Thursday, December 18, 2014

Goodbye Colbert Report, hello network

Seth Auberon, Pat Macpherson, Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly; Eric Deggans (npr.org)
The greatest right wing maniac who ever turned an ironic screw (thecolbertreport.cc.com)


(CC) Dec. 18, 2014 - The Colbert Report's yard sale offers something for everyone, Pope Francis helps the U.S. bury the hatchet with Cuba, and Stephen reminisces with Phil Klay about Iraq.

Boundary-Pushing Late Night Hosts Move On — Colbert Up, Ferguson Out
There must be more to life than network TV!
They both started their late-night shows in the same year, reinventing their respective corners of television by bending and sometimes breaking the rules.
But as Stephen Colbert and Craig Ferguson both say goodbye to long-running programs this week, only one has turned his showbiz rebellion into a launchpad for an even bigger TV platform [pushing David Letterman off his throne and eventually destroying Jimmy Kimmel, the new Johnny Carson, in the ratings].

I loved Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central.
From the cover of Entertainment Weekly to [a final interview with outgoing warlord/president/CEO B.S. Obama and] shoutouts from James Franco and Michael J. Fox, everyone seems to be talking about tonight's finale of The Colbert Report. Including, to no one's surprise, the host himself.

(CC) Pres. B.S. (Barry Soetoro) Obama wows the Colbert crowd with charisma proving that there are two things he can't do -- stop wars or memorize jokes written for him, Dec. 9, 2014. But he's funny enough for a puppet leader.

But there's another long-running late-night host also saying goodbye this week.

Craig Ferguson (Sonja Flemmings/AP)
On Friday, Craig Ferguson hosts his last episode of CBS' The Late Late Show after nearly 10 years. His departure isn't getting much attention -- in part because he's leaving as CBS builds its new late-night franchise around Colbert, who will replace retiring legend David Letterman in the new year.

Both Colbert and Ferguson blew up the traditional talk show format, but each man accomplished it in his own, unique way. More + NPR AUDIO + MORE VIDEO

(TCR) Stephen Colbert takes Pres. Obama's trip to China and the inevitable criticism from "some" in the mainstream media. But nothing can compare to his send-up of Fox Business contributor Bo Dietl's unhinged rant.

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