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Your Daily Reports: They’re Ba-ack!

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Comedy, Cable, Daily Show, The, Gossip

Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart

favorites Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are proudly sporting “Union Made” labels and enjoying a full staff of writers once more, much to the delight (and sheer relief) of fans. Late night TV is finally back on track now that the strike has ended.

With a newfound comfort in front of cameras and a relaxed joy in the air, the hosts resumed their normal duties...this time, with scripts. After weeks of watching them invent ways to fill the gaps in their programs, it was a relief to see them with full episodes once more. Though both did remarkably well under improvisational pressure, I’m happy to see them back at full staff. 

Read More | Comedy Central

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Late Night War Ends in Violence

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Talk Shows, Cable, NBC, Gossip, Video

Conan O'Brien delivers Jon Stewart and Stephen ColbertWell after finished for the evening, when most people were thinking about getting to bed, the began to heat up...again. Let’s re-cap.

host took exception to host ’s claim that O’Brien “made” Presidential contender . Conan responded on his show that he, O’Brien, actually made Colbert. host offered video evidence that in fact Stewart made O’Brien. Thus, the world was put to rights again.

Until a certain redhead (O’Brien) presented a photo depicting himself delivering both Colbert and Stewart, thus proving that he in fact made them both - and by extension, Huckabee. For those who missed it, this battle all came to head last night. Conan threatened to “kick some Comedy Central ass” and so, Stewart and Colbert showed up to give him exactly this opportunity.  (You can see the video clip, after the jump.)

Click to continue reading Late Night War Ends in Violence

Read More | Late Night With Conan O'Brien

The Battle of the Late Night Hosts

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Talk Shows, Cable, NBC, Daily Show, The, Gossip

Jon Stewart and Stephen ColbertIn an epic match-up, post- hosts are facing off in a battle for the ages.  It’s a contest of wills that dares a meeting of and network TV that could rock more than one snarky show.

Well, perhaps it isn’t as big as all that - but it is mildly entertaining and it’s giving a little much-needed fodder in this strange world without TV . Like as not, even the best late night programs have been faltering. is opening every episode by flicking paper footballs randomly toward his audience, and on Tuesday’s episode played with clam shells instead of monologuing. Thankfully, Colbert recently picked a fight with fellow host to keep us all amused.

Here’s the breakdown: Colbert invited Presidential contender onto , thus granting him the highly coveted “Colbert bump.” Naturally, Huckabee’s popularity increased - and even he attributed this climb to Colbert. So, when Conan O’Brien claimed to be the real puppet master behind Huckabee’s success, Colbert was affronted.

Click to continue reading The Battle of the Late Night Hosts

Read More | Huffington Post

Is Stephen Colbert Different?

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Talk Shows, Cable

Stephen ColbertOn his Wednesday night show, told viewers that, although he is lumped together with other hosts, he is different. He is a newsman. This was said all very tongue-in-cheek of course, but Colbert may not be far from wrong. is a little different from other variety shows, and the program’s host definitely stands out from the pack.

In his quest to find ways to fill up air time, Colbert taped three recently-aired hilarious segments in which he chronicled his quest to hang in the nation’s museum: The Smithsonian Institution. For six weeks, Colbert’s portrait (from season three, this one features four different Stephens in the picture) will hang just outside the Hall of Presidents in the National Portrait Gallery. To be specific, right under the sign for the restrooms. This is, of course, only a temporary arrangement. (An official for the museum said the Institute is going along with the joke, and the portrait will not be a permanent fixture.) Since Colbert’s announcement, several young visitors have flocked to the museum to pose with the portrait - even some who had never been to the National Portrait Gallery before.

The sheer loyalty Colbert commands sets him apart from other hosts, and the attention he receives is no laughing matter. Somehow, I can’t help but think Colbert’s portrait won’t have any trouble finding a permanent home in some prestigious locale. 

Read More | Yahoo! News

This Week on TV (1/7-1/13)

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Action, Award Shows, Comedy, Daytime, Drama, Food & Home, Games, Late Night, Mini Series, Music, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, Sports, Talk Shows, ABC, Bravo, Cable, CBS, NBC, Syndication, The CW, Daily Show, The, Medium, My Name Is Earl

Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart

(Reminder: You can view the whole Revamped TV Programming Schedule here.)

MONDAY (1/7)

  • The View (ABC, check local listings):  returns from maternity leave.  I’d gladly sacrifice her to the union gods for an end to the .
  • Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann (ABC, 8pm):  Here’s our chance to see if the judges can actually teach what they preach.
  • American Gladiators (NBC, 8pm):  “In the men’s competition, an engineer takes on a radiation-control technician.” The year of the nerd has now officially spilled over into 2008.
  • Medium (NBC, 10pm):  Season four premiere.  “Allison has creepy visions of a boy being kidnapped from a toy store.” I never did trust that Geoffrey Giraffe.
  • Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Travel Channel, 10pm):  Anthony travels to Singapore for his latest season premiere.  I don’t like traveling with crusty people, but I love watching them venture on TV.
  • The Daily Show/The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 11:30pm):  Tonight Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will crank out their versions of a writer-less show.  God love ‘em for trying.

