Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Colbert Report’ and ‘The Daily Show’ each week.
Hello, Hubsters!
Can we talk? (Yes, I’m stealing that line.) I’m personally getting a little annoyed at media folk who keep saying that Jimmy Kimmel’s new 11:35 show now “makes it a three-man race.” Uh . . . NO. It makes it a FOUR-man race! Why do they keep ignoring Stephen as a competitor? He and Jon get the most advertiser-desired audience of the group. It may not be largest viewership, but it is considered the most sought-after. It’s infuriating. Here’s an announcement: the big networks aren’t all that matter anymore. In fact, they may matter LESS now than others. Get with the times, understand what’s happening with media, and judge properly.
*I am now stepping down from my soapbox.*
Both Jon and Stephen delivered a sparkling first week back. Both of them seemed positively giddy to return to work and, clearly, both knew there was plenty of material just waiting for them. Kudos to Jon for his lengthy openers, which took on the fiscal cliff, gun control, and Sandy recovery funding. (Does it seem to you he’s using the correspondents less and less?) Stephen tackled most of those subjects in an equally brilliant, yet extremely different, way. It’s always fascinating for me to see how they each approach the same news story.
And then there were naughty couches…. 😉
Now, let’s take a look at this week’s guests! (Still no photos, by the way. The site is not cooperating. So sorry.) Read more
Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Colbert Report’ and ‘The Daily Show’ each week.
Happy New Year Hubsters!
I hope everyone had a fine celebration and I wish you all a joyful, successful, and healthful 2013. May your dreams come true and may our world become a more peaceful place in the year to come.
It’s almost time for our favorite late-night faux-pundits to return. Hallelujah! I figure they’ll definitely focus on the last-minute deal that stopped us from going off the fiscal cliff and the House’s refusal to okay disaster relief for those suffering in the aftermath of Sandy. I do not know how, or if, they will speak about the most terrible, awful, heartbreaking story that occurred during their hiatus: the tragic killing of 18 children and 9 adults in Newtown, CT. I personally felt grateful that they were off when this happened. I do not believe that they could have come in the next day and in any way covered it. Jon, of course, could have been more direct; Stephen’s format and character would have made it harder for him. I also do not know how, or if, they will deal with the recent rape tragedies in India, in which one brutalized woman died from her injuries and another killed herself. An absolute horror.
One bit of new that might be fun for them to mock is French actor Gerard Depardieu’s “defection” from France for tax reasons, and his possible acceptance of Russian citizenship.
I do have my own news: this, and the next couple of BKAGs to come, will be my last, at least for the foreseeable future. I have a very full plate of work that will demand my concentration in the next nine months of so: a film review, two papers (one for a conference and one for publication), and a large-scale research project for a publisher. I also have my job and other freelance. All in all, this makes it impossible for me to write this blog and do the rest without becoming a little frantic. I don’t want to sacrifice quality, and so I am saying goodbye for now. I will still stick around, though, to comment and contribute to the conversation, and perhaps do other small things as I can.
Now to the guests—and Mr. Colbert is beginning the New Year with a bang! (Sorry for the lack of photos; the site won’t let me upload right now.) Read more
Sing out, Hubsters!
(To the tune of “Joy to the World”)
Joy to Report, for next week’s shows!
Let fans receive his song.
Let every ear prepare to hear,
Let every ear prepare to hear.
For Stephen and guests will sing.
For Stephen and guests will sing.
Let STE-E-EPHEN and his guests sing!
Yes, Hubsters, we’re getting a week filled with music—and more. We Jews probably won’t be blessed enough to have Mr. Colbert rock a couple of verses of “Dreidel, Dreidel,” although there IS one guest who should probably pick something a little more Kosher. (Keep in mind, I realize that NO ONE can actually “rock” “Dreidel.”) But I’m no Scrooge, so no complaints here about what should be yet another extraordinary and special group of episodes. And not only has a schedule of visitors been posted, but the song each particular person/group of people will perform.
This should be the last week of shows prior to the holiday break–and it’s ending with a favorite of mine, a non-religious song composed by one of my idols.
Let’s get ready to CAROL! Read more
Hello Hubsters and Hobbiters!
Yes, as we all know by now, it is HOBBIT week on the Report! The first film of the trilogy, An Unexpected Journey, officially premieres December 14th, in IMAX and HD, so fans will truly be able to feel as if they’re entering Middle Earth. (The next two, The Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again, will screen in 2013 and 2014, respectively.) Stephen must feel as if his self-described “joy machine” has just kicked into overdrive. Does anyone remember Woody Allen’s Sleepers and the Orgasmatron? I think this will be the emotional equivalent of that physical experience for Mr. Colbert. I expect we’re going to see a blissfully happy host on the next four shows.
