Colbert on Late Night was less subtle than in the Colbert Report, but no less biting, a voice for those of us without the platform he's had--which he's used masterfully. I don't often disagree with your take, but on this one, Gene, I believe you really missed his mark.
He's a good man, I enjoy him. I ask nothing more of anyone on TV, or anyone who's talking to me in real life. Also, speaking from experience, to be able to recover after your dad dies in a plane crash (I was seven, he was 10) is no easy feat. (Letterman was an asshole in love with himself, still is.)
During high school I was good buddies with a guy a lot like Letterman: super-smart, abrasive, crass, sarcastic, self-involved, obnoxious but often entertaining. When I next saw the guy decades later, it was disappointing to note that he had not outgrown any of that. Traits that were excusable and exciting in a teenage boy somehow seemed less cute in a middle-aged man.
In the meantime, I had married a fellow much more like Stephen Colbert: also super-smart, but an approachable, gracious gentleman. Whether watching TV from bed or sharing the bed, I absolutely prefer the company of a gentleman! Heaven knows the world already exalts snarky boors way too much; I don't want to end my day with another.
Gene, I’ve never disagreed with you more. Colbert was great because he was both funny and a great interviewer. Kimmel can be more biting but his interviews are terrible. Oliver is excellent but it’s a completely different type of show. Myers is very good and his Closer Look is always excellent but he doesn’t have the ability to do physical comedy the way Colbert can. Colbert is the whole package. ( and I’ll just leave the fawning Fallon out of the conversation…)
I think that Stephen Colbert was and is pretty incredible! He made my life 100% better, lots of laughs all these years! I think that his bark had less bite these last months…nevertheless…what a bark! Even though this last bit has been way more shtick, I enjoy his brain 🧠 and I will miss him a great deal! Maybe there were a few misses but there sure were a hell of a lot of hits!
I respectfully disagree. Colbert's satire was razor sharp edged and consistently hit the mark in skewering Trump and his cronies. That's why his show was cancelled. He will be greatly missed.
Gene, Gene. What have you done, Gene? You don't kick a man when he's down. If you didn't like Stephen Colbert as a late-night host, you could have said so a long time ago, instead of waiting until his last few days on the air. Gene, I knew Stephen Colbert. Gene, you're no Stephen Colbert.
LOL. Did you use to do color commentary for boxing matches? "His teeth have been knocked out, and his eyes are rolled up in his head. But look, he's getting up, folks!"
Well, he's incredibly popular with everyone except network brass and the so-called POTUS. He has a dream opportunity for a Tolkien nerd, getting to write a movie set in the glossed-over parts of Fellowship of the Ring. With his son! And he is still relatively young. When The Aneurysm comes to save us, Colbert will still be around and his opportunities will be endless. This last year has been one long and successful audition for whatever Stephen Colbert might want to do next.
If we're comparing Colbert to his competitors, those include Jimmy Fallon — a smarmy, fake-laughing people-pleaser. Kimmel's monologue machine-guns out of him like he's never studied timing. But I don't think talking about his competition is the way to talk about Colbert. Can you imagine Fallon, or even Oliver, talking to Anderson Cooper or Andrew Garfield or Nick Cave about personal loss in a more effective way? He is totally his own person. I get it — those interviews weren't belly laughs — but they did reflect thoughts or conversations you might have, well, late at night.
Gene, you make some points. Colbert's Late Show isn't Letterman's Late Show, and it's not The Colbert Report. But I have to look at my own behavior, and among the recent choices of daily shows, Colbert is the one I have recorded daily and watched most often, sometimes even when it's an older episode. Why: He is relentless in his attacks on the powerful, including his own bosses, such as when he interviewed James Talarico and rubbed it in CBS's face. Unlike Seth, he does so without the repetitive, tired, lengthy asides about the writer who wrote that joke, or about Lindsey Graham's meemaw. In interviews, he sometimes talks too much, but it's because he listens and often has actual conversations with his guests. He has decent artistic taste and gave a platform to artists who might not have gotten the love with a different host. And finally, he is an interesting, reflective, and open-minded man who had real conversations with guests about faith, justice, and morality -- he is probably better at this than anybody of his generation.
