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Stephen Colbert Shines as Webby Winner

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, Cable, Internet

Stephen ColbertComedy Central host won’t be winning a bid in the U.S. Presidential election, but he has managed to walk away with one prestigious award on the year.

Colbert was recently named “Person of the Year” and given a Webby award to mark his feat. Webby awards, a vehicle dreamed up by the Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, are given out for Internet excellence, and those people who do their part to maintain this ideal. The award ceremony takes place June 9 and 10 in New York, but the winners are (as part of Webby tradition) only allowed to make a five-word acceptance speech.

“Person of the Year” is the highest Webby honor. Colbert won for “the innovative way he has used the Internet to interact with fans of .” Also known as the Colbert Nation, these fans have oft been prompted by Colbert to participate in online activities, such as changing the status of the American buffalo on Wikipedia. 

Read More | LA Times

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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

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

Comedy Central Hosts Return

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

Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart TV (and ) got a boost Monday night with the return of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert of . Absent from TV since November 1, 2007, both hosts winged it on-air without their writers, and neither was afraid to comment on the current scriptless situation. But even with these valiant efforts, viewers didn’t see the same shows they’re used to.

It’s been pondered for weeks now, and finally the question has been answered. How will Comedy Central’s two late night shows fare without writers? For these first episodes back, both hosts talked about the at length, each interviewing experts on labor relations and unions. , who has a background in stand-up comedy, seemed as relaxed and at home as ever on stage, though he referred to the present as “uncomfortable circumstances.” Stewart also announced a name change for the show, to be in effect for the duration of the strike: ’A Daily Show’.

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Read More | Chicago Tribune

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)


Surprises in Store for Late Night TV

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

Stephen ColbertIf you’ve attempted to watch TV at all in the last two months, you know there’s an active in the works. Despite the picket lines, lots of studios are “encouraging” their hosts to get and back behind the desk.

, , and (among others) all intend to bring their shows back to the air beginning in January - but this time, they’re doing it without their writers. When it comes to television, this action is very much like walking a tightrope in the circus…with no safety net.

The hosts are members of the themselves, meaning they’ll have to pass by their union brothers and sisters on their way to work every morning (or afternoon, as the case may be). This membership also means the hosts themselves must continue to follow union rules, and will be subject to the terms and conditions therein. For instance, monologues and talk segments (like Colbert’s The Word) may no longer be part of the program. So…what, then, will viewers see on late night in January? For one, you won’t be getting scripted segments.

Click to continue reading Surprises in Store for Late Night TV

Read More | Yahoo! News

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

Political Celebrities: Helpful or Hurtful?

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Editorial, News

Oprah Winfrey endorsing Barack Obama has recently made it known that she supports Hillary Clinton’s bid for the Presidency, while has been on Barack Obama’s bandwagon for some time now. Pro wrestler hearts and John Edwards recently toured Iowa with singer Bonnie Raitt in tow. Celebrities are citizens just like the rest of us, and the beauty of Democracy is that we all get to vote for whomever we please. But…is it okay for celebs to be so showy in their support for this candidate or that?

There’s a lot of party politics out there, and sometimes the and sides seem fairly cut and dry. But it’s the people who remain “on the fence” that really turn the tide – the independents, the soon-to-be-registered voters, the people who claim a party but often vote against their own. What moves these people, what sways them? What might inspire them to go out there and cast a vote in favor of a particular politician?

Did the public reaction to Stephen Colbert’s Presidential campaign not teach us anything? In less than one week after his announcement, Colbert shot ahead of other campaigners with a quick 2% jump – more than and Mike Gravel have amassed in months and months of hard-core campaigning. Celebrities are on TV for one reason and one reason only – because they sell. They sell us everyday on entertainment, on their ideas, on their looks and their skills. So it’s not an incredible leap of faith to assume they’re going to try and sell us on their politics, too.  But should they?

Click to continue reading Political Celebrities: Helpful or Hurtful?

Read More | Yahoo! News via Polling Report


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