Here are two articles trumpeting what’s about to happen this week:
In the LA Times.
In Rolling Stone.
Because you know who most of these guests are, I’ve gone light on the bios and a little heavier on the links. And let’s enjoy these precious episodes as we count down to the holiday break.
And by the way–David Hallberg tweeted a picture of “fellow tights-wearing friend” Stephen at the Kennedy Center gala, where Hallberg was honoring ballerina Natalia Makarova and Stephen was toasting David Letterman.
Read more
Hello, Hubsters!
Welcome back! Is everyone who celebrated turkeyed-out? (Or whatever you feasted on—perhaps there are some vegetarians/vegans here.) I hope it was a great holiday, for Hubsters and for Stephen, Jon, and their families.
But now we’re back, and into the home stretch before the Christmas/New Year’s break. (Yeah, Jon’s Jewish, but Hanukkah begins December 8th, and I’m pretty sure Mr. Stewart will be on the job then.)
Read more
Hello, Hubsters . . .
And members of the great and always re-becoming greater Colbert Nation. About two months ago, we celebrated the release of the newest manifesto from our leader, Mr. Stephen Colbert. By now, I am sure you all own and have studied this majestic work and its red, white, and blueprint. Inquiring minds want to know what you think! STEPHEN wants to know what you think. As he pointed out, he “is a humble man,” and a little ego-feeding is in order.
Read more
Hello, Hubsters!
Welcome to what probably will be the last week of shows before Thanksgiving break. And we know what the top story will be, don’t we—especially for Jon, whose interview with Paula Broadwell has gone viral and is being parsed everywhere for clues and double entendres. Making the rounds along with the clip: a photo of Stewart and Broadwell at a barbecue in North Carolina that she held in honor of vets and wounded warriors. The puns are already flying. I immediately commented that Petraeus surged where he wasn’t supposed to. Lizz Winstead, the original co-creator of The Daily Show, wondered if he’d used surge protection. The New York Post headline read: “Cloak and Shag Her.” Frankly, I’m waiting for more news (and witticisms) to break, because I don’t think this is it.
I’m feeling happy and relieved after the election, not just because of the presidency but also because of the number of women and minorities about to join the Senate. It was an election of many happy firsts, including the first Asian-American woman senator (she’s also the first Buddhist) and the first openly gay woman senator. I didn’t expect to find out so early that Obama had won; I’d steeled myself for an extremely late night–which it turned out to be only because Mitt took so darn long to concede. With the victory speech taking place in the wee hours of the morning, it became just a little harder for those of us who had to go to work the next day. What can I say? I guess that wasn’t Mitt’s problem. Following on the heels of the hurricane, it was all very draining for me.
This week’s guests includes a writer I admire and a politician I don’t. As our Hub-leader said to me, the studio may need to be fumigated on Tuesday.
Let’s go! Read more
Hello Hubsters!
UPDATE, WED NOVEMBER 7TH: NEW GUEST FOR THURSDAY NIGHT: RACHEL MADDOW WILL REPLACE KEVIN SHEPPARD
I hope all those Hubsters who were in the path of “perfect storm” Sharon are well, along with their families, and with power restored. My own went out on Monday night and only returned about 9PM on Friday. Heat and hot water, unfortunately, did not come along with the electricity, and probably will not be restored for a week or two. For the past few days, I have simply devoted my time to trips uptown to charge up the phone and get extra supplies. That also meant climbing up the twelve flights of stairs in my building. However, I am not complaining. I am capable of doing that, my apartment and loved ones are safe, and my cats have remained comfortably at home the whole time. People have suffered here, and some have died. In Breezy Point, Brooklyn, 110 homes burned. Flooding occurred everywhere, leaving people in Newark and Hoboken stranded. Staten Island remains in terrible shape. I count my blessings that all my inconveniences are temporary.
For various reasons this week’s BKAG will be short and with “reruns.” Obviously, I’m still trying to get things in order. But also, Stephen has one guest who has been on The Daily Show very recently (and is returning to TDS again this week, too!) and another who was on just a few months ago. They’re not pitching new books or films; they’re coming on to discuss the election. So in those cases I will reprise or extend my earlier post with a few variations where they are warranted, perhaps a few fresher articles and so forth. But web addresses, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts won’t have changed in the meantime.
I still have two Reports and Daily Shows to catch up on this week! I can’t wait to see the David Byrne….
Read more
karenatasha | – Part 2
Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Colbert Report’ and ‘The Daily Show’ each week.
