Episode 6016 (1/28/2010)
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EPISODE NUMBER: 6016 (January 28, 2010)
GUESTS: David Gergen
SEGMENTS: State of the Colbert Nation, Stephen Colbert’s Sport Report
VIDEOS: Thursday, January 28, 2010
I really enjoyed the opening State of the Colbert Nation segment. I thought it brought a wonderfully fresh perspective on how to report the State of the Union address. The background was hysterical – it made him look positively cartoonish.
David Gergen is such an it-getter – I really like the interviews where it’s obvious that the guest has respect for both the character and the content presented at the same time. Also, just so you know, I’m not replacing my header graphic.
What did you all enjoy most about this very rich show tonight? And did the picture of Stephen with double D’s disturb anyone else as much as it did me?
- And it was very bipartisan, folks. He spoke to both Republican members of the Legislature, and Republican members of his family.
- I love what he is doing with minorities in that. Jim, can I get some minorities please? Can I get a black guy? Ok. I’ll take a pregnant lady. An Asian guy. You know what, get me an Asian pregnant guy. And you know what? These are tough times. Give me someone who is recently unemployed. [Conan]
- That was such a good story. It reminds me of when I was a kid and my dad said, “Son …” Dad was right. I was his son.
- It is packed with information, along with stock photography, and the kind of generous margins usually reserved for 8th grade term papers.
- Yes, the iPad. A name that narrowly beat out the TamPod.
- Michelle Obama looked radiant in an Isaac Mizrahi original with a fitted bodice that flared dramatically into a pleated skirt of rich, crepe silk whose color I can only call Aubergine. She is fierce.
- Is there anyone else? Seriously? You know what, let’s do this in a minute. Can you hang out?
- Stephen: What did you think of the President’s speech last night. And just to clarify, I mean the Black president.
David Gergen: I will not quote my friend Chris Matthews on that subject. - 2016? That’s the end of the first term of President Palin.
- David Gergen: I like Harry Reid.
Colbert: I love him! Raisins are delicious! - Lewis is also making some modifications to the net.
- It’s exactly like going to a Lil Wayne concerts if all the songs were formed by Lil Wayne Newton.
- And if that doesn’t work, there’s always the fallback reality show, Bigots Vs Spigots, where Mr. Lewis is beaten to death by a chrome faucet. For charity!
- Look at Anna Kournikova. She must be the best, because I’ve heard of her.
- The point is, she leads sports in the most important statistic: not safe for work Google image results.
- I am experiencing a confusing bouquet of emotions right now.
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22 Comments
January 29th, 2010 at 8:45 am
Gergen is really baffling to me. He might be the only guy on 24/7 cable news spin who I believe when he says he’s independent. He served two liberal presidents (nixon, clinton) and two conservative presidents (reagan, ford).
I at first was sorta scratching my head why the show was out of order, but I suppose it was just done for consistency and time purposes.
I found that last night, more than most, TDS and TCR writers were coming up with the same jokes, i.e., prebuttal.
I most loved the iTab tie-in. Was a fun show :)
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January 29th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
“I found that last night, more than most, TDS and TCR writers were coming up with the same jokes, i.e., prebuttal.”
I thought the same thing. They’ve always had a fair amount of overlap with regard to what stories they cover (understandable), but lately it seems like I’m hearing more and more of the same jokes. Great minds think alike I guess.
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January 29th, 2010 at 9:11 am
TamPod made me laugh really really hard. And I love when he gets all fashionista! And his SOTU was very very satisfying–eat it, Republicans!
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January 29th, 2010 at 11:35 am
TamPod got the biggest laugh out of me for this episode.
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January 29th, 2010 at 9:59 am
I think the part about Michelle Obama’s outfit was probably what I enjoyed the most. I also liked “Raisins are delicious!”
And yes, the picture at the end hurt my mind.
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January 29th, 2010 at 10:15 am
It seems to be Colbert’s goal to squeak in a mention of Conan O’Brien in every episode until the guy gets a new late night show.
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January 29th, 2010 at 10:31 am
heh…I’m interested in how long they can keep referencing him. I think the writers are well aware that Colbert and Conan have the same demo…placating them isn’t a stupid decision. That or perhaps they just want the first interview when Conan’s 3 months of probation are up. Since Conan can’t bad talk NBC for 6 months, Colbert doing it for him during an interview would make perfect sense :)
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January 29th, 2010 at 10:16 am
“Ladies and Gentleman, the Stephen Colbert of the United States.” Haha! Stephen’s SOTU was great; it somehow made total sense that “Stephen” would put on his own State of the Union as a response, and I laughed especially during the opening at his Fonz-like Coke machine bump. Also loved the picture of Conan that they used in Stephen’s background. Stephen can keep those Conan jokes coming, because I am loving every one of them!
I’m a big fan of David Gergen -he’s the only political contributer on CNN that I think has anything concrete and meaningful to say- and I thought the interview was fantastic. I’m willing to bet that out of all of everyone that covered the State of the Union address, TDS and TCR had the most detailed and solid input. Both guests (Doris Kearns Goodwin was on TDS) were really great.
