Schauma’s book (The American Future: A History – he seems to have quite a few out there, I believe). I think I might want to see where he thinks America is likely to head in the future, based on the history of America’s responses to its challenges now and in the past. I like stuff like this – sort of reality science fiction.
I’m truly sorry I’m so long winded – it must be the teacher in me or a closet desire for the priesthood (three of those in this Irish extended family) and, perhaps, a hankering to develop the perfect homily or sermon. Ah me, wrong sex and married (whew! I mean, that’s too bad). We Catholics have a very poor track record for change – it took from 1616 until 1992 for Pope Paul II to apologize to Galileo, but I’ll try to mend my ways. Thanks for your long suffering today (as usual, it seems).
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
O’Reilly, I think you’re in love…. based on how you’re talking about Stephen;) Haha! Of course, I don’t blame you in the least!
Really loved this observation:
“Stephen does this ‘dial turning’ very expertly, in a considerate way (a very edearing quality, actually).”
I noticed this when Stephen had Meghan McCain on the show. Stephen said “Your dad wouldn’t watch this show, not even for you” and then knowing that sounded too harsh he said “because he’s such a busy man.” Aw.
P.S. Great observation about Jeff Goldblum becoming Stephen’s “fly.” Never thought of it that way until you mentioned it.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
O’Reilly, I think you’re right about Jeff Goldblum being the pesty fly in the flesh – I hadn’t thought of it that way. I guess I was still giggling at Jeff’s valiant attempt to keep a straight face after the “filly undergarments comment.
Once you put it that way, it makes me wonder what “Stephen” might do the next time Jeff comes on the show! :O
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
SPLAT!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Snort! :D
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I had a chance to watch the show early this morning before work. I laughed myself silly.
I voted for the Zicam segment for so many reasons: “Zeezum-razzum-profen; Jeff Goldblum’s presence; the Wilhousky arrangement of The Battle Hymn of the Republic (trust me, it was!), & how the music played only while Jeff spoke; Jeff’s struggle to regain composure after the Ben Franklin FRILLY (typo earlier; mea culpa – Latin for “my bad”) undergarments remark – I wish I could have seen Stephen’s face then! The way the writers tied Zicam into Rush being idiotic (redundant, sorry) AND “…smells like BS” was brilliant.
I wasn’t as happy with the Cane Fu segment as I’d anticipated; I’m thinking it had to do with the editing, because the concept – and the training – is excellent. I loved the “Nice Nana,” too.
Really enjoyed the repartee between Stephen and Schama. “Kickero”/Cicero made me laugh (4 yrs. HS Latin with THE coolest teacher), “Boy, let the professor talk!” The story of Schama’s birth during the bombings – powerful.
So sorry about your TiVo problems, DB. I wondered if something had happened, but I figured it was work-related.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I tried to edit my redundancy – I meant to replace Rush “being idiotic” w/ him “talking out his back-end,” but the edit wouldn’t save. Ah, well.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Zeezum-razzum-profen!!!!
I was waiting for a top hat joke to enter the Cane Fu segment. Oh well. I agree with juice; I didn’t enjoy watching the segment that much, either.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I loved the Zicam segment for the whole “sense of smell” loss riff, and then when Jeff Goldblum appeared *again* I just about lost it. “Am I all alone…?” I can’t wait till the next unexpected visit from Jeff. He & Stephen seem to really be enjoying it, not to mention the audience.
The professor was endearing too.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
The only thing I really liked about the Cane Fu segment was the apparent non sequiturs of that particularly elderly guy. “They don’t speak Spanish in Brazil.”
Shout Out (Hey!):
0