"The Colbert Report": Week of 12/8/14

[trow125]

When David Letterman left NBC for CBS there was a lot of talk about certain bits which NBC claimed as their "intellectual property." I think "Viewer Mail" had to be renamed "CBS Mailbag" and Larry "Bud" Melman had to be referred to by his real name, Calvert DeForest. I don't know if Comedy Central would kick up a fuss if Colbert tried to keep doing his signature bits, but my guess is that they will either be retired or renamed, just to create a clean break with the past.

[The Bullpen]

I can't see The Word or Tip/Wag or really any segment being brought over.  They're all essentially an outgrowth of the "Stephen" character.  They work with that character.  I don't think they would work with the real Stephen Colbert.  Not that he can't inhabit another character or other characters at times on The Late Show, but he won't be continually in character as a conservative blowhard.  So, yeah, I would be very surprised to see much crossover.

[Gemma Violet]

When David Letterman left NBC for CBS there was a lot of talk about certain bits which NBC claimed as their "intellectual property." I think "Viewer Mail" had to be renamed "CBS Mailbag" and Larry "Bud" Melman had to be referred to by his real name, Calvert DeForest. 

 

And his water fountain, the Dancing Waters, was renamed the Prancing Fluids.

 

I think Stephen and his writers will come up with a whole new batch of regular bits.  

 

I'm thrilled that Stephen will be on a major network, but I'm so going to miss the character.  It's hard to believe there are only four shows left.

[bluepiano]

The Smaug interview was technically seamless. Congrats to the folks who put it together. Favorite line of many good ones: "It's hard to get hired in Hollywood if you're a conservative. That's why Kelsey Grammar and I are always up for the same parts."

 

The interview had me laughing out loud, and I must be the only person in America who's never seen (and has no interest in seeing) a Lord of the Rings movie. Just another example of the Colbert Report's brilliant writing, which I will definitely miss.