Oof. Sorry I disagree. It was funny once, but it's punching low, and repeating it every damned time his name is mentioned detracts from the substance, which is his hypocrisy, not his accent.
Won't quibble. Another peeve about Seth is that he's annoyingly repetitive, in the same monolog or Closer Look.
Speaking of the accent, I live in South Crackerlina. The fast food chain Bojangles annoying ads have the catchphrase 'It’s Bo time!' Swear to god the man sounds EXACTLY like lindsey.
So, so wrong. Yes, the Colbert Report was better, but the Colbert Report was better than everything. His monologues on the Late Show are awesome, and will be sorely missed.
Gene, you're not the only pundit to disparage Colbert's performance, and I am sure you are reluctant to do so. But your critique makes me wonder how often you've actually watched him, because I find most of what you say is completely off-base. I do agree that Louis Cato is no Jon Baptiste, but who is? As several other readers have already said better than I can, Colbert is the whole package: witty, smart, self-deprecating and genuinely interested in finding out what makes his guests tick--and revealing what HE is made of. Of course he's pulled his punches on occasion--what comic hasn't, especially in this awful era? I almost wish he'd done so more if it would have kept him on the air, but I doubt anything could have saved him. Alas.
I miss the Colbert of the Colbert Report. I will miss the Colbert of Late Night. But I don't think there's as much of a difference between the two as some think. And so, I'm hopeful that, in some new role, Stephen Colbert will continue to amuse, inspire and open our eyes. As he once sang with Elvis Costello, there are much worse things to believe in.
We all know that Colbert on the Colbert Report was a character he brilliantly invented. My sense is that his Late Night persona was as close to his own self as anyone could reasonably expect on a public stage. We need more Colberts in the media and in life generally.
Here’s the thing: Colbert was on the wrong late night show. He was NOT the inheritor of Letterman, which is why he almost bombed out after the first 6 months. He should have been the host of The Tonight Show. He IS the inheritor of Johnny Carson. Kimmel is the true Letterman of today’s late night. Let’s just leave Fallon out of the mix; he’s just lame. Seth Myers is great reading funny things; the rest of his show is meh.
Also, I want to put in a shout out for the rotating cast of The Daily Show. All 5 are brilliant, and having Stewart as the Monday rock, and then 3 days of each of the other four (with pop-ins for bits) keeps it fresh.
Jon Stewart will occupy a central role in the history of comedy for having given a national platform for so many greats, including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Larry Wilmore, Desi Lydic, Jordan Klepper, Roy Wood, Jr., and of course, Lewis black.
Became a Carell fan for The Office. So effing clueless. I think I first saw Lewis Black as Professor Crawley on Big Bang Theory. Yes. I have watched so wierd shit, searching for humor.
Enjoyed Colbert having Carell on recently, reminiscing about getting started at Second City.
Klepper is a hoot. Reminds me of Colbert in his Report days. Have noticed he has facial expressions very similar to Stewart.
Is it wrong to hijack Gene's posts for personal communication?
The Monday episodes with Jon Stewart differ significantly from the other 3 weekly episodes. Stewart doesn't make me laugh as much as he used to. He seems to have assumed the role of serious commentator who says the things one can't say on network television.
You got that right. Several recurring bits are must-see, especially Sports Wars with Jordan Klepper v Ronny Chieng ("Brought to you by gambling") and (my favorite comedian) Lewis Black
Yeah, Seth's forte is his delivery when telling stories. The "this is the kind of story we need right now" segments are the sort of place where he shines.
Crap, I clicked Stewart, but I should have clicked Oliver. Special place for Stewart in my heart, but that is more nostalgia than current feeling. Stewart might be the GOAT, but Oliver's run isn't over yet...
I love Oliver, but his show is not the same AT ALL as other talk shows. I appreciate his in-depth coverage of topics no one else is talking about. Minaj did the same, but he was full of references I had to google. It was too hard to keep up.
Colbert on Late Night was less subtle than in the Colbert Report, but no less biting, a voice for those of us without the platform he's had--which he's used masterfully. I don't often disagree with your take, but on this one, Gene, I believe you really missed his mark.
He's a good man, I enjoy him. I ask nothing more of anyone on TV, or anyone who's talking to me in real life. Also, speaking from experience, to be able to recover after your dad dies in a plane crash (I was seven, he was 10) is no easy feat. (Letterman was an asshole in love with himself, still is.)