Hello, Hubsters!
Can we talk? (Yes, I’m stealing that line.) I’m personally getting a little annoyed at media folk who keep saying that Jimmy Kimmel’s new 11:35 show now “makes it a three-man race.” Uh . . . NO. It makes it a FOUR-man race! Why do they keep ignoring Stephen as a competitor? He and Jon get the most advertiser-desired audience of the group. It may not be largest viewership, but it is considered the most sought-after. It’s infuriating. Here’s an announcement: the big networks aren’t all that matter anymore. In fact, they may matter LESS now than others. Get with the times, understand what’s happening with media, and judge properly.
*I am now stepping down from my soapbox.*
Both Jon and Stephen delivered a sparkling first week back. Both of them seemed positively giddy to return to work and, clearly, both knew there was plenty of material just waiting for them. Kudos to Jon for his lengthy openers, which took on the fiscal cliff, gun control, and Sandy recovery funding. (Does it seem to you he’s using the correspondents less and less?) Stephen tackled most of those subjects in an equally brilliant, yet extremely different, way. It’s always fascinating for me to see how they each approach the same news story.
And then there were naughty couches…. 😉
Now, let’s take a look at this week’s guests! (Still no photos, by the way. The site is not cooperating. So sorry.) Read more
Welcome to Better Know a Guest, your weekly guide to the wonderful and diverse array of personalities appearing on ‘The Colbert Report’ and ‘The Daily Show’ each week.
Happy New Year Hubsters!
I hope everyone had a fine celebration and I wish you all a joyful, successful, and healthful 2013. May your dreams come true and may our world become a more peaceful place in the year to come.
It’s almost time for our favorite late-night faux-pundits to return. Hallelujah! I figure they’ll definitely focus on the last-minute deal that stopped us from going off the fiscal cliff and the House’s refusal to okay disaster relief for those suffering in the aftermath of Sandy. I do not know how, or if, they will speak about the most terrible, awful, heartbreaking story that occurred during their hiatus: the tragic killing of 18 children and 9 adults in Newtown, CT. I personally felt grateful that they were off when this happened. I do not believe that they could have come in the next day and in any way covered it. Jon, of course, could have been more direct; Stephen’s format and character would have made it harder for him. I also do not know how, or if, they will deal with the recent rape tragedies in India, in which one brutalized woman died from her injuries and another killed herself. An absolute horror.
One bit of new that might be fun for them to mock is French actor Gerard Depardieu’s “defection” from France for tax reasons, and his possible acceptance of Russian citizenship.
I do have my own news: this, and the next couple of BKAGs to come, will be my last, at least for the foreseeable future. I have a very full plate of work that will demand my concentration in the next nine months of so: a film review, two papers (one for a conference and one for publication), and a large-scale research project for a publisher. I also have my job and other freelance. All in all, this makes it impossible for me to write this blog and do the rest without becoming a little frantic. I don’t want to sacrifice quality, and so I am saying goodbye for now. I will still stick around, though, to comment and contribute to the conversation, and perhaps do other small things as I can.
Now to the guests—and Mr. Colbert is beginning the New Year with a bang! (Sorry for the lack of photos; the site won’t let me upload right now.) Read more
Sing out, Hubsters!
(To the tune of “Joy to the World”)
Joy to Report, for next week’s shows!
Let fans receive his song.
Let every ear prepare to hear,
Let every ear prepare to hear.
For Stephen and guests will sing.
For Stephen and guests will sing.
Let STE-E-EPHEN and his guests sing!
Yes, Hubsters, we’re getting a week filled with music—and more. We Jews probably won’t be blessed enough to have Mr. Colbert rock a couple of verses of “Dreidel, Dreidel,” although there IS one guest who should probably pick something a little more Kosher. (Keep in mind, I realize that NO ONE can actually “rock” “Dreidel.”) But I’m no Scrooge, so no complaints here about what should be yet another extraordinary and special group of episodes. And not only has a schedule of visitors been posted, but the song each particular person/group of people will perform.
This should be the last week of shows prior to the holiday break–and it’s ending with a favorite of mine, a non-religious song composed by one of my idols.
Let’s get ready to CAROL! Read more
Hello Hubsters and Hobbiters!
Yes, as we all know by now, it is HOBBIT week on the Report! The first film of the trilogy, An Unexpected Journey, officially premieres December 14th, in IMAX and HD, so fans will truly be able to feel as if they’re entering Middle Earth. (The next two, The Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again, will screen in 2013 and 2014, respectively.) Stephen must feel as if his self-described “joy machine” has just kicked into overdrive. Does anyone remember Woody Allen’s Sleepers and the Orgasmatron? I think this will be the emotional equivalent of that physical experience for Mr. Colbert. I expect we’re going to see a blissfully happy host on the next four shows.