Click to continue reading This Week on TV (1/7-1/13)


Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart Return to Work

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, Cable, CBS, NBC, Daily Show, The, Announcements, News

Jon Stewart has just announced the January return of its two late-night talk show hosts.  and will ring in their new years on January 7th, five days after Kimmel, Leno and O’Brien have scheduled their starts.  and - like the ABC and NBC programs - will resume production sans writers.  What this means for these ‘news’ shows and their largely scripted formats is unknown.

Stewart and Colbert, who are also members of the , released a joint statement about the decision:

‘’We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence.’’

Meanwhile, we may get details later today about the plans for late-night programs.  company, Worldwide Pants, will be meeting with members of the WGA today.  If they can reach an interim agreement, both and could also be hitting the airwaves - with scribes - come January 2nd.

No matter how you feel about the writers’ situation, what do you think about The Daily Show and The Colbert Report returning?  Could they possibly be as good as they were pre-strike—or do you think the quality will suffer?  Will you simply be happy to see them back regardless of the content?

Read More | Variety

Late Night Repeats for Writer-less Talk Shows

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Daytime, Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, Cable, NBC, Syndication, General Hospital, Saturday Night Live, News

SNL Amy PoehlerIf the Writers Guild of America strikes on Monday as scheduled, you can expect a slate of late-night reruns to put you to bed.  Assuming a last-minute Sunday mediation session doesn’t prevent the 12,000 WGA members from walking out, daily productions ranging from to will immediately go into repeats.  So much for November sweeps.

The impact will not necessarily be limited to evening fare; daytime chatfests like may be affected as well.  Fortunately like my fave, , have stockpiled scripts that should leave them immune for months to come.

Tonight’s with Brian Williams could also be the last production for some time.  But given SNL’s lame tendency to air repeats anyway, who’d even notice?

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

Stephen Colbert Honored in South Carolina

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, Cable, Daily Show, The, Gossip, News

Stephen ColbertSouth Carolina’s self-proclaimed favorite son, Stephen Colbert, made his presidential campaign journey to the only state in which he’s competing and basked in the worship of sign-waving southern fans. The mayor of Columbia, SC gave Colbert a key to the city and announced the event on Sunday as ‘Stephen Colbert Day’.

Colbert made his preliminary announcement to run for the presidency on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, though the official announcement occurred a few minutes later on Colbert’s title show. Colbert intends to run as a Democrat and a Republican in the state of South Carolina, which could potentially cause a problem for the only other presidential candidate from the state: Democrat John Edwards. 

Read More | LA Times

Stephen Colbert’s Pocket Challenge

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Comedy, Cable, Daily Show, The, Gossip

Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central host and leader of the Colbert Nation, threw down the gauntlet to Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who is currently on the presidential campaign trail with something close to twenty other Joes (and one Jane). Kucinich has accepted, and will appear on the October 15 show to take part in Colbert’s pocket challenge. As part of the challenge, Kucinich will empty his pockets onstage before Colbert cameras. Will he get the famous “Colbert bump” for his appearance on the show?

Both and The Daily Show have been getting big guests recently. Jon Stewart will interview several A-list celebs in his upcoming shows, right on the heels of a visit from Lynn Cheney, wife of Dick. 


The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Coverage

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Action, Animation, Award Shows, Comedy, Drama, Mini Series, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, Specials, ABC, Bravo, Cable, CBS, FX, FOX, HBO, NBC, Showtime, 24, Amazing Race, The, American Idol, Daily Show, The, Dancing With The Stars, Desperate Housewives, Entourage, Extras, Family Guy, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, Lost, Medium, My Name Is Earl, Scrubs, Saturday Night Live, Survivor, The Office, The Sopranos, Top Chef

Emmy AwardsThe 59th Annual Emmy Awards has not even started, yet I’m already sensing sensing a weird vibe about tonight’s telecast.  Will the show be a celebration of those young and new (e.g. Heroes)?  Will it be a tribute to those bowing out (James Gandolfini and crew)?  Or will performer Kanye West somehow manage to cast a controversial shadow over the rest of the ceremony?

What a difference a year makes.  Twelve months ago, we were still handing out trophies to stars from Will & Grace and The West Wing (those shows feel so five-years ago now).  Today, we welcome a new crop of nominees including Ugly Betty and 30 Rock for Best Comedy.  Last year, we were entertained by an always-hilarious Conan O’Brien.  This year, we are threatened by a song and dance number from this year’s host, Ryan Seacrest.  Last August, 24 snagged the award for Best Drama.  This September, it’s not even nominated (yet somehow Boston Legal is).

I think it would be safe to assume the voters would predictably (and respectfully) shower The Sopranos with honors, but I’ll still be crossing my fingers for an upset sometime tonight.  We’ll need something to talk about tomorrow…

Here’s the play-by-play of tonight’s events coming to you from the neglected West Coast!

Click to continue reading The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Coverage


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