Since it’s been a quiet news day out there in the Colbert universe, I thought I’d post this little round up of Stephen’s interviews with people nominated for Academy Awards this year. Starting with our big winner, here’s The Colbert Report’s visit from Academy Award-winning director and producer Kathryn Bigelow:

Check out more nominees behind the fold

Meryl Streep (nominee for Best Actress, Julie and Julia)

Morgan Freeman (nominee for Best Actor, Invictus)

Randy Newman (double nominee for Best Original Song — “Almost There” and “Down in New Orleans” — The Princess and the Frog)

And here’s one more bonus interview for you, this one with Daniel Ellsberg. Dr. Ellsberg was not technically a nominee this year, but he was both featured in and the subject of the nominated documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. In my opinion, this was an excellent documentary that deserved better than the limited release it received.

• The DaColbert Code calls the Oscar winners yet again – Five out of five!

Happy weekend, Zoners! Oh, I was so hoping we’d get a new Toss this week; I was holding out great hopes for Thursday’s show. Alas, no luck this week. So let’s go to the vault! Here’s a great one from 2006:

6/15/2006: Daily/Colbert – Mad Magazine: Stephen points out Mad Magazine’s lampooning of the Daily Show, but takes issue with their blasting his meaningless non-sequiturs.

Does anyone have this issue of Mad Magazine? I haven’t read that magazine since I was a kid (in fact, I’m surprised to learn they were still publishing it as recently as 2006, and indeed that it’s still being published on a quarterly basis). I love this Toss because it’s so meta, referencing a Toss within a Toss, and then parodying a parody of itself. My mind nearly folds into itself just describing it. Yahtzee! What do you all think of this Klassic?

• Comedy Central Vancouverage exclusive: Stephen Colbert sings “The Rocky Road to Dublin” on stage at Ireland House
• Because you know you’ve been singing this all day
• Reasons why it sucks that Hulu is dropping Comedy Central programming
• Olympic “Out”-take: Stephen Colbert at the Pride House

Daily Show Honorable Mention:  “Do You Believe?” Stephen is a fan of figure skating, and Cher.

#5 “The Word – U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” Winning isn’t everything.  It’s just as important that we rub it in.

More Olympics after the jump!

#4 – “Speed Skating Debacle” With creative use of props, Stephen acts out a tense press conference between skaters Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick.

#3 – “God’s Pilates Class” Stephen plans a captive breeding program for Olympic athletes.

#2 – “2016 Olympics in Chicago” In which beer is consumed, and Stephen and George Wendt trash talk countries competing for the 2016 games.

#1- “The Olympics – Après Ski” An adorkable sweater, 2-day stubble, beer, and sexual innuendos.  Oh the multiple layers of joy.

• Six Degrees: Kiss Me I’m Irish Edition.
• Comedy Central Vancouverage exclusive: Stephen Colbert sings “The Rocky Road to Dublin” on stage at Ireland House
• Daily Show Toss Recap – Klassic
• Jon Stewart to emcee BEA breakfast for ‘Earth (The Book): A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race’

Was It Really That Bad? – Black Death (11/29/2005)
The Black Death didn’t just make more dead people, it also made less competition for those few live people. (4:54)

Canadian Baseball? (3/9/2006)
Stephen isn’t taking Canada’s victory over the United States in the World Baseball Classic lightly. (3:36)

Midterm Midtacular – Democrat Majority (11/7/2006)
The people have spoken, and apparently, they’re tired of freedom. (4:05)

Bears & Balls – Company Bailouts (2/24/2009)
Sbarro must cut costs by eliminating expensive ingredients, like cheese and tomatoes. (05:30)

This one doesn’t quite count, because it was a satire of an actual event, and not an original composition. But it’s still Stephen screaming until he turns colors, and it makes me laugh until I cry.