Here are two articles trumpeting what’s about to happen this week:
In the LA Times.
In Rolling Stone.
Because you know who most of these guests are, I’ve gone light on the bios and a little heavier on the links. And let’s enjoy these precious episodes as we count down to the holiday break.
And by the way–David Hallberg tweeted a picture of “fellow tights-wearing friend” Stephen at the Kennedy Center gala, where Hallberg was honoring ballerina Natalia Makarova and Stephen was toasting David Letterman.
Read more
Hello, Hubsters!
Welcome back! Is everyone who celebrated turkeyed-out? (Or whatever you feasted on—perhaps there are some vegetarians/vegans here.) I hope it was a great holiday, for Hubsters and for Stephen, Jon, and their families.
But now we’re back, and into the home stretch before the Christmas/New Year’s break. (Yeah, Jon’s Jewish, but Hanukkah begins December 8th, and I’m pretty sure Mr. Stewart will be on the job then.)
Read more
Hello, Hubsters . . .
And members of the great and always re-becoming greater Colbert Nation. About two months ago, we celebrated the release of the newest manifesto from our leader, Mr. Stephen Colbert. By now, I am sure you all own and have studied this majestic work and its red, white, and blueprint. Inquiring minds want to know what you think! STEPHEN wants to know what you think. As he pointed out, he “is a humble man,” and a little ego-feeding is in order.
Read more
Hello, Hubsters!
Welcome to what probably will be the last week of shows before Thanksgiving break. And we know what the top story will be, don’t we—especially for Jon, whose interview with Paula Broadwell has gone viral and is being parsed everywhere for clues and double entendres. Making the rounds along with the clip: a photo of Stewart and Broadwell at a barbecue in North Carolina that she held in honor of vets and wounded warriors. The puns are already flying. I immediately commented that Petraeus surged where he wasn’t supposed to. Lizz Winstead, the original co-creator of The Daily Show, wondered if he’d used surge protection. The New York Post headline read: “Cloak and Shag Her.” Frankly, I’m waiting for more news (and witticisms) to break, because I don’t think this is it.
I’m feeling happy and relieved after the election, not just because of the presidency but also because of the number of women and minorities about to join the Senate. It was an election of many happy firsts, including the first Asian-American woman senator (she’s also the first Buddhist) and the first openly gay woman senator. I didn’t expect to find out so early that Obama had won; I’d steeled myself for an extremely late night–which it turned out to be only because Mitt took so darn long to concede. With the victory speech taking place in the wee hours of the morning, it became just a little harder for those of us who had to go to work the next day. What can I say? I guess that wasn’t Mitt’s problem. Following on the heels of the hurricane, it was all very draining for me.
This week’s guests includes a writer I admire and a politician I don’t. As our Hub-leader said to me, the studio may need to be fumigated on Tuesday.
Let’s go! Read more
Hello Hubsters!
UPDATE, WED NOVEMBER 7TH: NEW GUEST FOR THURSDAY NIGHT: RACHEL MADDOW WILL REPLACE KEVIN SHEPPARD
I hope all those Hubsters who were in the path of “perfect storm” Sharon are well, along with their families, and with power restored. My own went out on Monday night and only returned about 9PM on Friday. Heat and hot water, unfortunately, did not come along with the electricity, and probably will not be restored for a week or two. For the past few days, I have simply devoted my time to trips uptown to charge up the phone and get extra supplies. That also meant climbing up the twelve flights of stairs in my building. However, I am not complaining. I am capable of doing that, my apartment and loved ones are safe, and my cats have remained comfortably at home the whole time. People have suffered here, and some have died. In Breezy Point, Brooklyn, 110 homes burned. Flooding occurred everywhere, leaving people in Newark and Hoboken stranded. Staten Island remains in terrible shape. I count my blessings that all my inconveniences are temporary.
For various reasons this week’s BKAG will be short and with “reruns.” Obviously, I’m still trying to get things in order. But also, Stephen has one guest who has been on The Daily Show very recently (and is returning to TDS again this week, too!) and another who was on just a few months ago. They’re not pitching new books or films; they’re coming on to discuss the election. So in those cases I will reprise or extend my earlier post with a few variations where they are warranted, perhaps a few fresher articles and so forth. But web addresses, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts won’t have changed in the meantime.
I still have two Reports and Daily Shows to catch up on this week! I can’t wait to see the David Byrne….
Read more