David Letterman retiring (will be replaced by Colbert) (1 Viewer)

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Letterman was an edgy ******* on NBC when his show was on at midnight or 12:30 or whenever it was... but he toned it down bigtime when he went to CBS. He was still Dave, but he was a hell of a lot nicer in the alt-Johnny timeslot.

I think Colbert will switch things up.

 

[Porkchop Express]

Not a fan of this move, especially if he ditches his persona. The Report was some of the best written comedy stuff on TV currently.

I have to think this becomes a Hybrid "Colbert Report/Real Time" type show. Gotta ditch the format. I can't watch 3 Colbert interviews back to back to back.

One great thing about the Colbert Report was the guests, he usually had interesting people on, not just the usual celebrities contractually obligated to hawk their latest product.

 

[Quez]

Fallon sucks. Colbert should do better than him.

 

[packersfan]

Letterman was an edgy ******* on NBC when his show was on at midnight or 12:30 or whenever it was... but he toned it down bigtime when he went to CBS.

It wasn't realistic for him to keep up that type of approach for 30+ years so change was inevitable. But the shows he did on NBC in the 80s were amazing. He had big-time celebrities afraid to come on his show because if you didn't bring a good game with you he was going to tear you to shreds. Plus there were all the great filmed segments and Chris Elliott and all sorts of insane things going on.

 

[hagmania]

Death of a great shtick. RIP Colbert Report.

 

[Eephus]

Death of a great shtick. RIP Colbert Report.

It was a good run.

 

[Juxtatarot]

Entertainment Weekly had a similar thought: "Colbert is expected to shed his ultra-conservative Colbert Report character for Late Show, which leads to perhaps the biggest question mark surrounding his hiring. Though he’s been going through the broad motions of being a late-night host since 2005, he hasn’t been “himself” on the air — so what does that look and feel like, exactly?"

I think he'll ditch the conservative schtick but keep the pompous schtick.

 

[Guest]

Going to miss the Colbert Report, but I like the hire.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Oliver got signed for his weekly show on HBO so I would strongly doubt that he'll take over the Colbert Comedy Central Slot.

-QG

 

[Rove!]

Entertainment Weekly had a similar thought: "Colbert is expected to shed his ultra-conservative Colbert Report character for Late Show, which leads to perhaps the biggest question mark surrounding his hiring. Though he’s been going through the broad motions of being a late-night host since 2005, he hasn’t been “himself” on the air — so what does that look and feel like, exactly?"

ugh...he managed to make Rube Goldberg machines dull

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Death of a great shtick. RIP Colbert Report.

It was a good run.

Shocking he kept it fresh as long as he did. I remember thinking "a parody O'Reilly? That will be funny for about 2 months."

 

[Scoresman]

Yet another flaming liberal who thinks his snarky brand of not-so-clever humor is more funny than it really is.

Network television is utterly vapid.

The best part about this news is that it upsets people like you, assuming your account isn't just schtick.

 

[saintfool]

Entertainment Weekly had a similar thought: "Colbert is expected to shed his ultra-conservative Colbert Report character for Late Show, which leads to perhaps the biggest question mark surrounding his hiring. Though he’s been going through the broad motions of being a late-night host since 2005, he hasn’t been “himself” on the air — so what does that look and feel like, exactly?"

but it took him at least 20 seperate bits to do it!

 

[Abraham]

Colbert will be interesting. Love his comedy, will he have to be a straight on it?

 

[matuski]

He did a fair job covering the Chairman of the Business Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Link.

 

[coyote5]

Entertainment Weekly had a similar thought: "Colbert is expected to shed his ultra-conservative Colbert Report character for Late Show, which leads to perhaps the biggest question mark surrounding his hiring. Though he’s been going through the broad motions of being a late-night host since 2005, he hasn’t been “himself” on the air — so what does that look and feel like, exactly?"

Correct!! Obviously we should look to his work from nearly 20 years ago to predict what his new show will be like. Brilliant.

 

[Eephus]

Death of a great shtick. RIP Colbert Report.

It was a good run.

Shocking he kept it fresh as long as he did. I remember thinking "a parody O'Reilly? That will be funny for about 2 months."

He and his writers did a great job of developing depth in what could have easily been a one-note character

 

[hagmania]

Death of a great shtick. RIP Colbert Report.

It was a good run.

Shocking he kept it fresh as long as he did. I remember thinking "a parody O'Reilly? That will be funny for about 2 months."

He and his writers did a great job of developing depth in what could have easily been a one-note character

It was always his delivery while in character that did it for me. So great at first keeping that poker face, but then cracking ever-so-slightly, indulging the audience to laugh harder.

