I've said it on this blog before and I'll say it again: I like The Colbert Report more than The Daily Show. I don't hate The Daily Show, but both the Report and its host exist in its own fictional bubble, a place where only the information that validates Colbert's worldview is allowed in and everything else is dismissed as unnecessary.
It's apples and oranges, I know, as Stephen Colbert has always been an actor while Jon Stewart much less so. When it comes to interviews, it's no big deal for Stewart to just be himself and ask questions, but Colbert has to both maintain his TV personage, contend with his interviewees, and make the whole thing funny. This made for a few awkward interviews at first, but once Colbert figured out that balance, his interviews became one of the best parts of the show.
Recently, Evan Osnos, who spent a year in Baghdad reporting on the Iraq war, appeared on The Colbert Report. In this article he offers some wise advice to anyone who might find themselves sitting across the table from Mr. Colbert. Bottom line: just provide the information and let Colbert handle the funny stuff.
Below, check out Osnos' appearance.
[via CC Insider]
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-07-2007 @ 12:25PM
Karen said...
Heh. It's good advice. A shame Simon Schama didn't follow it.
Reply
8-07-2007 @ 12:47PM
r.r.r. said...
i also like the colbert report more than the daily show. great article too. that interview was hilarious.
Reply
8-07-2007 @ 1:23PM
Machine said...
I like the Colbert Report but... but it's largely a one-trick pony... and I often don't watch the whole episode.
By comparison.. I LOVE the Daily Show and wish it was an hour long... the interplay between Jon and the correspondents is excellent... and is sorely missed in the Colbert show. I'd love if they combined the two shows into one... so the two leads could play off each other more.
Reply
8-07-2007 @ 3:07PM
Borat said...
The new correspondents on The Daily Show are hilarious...especially the British guy (don't know why his name is escaping me).
Colbert is great too (especially the better-know-a-district segment), but it would help him if he could get some correspondents too.
Reply
8-08-2007 @ 3:13PM
Joey Geraci said...
You know, I absolutely agree that Colbert needs to have his own correspondents, but I also understand why it has been difficult for him to have them. They have to be able to respond well to Colbert's character, and play off him, without overstaging him. The correspondent's on the Daily Show often take the spotlight away from Jon when they're on, but that's mostly ok, because Jon is almost always playing the straight man to their crazy guy. Colbert's character would be awkward, to say the least, playing the straight man.
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 1:30AM
Rick said...
It's also true that Jon Stewart is a collosal centrist who will suck up to the likes of John Bolton and (many times) Bill Crystal. He works so hard not to truly insult the right and remain a schtick based comedian, that he always creates a milksoppy, bland pap. Stephen, on the other hand, has an unparalleled pair of balls. Imagine Jon doing the Washington Press Corps dinner keynote address. Bush would have truly enjoyed it, because Jon would have just been an agreeable, Borscht Belt comedian... non confrontatory and all cute and Jewish, etc. Not interested.
Reply