While there are a lot of theme shows in this list, this next episode is dear to my heart for so many reasons. It had so many classic segments that there was no way I could leave it off of this list of the best of the best. And the #7 choice for the No Fact Zone Top 10 Best ‘Colbert Report’ episodes is:
Watching this episode, I am flooded with memories of the things that make the Colbert character so near and dear to my heart. First of all, this is one of those episodes where he’s so giddy he can barely contain himself throughout the entire episode. The show starts with Stephen reading from Stephen Colbert’s Alpha Squad 7 – Lady Nocturne: A Tek Jansen Adventure. Stephen quickly segued into Stephen Colbert’s Big Brass Balls (“Watch ‘em swing”) segment, and then quickly into an absolute classic WØRD – “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”. When his Moldova joke flopped all over the stage, Stephen did one of his rare breaking of the fourth wall when he said, “I liked it.” His fight with Bullet was absolutely adorable.
But nothing was as adorable as the next segment, the classic “Stephen’s Laws of Love”. Doesn’t ring a bell? How about “Filliam H. Muffman.” Yeah, THAT sketch. Stephen stumbles through this sketch barely able to get through the silliness. The segment-long character break is as hysterical as it is endearing.
But the show’s not over yet. The interview with George Packer presented a unique perspective on the quagmire in Iraq. Stephen’s hammering of the Republican party line. As Stephen says, “Just because you’ve been there doesn’t mean your opinions are more valuable than mine.” Stephen did manage to bring quite a bit of nuance to the discussion of the war with Packer, and still managed to keep in character enough to show the idiocy of the pundits who insisted that we are going to, or even actually have, won the war.
It simply doesn’t get much more classic than the final segment, the original video to “Charlene (I’m Right Behind You)”. For those of us who grew up in the 80’s, we remember the pushed up jacket sleeves, the ripped jeans, and that ridonk eyeliner Stephen’s sporting. I love his little 80’s dance at the end, and let’s face it ladies, there’s something about that outfit that is just sizzling hot. Yum. And the transition back to Normal Stephen, where he’s sporting a bit of that boyish Superman wave in his hair, is just … sigh. Someday, someone’s going to ask me, if I could have one piece of memorabilia from the show, what would it be, and I’m going to tell them the cover from “Songs for Charlene, Vol. 1″. Ah, to sleep, perchance to dream.
wow! I had no idea that Filliam H Muffman and Charlene were in the same episode! that’s like…totally epic. :D
(btw, it was not 2009 when this happened, I only mention because I was curious by how far I’d missed this episode– and it was almost two years. noob!)
I remember that George Packer interview. Stephen said something and I remember going absolutely still when he said it, just short of a chill down my spine. Yeah, so I remember that part of the interview.
I don’t think he’s had another instance of consecutive breaks as in that one Filliam M. segment. Classic.
I had forgotten that so many of these things happened on the same night! “The Splendifferous Zeppelin Adventures of Filliam H Muffman” is inherantly a party to say, but added to the best series of character breaks ever…golden.
And Charlene Charlene Charlene! Another testament to my assertion that Stephen does not give his hair’s vertatility nearly enough credit.
Wow! So many great segments in one episode!! I didn’t know that Filliam H. Muffman, USA!USA!, and Charlene were all in the same one! Awesome choice. =)
All donations made in support of No Fact Zone will go directly to paying for the server that runs the site. Thank you for helping us keep this wonderful site up and running!
Make a one-time donation in any amount you choose
Support the site by subscribing to NFZ - $2/month donation
Be the Hero of the Month - pay our server fee for the month
8 Comments
September 1st, 2009 at 10:42 pm
wow! I had no idea that Filliam H Muffman and Charlene were in the same episode! that’s like…totally epic. :D
(btw, it was not 2009 when this happened, I only mention because I was curious by how far I’d missed this episode– and it was almost two years. noob!)
Reply
September 1st, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Filliam H. Muffman!!
Reply
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:20 am
I remember that George Packer interview. Stephen said something and I remember going absolutely still when he said it, just short of a chill down my spine. Yeah, so I remember that part of the interview.
I don’t think he’s had another instance of consecutive breaks as in that one Filliam M. segment. Classic.
Reply
September 2nd, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Was when he said that we were “playing craps with soldier’s lives” if we weren’t sure we could win the war? He slipped that in there very smoothly…
Reply
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
That’s it.
I was impressed by that. A very sobering moment. Totally unexpected.
Reply
September 2nd, 2009 at 6:17 am
I had forgotten that so many of these things happened on the same night! “The Splendifferous Zeppelin Adventures of Filliam H Muffman” is inherantly a party to say, but added to the best series of character breaks ever…golden.
And Charlene Charlene Charlene! Another testament to my assertion that Stephen does not give his hair’s vertatility nearly enough credit.
Reply
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:19 am
Wow! So many great segments in one episode!! I didn’t know that Filliam H. Muffman, USA!USA!, and Charlene were all in the same one! Awesome choice. =)
Reply
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:35 am
Wow, I didn’t realize all those awesome segments were in one episode. That Filliam H. Muffman character break is so great lol.
Reply