• Comedy Central Vancouverage exclusive: Stephen Colbert sings “The Rocky Road to Dublin” on stage at Ireland House
• Daily Show Toss Recap – Klassic
• Because you know you’ve been singing this all day
• Reasons why it sucks that Hulu is dropping Comedy Central programming

• Comedy Central Vancouverage exclusive: Stephen Colbert sings “The Rocky Road to Dublin” on stage at Ireland House
• Daily Show Toss Recap – Klassic
• Because you know you’ve been singing this all day
• Reasons why it sucks that Hulu is dropping Comedy Central programming

Hello Zoners! Wow, it feels like forever since I’ve done one of these. What’s that? It feels that way because my last post was on Halloween? Wow. I feel so ashamed. Well, I’m back anyway! Well, on Monday, Morgan Freeman was a guest on the show. Among other things, he’s best known for his movie role as God. Therefore, I thought I’d bring to you a This Week in God segment. No, this isn’t just a shameless excuse to watch a TWiG, why would you ask? Enjoy!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c This Week in God – Hurricane Katrina Coverage www.thedailyshow.com

• Six Degrees: Kiss Me I’m Irish Edition.
• Jon Stewart to emcee BEA breakfast for ‘Earth (The Book): A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race’
• Coolest kids in science are on ‘The Daily Show’, ‘Colbert Report’
• Six Degrees: Vancouver Edition.

From the New York Times:

Conan O’Brien Says He Won’t Do ‘Tonight Show’ Following Leno
January 12, 2010, 3:10 pm

. . .

People of Earth:

In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

. . .

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

. . .

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.

Yours,

Conan

Read the full letter here

I don’t know Jay Leno and, for all I know, he could be quite the guy, but I can’t help feeling like Conan got royally scroogied by NBC. I’m going to miss seeing Conan’s completely off-kilter but thoroughly entertaining wit on display over at The Tonight Show (unless NBC comes to its senses and keeps Conan and The Tonight Show at their present time), but I have no doubt he’ll find a platform worthy of his stature, and soon.

And, NBC? I hope you’re proud of the mess you’ve made for Conan, his family, staff and writers. This wasn’t fair to any of them.

In memory of happier times:

And one of my favorite interviews:

Comedy Central Insider has a nice round-up of Stephen Colbert-Conan O’Brien moments here, too.

• Six Degrees: Kiss Me I’m Irish Edition.
• Six Degress: Post Vancouverage Blue’s Edition.
• Six Degrees: Vancouver Edition.
• Six Degrees: New Year’s Hangover Edition.

Regulars here at this blog know I’m kind of an old fashioned book person (the discussion we had over the recent Sherman Alexie interview told me I’m not alone), so I’m sure people will indulge me as I sing a little requiem for the loss of yet another publishing industry stalwart. In recognition of that, I’m reposting this old Salman Rushdie interview from May of 2007; Rushdie’s defense of mainstream literary criticism is worth another listen.

Thanks for all the reviews and reports over the years, E&P and Kirkus!

• Stephen Colbert in the Zeitgeist – March 13, 2010
• Comedy Central Vancouverage exclusive: Stephen Colbert sings “The Rocky Road to Dublin” on stage at Ireland House
• Daily Show Toss Recap – Klassic
• Because you know you’ve been singing this all day

In the mean time, I thought this was as good a day as any to encourage people to promote sexual health. So, here’s just a dash of levity thrown in to sweeten my lecture: Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, DFA on “Sexual Health“.

• Comedy Central Vancouverage exclusive: Stephen Colbert sings “The Rocky Road to Dublin” on stage at Ireland House
• Daily Show Toss Recap – Klassic
• Because you know you’ve been singing this all day
• Reasons why it sucks that Hulu is dropping Comedy Central programming

Of course, we all have our personal favorites, so when DB and I saw the Insider post, we grinned and reminisced but also wished they’d added a few more clips. And since she lets me play on this blog, I thought I’d share our additional picks with you.

My choice: “How Do I Do It?” from Steve Carell Salutes Steve Carell, Hosted by Steve Carell

DB’s choice: “Dancing Muchachos” from Exit 57

And finally, the one we both agreed on: “The Girl is Mine” duet with John Legend

• Six Degrees: Kiss Me I’m Irish Edition.
• Stephen Colbert in the Zeitgeist – March 13, 2010
• Comedy Central Vancouverage exclusive: Stephen Colbert sings “The Rocky Road to Dublin” on stage at Ireland House
• Daily Show Toss Recap – Klassic