Hope he can keep the consistency as he develops a new style for the CBS slot.

 

[Joe Summer]

Colbert is actually more conservative and religious than the majority of Hollywood.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

The biggest question* for me is how Colbert will do interviewing people while playing it straight. "Stephen Colbert" interviewing Paul Krugman or Alexi Lalas is funny. Stephen Colbert interviewing them might be deadly.

* Not that big a question really. I don't stay up for late night shows but my wife does TIVO Report episodes and binge watch them for hours at a time.

 

[Eephus]

The biggest question* for me is how Colbert will do interviewing people while playing it straight. "Stephen Colbert" interviewing Paul Krugman or Alexi Lalas is funny. Stephen Colbert interviewing them might be deadly.

* Not that big a question really. I don't stay up for late night shows but my wife does TIVO Report episodes and binge watch them for hours at a time.

Alexi Lalas interviewing Paul Krugman would be funny, especially if Krugman was pimping his new CBS sitcom.

 

[Chaka]

I'm just thinking CBS would be concerned that, by not bringing the persona along, they risk alienating the fans he has, while also risking that whatever his new shtick is won't work with middle America. To me, he's not the lead-pipe-lock top option.

Alienated? Are Colbert fans that invested in his persona?

Yes.

I am seriously bitter and am going to miss The Colbert Report tremendously. I also have trouble with the idea of watching the new Late Night even with Colbert. I like the 30 min 4 day/week format of TCR not sure I will want to sit through 90 minutes 5 nights/week.

 

[PatriotJohn]

RIP Prescott Pharmaceuticals.

 

[Gr00vus]

Not so great that in one fell swoop we could lose the Colbert Report and Ferguson's show. They were both .

 

[jamny]

Am I the only one that has never seen a Colbert show? I've never seen the Daily Show either besides clips that people post.

 

[Gr00vus]

Maybe comedy central can give Olivia Munn the slot? I really don't care if she's funny or not. What other John Stewart flunkies might be up for it?

 

[Juxtatarot]

Maybe comedy central can give Olivia Munn the slot? I really don't care if she's funny or not. What other John Stewart flunkies might be up for it?

Wyatt Cenac?

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Not so great that in one fell swoop we could lose the Colbert Report and Ferguson's show. They were both .

why is Ferguson leaving?

 

[Willie Whistle]

I like the 30 min 4 day/week format of TCR not sure I will want to sit through 90 minutes 5 nights/week.

Do you plan on spending those last thirty minutes each night trying to figure out why Colbert went off the air a half hour ago?

 

[Chaka]

Maybe comedy central can give Olivia Munn the slot? I really don't care if she's funny or not. What other John Stewart flunkies might be up for it?

Wyatt Cenac?

I don't think anyone carries on anything resembling TCR but I personally like Jessica Williams and Aasif Mandvi the best among Stewart's current correspondents.

 

[Chaka]

I like the 30 min 4 day/week format of TCR not sure I will want to sit through 90 60 minutes 5 nights/week.

Do you plan on spending those last thirty minutes each night trying to figure out why Colbert went off the air a half hour ago?

I take it that Late Night is a 60 minute show? My bad, I haven't watched Leno or Letterman in decades. You sure got me on that one, boy howdy. Fixed.

 

[Eephus]

Not so great that in one fell swoop we could lose the Colbert Report and Ferguson's show. They were both .

why is Ferguson leaving?

Neither he or CBS has said anything. His contract is up next year and his show is produced by Worldwide Pants. There's some speculation that CBS may want to retool their entire late night lineup.

I think Colbert and Ferguson can coexist. They seem like they'd attract the same type of audience. If CBS had picked somebody younger or more female than Colbert, it would be a worse sign for Ferguson.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

John Oliver bailed just a bit too soon...

 

[Gr00vus]

Maybe comedy central can give Olivia Munn the slot? I really don't care if she's funny or not. What other John Stewart flunkies might be up for it?

Wyatt Cenac?

I don't think anyone carries on anything resembling TCR but I personally like Jessica Williams and Aasif Mandvi the best among Stewart's current correspondents.

I like Mandvi, I wonder if he could carry an entire 30 minute show.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

If they were to take someone from Stewart's bench. I'd bet on Samantha Bee. Or maybe give her and Jessica Williams their own show playing up the girls' club angle.

In terms of a guy who could step in and be a character hosting a show, I suppose John Hodgman's deranged billionaire shtick might work.

 

[Fennis]

Im rooting for Craig Kilborn,

 

[Chaka]

If they were to take someone from Stewart's bench. I'd bet on Samantha Bee. Or maybe give her and Jessica Williams their own show playing up the girls' club angle.