During high school I was good buddies with a guy a lot like Letterman: super-smart, abrasive, crass, sarcastic, self-involved, obnoxious but often entertaining. When I next saw the guy decades later, it was disappointing to note that he had not outgrown any of that. Traits that were excusable and exciting in a teenage boy somehow seemed less cute in a middle-aged man.
In the meantime, I had married a fellow much more like Stephen Colbert: also super-smart, but an approachable, gracious gentleman. Whether watching TV from bed or sharing the bed, I absolutely prefer the company of a gentleman! Heaven knows the world already exalts snarky boors way too much; I don't want to end my day with another.
Wonderfully said
I'm so sorry you had to deal with such an early loss in your life. Unimaginable.
Yeah, but Letterman was my favorite TELEVISION asshole....
Gene, I’ve never disagreed with you more. Colbert was great because he was both funny and a great interviewer. Kimmel can be more biting but his interviews are terrible. Oliver is excellent but it’s a completely different type of show. Myers is very good and his Closer Look is always excellent but he doesn’t have the ability to do physical comedy the way Colbert can. Colbert is the whole package. ( and I’ll just leave the fawning Fallon out of the conversation…)
Simpering Jimmy F. My only plaudit for him is being a member of Strike Force Five, supporting their staffs through the writers' strike.
I think that Stephen Colbert was and is pretty incredible! He made my life 100% better, lots of laughs all these years! I think that his bark had less bite these last months…nevertheless…what a bark! Even though this last bit has been way more shtick, I enjoy his brain 🧠 and I will miss him a great deal! Maybe there were a few misses but there sure were a hell of a lot of hits!
I respectfully disagree. Colbert's satire was razor sharp edged and consistently hit the mark in skewering Trump and his cronies. That's why his show was cancelled. He will be greatly missed.
Gene, Gene. What have you done, Gene? You don't kick a man when he's down. If you didn't like Stephen Colbert as a late-night host, you could have said so a long time ago, instead of waiting until his last few days on the air. Gene, I knew Stephen Colbert. Gene, you're no Stephen Colbert.
He's not down! He's up.
Nope. Losing his job years ahead of his new contract's expiration and being replaced with schlock is not winning in my book.
LOL. Did you use to do color commentary for boxing matches? "His teeth have been knocked out, and his eyes are rolled up in his head. But look, he's getting up, folks!"
Well, he's incredibly popular with everyone except network brass and the so-called POTUS. He has a dream opportunity for a Tolkien nerd, getting to write a movie set in the glossed-over parts of Fellowship of the Ring. With his son! And he is still relatively young. When The Aneurysm comes to save us, Colbert will still be around and his opportunities will be endless. This last year has been one long and successful audition for whatever Stephen Colbert might want to do next.
If we're comparing Colbert to his competitors, those include Jimmy Fallon — a smarmy, fake-laughing people-pleaser. Kimmel's monologue machine-guns out of him like he's never studied timing. But I don't think talking about his competition is the way to talk about Colbert. Can you imagine Fallon, or even Oliver, talking to Anderson Cooper or Andrew Garfield or Nick Cave about personal loss in a more effective way? He is totally his own person. I get it — those interviews weren't belly laughs — but they did reflect thoughts or conversations you might have, well, late at night.
Gene, you make some points. Colbert's Late Show isn't Letterman's Late Show, and it's not The Colbert Report. But I have to look at my own behavior, and among the recent choices of daily shows, Colbert is the one I have recorded daily and watched most often, sometimes even when it's an older episode. Why: He is relentless in his attacks on the powerful, including his own bosses, such as when he interviewed James Talarico and rubbed it in CBS's face. Unlike Seth, he does so without the repetitive, tired, lengthy asides about the writer who wrote that joke, or about Lindsey Graham's meemaw. In interviews, he sometimes talks too much, but it's because he listens and often has actual conversations with his guests. He has decent artistic taste and gave a platform to artists who might not have gotten the love with a different host. And finally, he is an interesting, reflective, and open-minded man who had real conversations with guests about faith, justice, and morality -- he is probably better at this than anybody of his generation.
Though I gotta say Seth's shtick about lickspittle lindsey's mee-maw is about the funniest thing he does.
