A Review of the Colbert Report

Somebody told me once that all comedy is based on anger. Another person told me the best comedy comes from exaggeration. If you take anger and exaggeration, mix it with straight-faced comedian Steven Colbert, and sprinkle it with current events, the resulting concoction would probably be something like The Colbert Report, a post-Daily Show nightly take - or take off - on talking head TV.

The Colbert Report begins with a amped-up version of all the Americana-hoopdeedo a lot of today's nightly talk shows also use. There's an enormous eagle that flies through the graphic - not a real eagle, it's not that exaggerated. There's the image of Colbert raising an inquisitive eyebrow, taking off his glasses dramatically, standing with the flag, waving it like he's about to plant it on the moon. For anyone who thinks commentator or networks take themselves too seriously or play the patriotism card too much: this opening's for you.

In fact, this whole program's for you. The Daily Show uses the nightly news format to skewer anyone who's been stupid lately, politicians, society, humanity in general. The Colbert Report uses the format of the nightly cable news commentary show to do the same. But by adopting an on screen persona clearly meant to lampoon Bill O'Reilly, Colbert and his Report take an extra and ongoing smack at the conservative commentator phenomenon. From his self-righteous declarations ("You're on notice" "That's New York Ivy League elitism") to his segment "The Word" where he puts a word in a sidebar graphic and uses it as a diatribe launching pad, to his criticism of "fact checkers" it's obvious, intentionally obvious, that Colbert is thumbing his nose (or making another gesture with another digit) at O'Reilly and his fellows.

Colbert stays in character for most of the show. The Colbert Report consists of his seated monologue, " The Word," and various other segments including the bizarre "Bring 'Em Back or Keep 'Em Dead" and "You Better Know Your Congressional Districts" where he interviews congressional reps in the spliced interview style The Daily Show employs. Top question? "George Bush: great president or the greatest president?"

At the midway point, Colbert runs across the stage to cheers (instead of introducing a entering guest) then does an in-house interview with the guest who's already seated. It's just another moment of exaggeration playing up the pompous ass nature of his on screen persona. His guests include authors, pundits from both sides of the aisle, and entertainment types. As he interviews, sometimes he stays in character, promising to "nail" his guest, which both amuses and confuses the guest. Sometimes, he gets serious and asks real questions.

Criticism could be offered that the show is sometimes slow and the gag segments don't always work. (How long with the silent T in Report be funny?). Colbert also is clearly reading a TelePrompTer and stumbles over words more than anyone I've ever seen. It's sort of weird. The interviews, also, can be sometimes get strange when the subject has something to say and it gets lost in Colbert's schtick.

But the schtick itself is top-notch. Say what you want about Steve Carrell on The Office, but for my dollar, Steven Colbert is the best straight-faced jackass in the business. For those who like Bill O'Reilly, the schtick may be where the anger comes in. For those of you who think the O'Reillys, Hannitys, and Scarboroughs of the world have gone for too long unchecked, The Colbert Report may be where the anger finds voice and is assuaged. The middle-of-the-road, conciliatory perspective often taken by The Daily Show does not show up on The Report as often (though he's always polite in the interviews). Colbert seldom breaks character. You have to wonder if behind that mimicry is a message once delivered by another fictional newsman: I'm nad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore. Then again, that might be a slight exaggeration.