In terms of a guy who could step in and be a character hosting a show, I suppose John Hodgman's deranged billionaire shtick might work.

John Hodgman seems a little one-note to me.

 

[Fennis]

or John Henson

 

[Chaka]

I really like senior black correspondent Larry Wilmore. I am not sure it could work but he has some solid Colbert Report type shtick.

 

[Eephus]

or John Henson

or Giannis Antetokounmpo

 

[Homer J Simpson]

I hear Chevy Chase is available.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Maybe they can keep trying to make fetch happen by rebooting Important Things with Dmetri Martin.

 

[Willie Whistle]

I like the 30 min 4 day/week format of TCR not sure I will want to sit through 90 60 minutes 5 nights/week.

Do you plan on spending those last thirty minutes each night trying to figure out why Colbert went off the air a half hour ago?

I take it that Late Night is a 60 minute show? My bad, I haven't watched Leno or Letterman in decades. You sure got me on that one, boy howdy. Fixed.

Leno and Letterman were never 90 minutes. The Tonight Show was cut to 60 minutes in 1980 per Johnny's request. So, yeah, it's been a few decades.

 

[pollardsvision]

This sucks.

There is zero chance that Colbert trying to make 80 year old CBS viewers chuckle is better than The Report.

I wish they would've gotten somebody who wasn't going to be funny anyway. Like with Fallon.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

This sucks.

There is zero chance that Colbert trying to make 80 year old CBS viewers chuckle is better than The Report.

I don't think Dave was pulling in the FoxNews constituency. That was Leno's job.

 

[Mister CIA]

He's surely got many millions sacked away and it likely won't happen, but I'd love to see Steve Carell take a step back and replace Colbert.

 

[bosoxs45]

Oliver got signed for his weekly show on HBO so I would strongly doubt that he'll take over the Colbert Comedy Central Slot.

-QG

So @midnight moves up to @11:30?

 

[timschochet]

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=861771

Rush Limbaugh wasted no time Thursday responding to the news that Stephen Colbert would replace David Letterman on CBS' "The Late Show," and the conservative talk-radio host is not happy about the choice.

In fact, Limbaugh said, he thinks the network has "declared war on the heartland of America" by hiring Colbert, whose Comedy Central show "The Colbert Report" regularly spoofs the conservative movement that Limbaugh has spearheaded.

"You really care what I think about that?" Limbaugh said on Thursday's edition of "The Rush Limbaugh Show," when the topic was broached. "Well, I'll give you the short version: CBS has just declared war on the heartland of America."

Limbaugh went on to suggest that the late-night landscape — and in fact comedy as a whole — will now launch a full-scale attack on "traditional American values."

"No longer is comedy going to be a covert assault on traditional American values and now it's just wide out in the open," Limbaugh warned. "What this hire means is a redefinition of what is funny, and a redefinition of what is comedy. They're blowing up the 11:30 format under the guise that the world's changing, and people don't want the kind of comedy that Carson gave us, or even Letterman. It's media planting a flag here, and it's a declaration."

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Declaring war on the heartland of America sounds pretty serious.

 

[Rove!]

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=861771

Rush Limbaugh wasted no time Thursday responding to the news that Stephen Colbert would replace David Letterman on CBS' "The Late Show," and the conservative talk-radio host is not happy about the choice.

In fact, Limbaugh said, he thinks the network has "declared war on the heartland of America" by hiring Colbert, whose Comedy Central show "The Colbert Report" regularly spoofs the conservative movement that Limbaugh has spearheaded.

"You really care what I think about that?" Limbaugh said on Thursday's edition of "The Rush Limbaugh Show," when the topic was broached. "Well, I'll give you the short version: CBS has just declared war on the heartland of America."

Limbaugh went on to suggest that the late-night landscape — and in fact comedy as a whole — will now launch a full-scale attack on "traditional American values."

"No longer is comedy going to be a covert assault on traditional American values and now it's just wide out in the open," Limbaugh warned. "What this hire means is a redefinition of what is funny, and a redefinition of what is comedy. They're blowing up the 11:30 format under the guise that the world's changing, and people don't want the kind of comedy that Carson gave us, or even Letterman. It's media planting a flag here, and it's a declaration."

Clearly hyperbole, but what the bottom line is that in an America where Romney gets 48% of the vote, almost all of the top media people are Obama supporters. They reflect and will tend to influence people in a certain direction. Whereas, in the past, the top dogs would at least pretend to be neutral, Colbert will not be working on that pretense.