Oof. Sorry I disagree. It was funny once, but it's punching low, and repeating it every damned time his name is mentioned detracts from the substance, which is his hypocrisy, not his accent.
Won't quibble. Another peeve about Seth is that he's annoyingly repetitive, in the same monolog or Closer Look.
Speaking of the accent, I live in South Crackerlina. The fast food chain Bojangles annoying ads have the catchphrase 'It’s Bo time!' Swear to god the man sounds EXACTLY like lindsey.
So, so wrong. Yes, the Colbert Report was better, but the Colbert Report was better than everything. His monologues on the Late Show are awesome, and will be sorely missed.
Gene, you're not the only pundit to disparage Colbert's performance, and I am sure you are reluctant to do so. But your critique makes me wonder how often you've actually watched him, because I find most of what you say is completely off-base. I do agree that Louis Cato is no Jon Baptiste, but who is? As several other readers have already said better than I can, Colbert is the whole package: witty, smart, self-deprecating and genuinely interested in finding out what makes his guests tick--and revealing what HE is made of. Of course he's pulled his punches on occasion--what comic hasn't, especially in this awful era? I almost wish he'd done so more if it would have kept him on the air, but I doubt anything could have saved him. Alas.
I miss the Colbert of the Colbert Report. I will miss the Colbert of Late Night. But I don't think there's as much of a difference between the two as some think. And so, I'm hopeful that, in some new role, Stephen Colbert will continue to amuse, inspire and open our eyes. As he once sang with Elvis Costello, there are much worse things to believe in.
The fact that you were disappointed in Colbert's Late Show says more about you than it does about Colbert.
I do not deny this!
We all know that Colbert on the Colbert Report was a character he brilliantly invented. My sense is that his Late Night persona was as close to his own self as anyone could reasonably expect on a public stage. We need more Colberts in the media and in life generally.
Here’s the thing: Colbert was on the wrong late night show. He was NOT the inheritor of Letterman, which is why he almost bombed out after the first 6 months. He should have been the host of The Tonight Show. He IS the inheritor of Johnny Carson. Kimmel is the true Letterman of today’s late night. Let’s just leave Fallon out of the mix; he’s just lame. Seth Myers is great reading funny things; the rest of his show is meh.
Also, I want to put in a shout out for the rotating cast of The Daily Show. All 5 are brilliant, and having Stewart as the Monday rock, and then 3 days of each of the other four (with pop-ins for bits) keeps it fresh.
Would like more Stewart. The kids are good, Stewart is The Man.
Jon Stewart will occupy a central role in the history of comedy for having given a national platform for so many greats, including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Larry Wilmore, Desi Lydic, Jordan Klepper, Roy Wood, Jr., and of course, Lewis black.
Became a Carell fan for The Office. So effing clueless. I think I first saw Lewis Black as Professor Crawley on Big Bang Theory. Yes. I have watched so wierd shit, searching for humor.
Enjoyed Colbert having Carell on recently, reminiscing about getting started at Second City.
Klepper is a hoot. Reminds me of Colbert in his Report days. Have noticed he has facial expressions very similar to Stewart.
Is it wrong to hijack Gene's posts for personal communication?
The Monday episodes with Jon Stewart differ significantly from the other 3 weekly episodes. Stewart doesn't make me laugh as much as he used to. He seems to have assumed the role of serious commentator who says the things one can't say on network television.
Still makes me laugh frequently.
You got that right. Several recurring bits are must-see, especially Sports Wars with Jordan Klepper v Ronny Chieng ("Brought to you by gambling") and (my favorite comedian) Lewis Black
Lewis Black is what I wanna be if I grow up.
Yeah, Seth's forte is his delivery when telling stories. The "this is the kind of story we need right now" segments are the sort of place where he shines.
Quite wrong there, Gene. Quite wrong indeed.
Crap, I clicked Stewart, but I should have clicked Oliver. Special place for Stewart in my heart, but that is more nostalgia than current feeling. Stewart might be the GOAT, but Oliver's run isn't over yet...
I love Oliver, but his show is not the same AT ALL as other talk shows. I appreciate his in-depth coverage of topics no one else is talking about. Minaj did the same, but he was full of references I had to google. It was too hard to keep up.