Seeing that image of Stephen in a speedskating uniform, with breasts, was very disturbing. I don’t know how to feel about it, but I do know that it made me laugh. Hard. :P
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January 29th, 2010 at 11:37 am
I know I’m a nerd when I find placing the interview before the Sport Report to be a little jarring.
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January 29th, 2010 at 11:38 am
It threw me off too! I kept wondering what he would do after the interview was over.
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January 30th, 2010 at 10:15 am
It was unusual, but Gergen’s interview was an enjoyable follow-up to the SOTU (SOTCN?!) opening.
recaptcha: the chicago
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January 29th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Stephen in that particular pose, with breasts = extremely disturbing. That didn’t stop me from laughing at it, but I still think I might have nightmares tonight.
Also, I’m loving all the Conan jokes and shout-outs. Because I’m counting the days until Conan’s exile is over, and I really want to see him show up on the Report.
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January 29th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I had the same reaction to Stephen with breasts. The image won’t get out of my head, and it’s really scary. Hilarious, but scary.
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January 29th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
OT: I just have to say that I’m disproportionately amused by your linking “Aubergine”.
My favorite aubergine reference was in an early episode of the Bugle (“You Will Know Us By Our Knobbly Fruit“), when the EU had proposed loosening regulations that limited the shapes of cucumbers (or courgettes?) and aubergines, regulations that excluded those that were particularly “rude” shapes. It was hilarious — John O. and Andy riffing on the regulations that dictated the length to width ratio of “globous” aubergines vs. “elongated” aubergines, etc. At one point, John and Andy said something about how the Third World would like us to stop throwing out our misshapen vegetables so they can stop throwing out their misshapen babies, and I swear, I about started crying with horrified laughter right then and there!
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January 29th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
I was at the taping, and the photo of Stephen with breasts got a similar reaction from the audience. We were laughing, but we were all faintly disturbed by it. We didn’t really have/want to see that haha.
They filmed the segments out of order as well, which I thought was strange but just assumed that they would show them in the typical order when the show aired.
The whole SOTU intro was really cool – we had to wait longer than usual for the show to start (or so the crew said), but it was really fun to watch them set everything up for the segment. Half of Stephen’s presidential “admirers” were staff members, and the other half were (incredibly lucky) audience members.
Anyway, it was my first taping, so – yay!
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January 29th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
I thought that they might have added audience members to the people greeting Stephen as he walked out, that’s so cool! And I remember the audience reaction to that photo of Stephen being about the same as the one that I had at home. I think I laughed and groaned at the same time hahaha :P
What a great episode for your first taping! Thanks for sharing!
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January 30th, 2010 at 12:15 am
This was my first time seeing the show in HD (Channel 745 here in New York on TWC)! It was just an extra special way to start with the big “State of the Union” segment. I loved it.
I love Stephen’s continual shout-outs to Conan too.
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January 30th, 2010 at 1:26 am
what was brilliant was Stephen calling out the governor of VA for doing his own SOTU. I didn’t know that was the republican response, I thought it was like a thing where all the governors are doing State of the State addresses and they picked one to show.
I too didn’t really enjoy the Stephen with breasts photo, but hey it’s photoshopped! It’s not real.
I figured that the people greeting Stephen at the start were some staff and some audience members. I loved that intro, because I hate that SOTU entrance. Why doesn’t the president just walk in and start talking? He’s gotta take ten minutes, and then when the speaker announces him, there’s ten more minutes of applause. JUST TALK!!
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January 30th, 2010 at 2:14 am
haha exactly! I figured I wouldn’t miss the beginning of the SOTU address (even though I was late coming home from work) b/c Obama would be shaking hands for the first 20 minutes. Sure enough, I was right!
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January 31st, 2010 at 1:31 am
I’m hoping the Conan shout-out was an acknowledgment of the whole “State of the Show” segment originating on Conan’s Late Night.
Conan did a yearly speech (though I doubt he would’ve carried it to The Tonight Show if he were still host and hadn’t been scheduled for repeats this week even before he was removed – sigh) the night after the State of the Union address, and his was much more about the show than Stephen’s was (indeed, Stephen basically did his normal commentary while standing up).
There’s like a 99% chance that Stephen, or at least someone on staff, knew Conan did this kind of segment for years. It just seemed odd they would basically do the same concept with only a veiled tip of the hat to the originator.
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January 31st, 2010 at 6:37 am
Actually—I think writers are more likely to give props in the veiled way. Doing a different spin on another persons work is more honorable than just doing the same thing. I really hope Conan moves back to NYC.
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January 31st, 2010 at 7:51 am
Conan’s State of The Show speeches were always awesome. He would enter and acknowledge all the weird characters on his way up to the podium–very much how Stephen did this little bit. I’m sure it was a loving homage to his friend Coco ;)
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