Hello, Hubsters!
I am still floating down slowly from Stephen’s amazing interview on Friday night, which for me was followed by ice-cream-laden fangirl fun with several Zoners and Hubsters. No Americone Dream or Late Night Snack here; we went to a wonderful old-fashioned ice cream parlor with homemade ice cream and candies I hadn’t seen for sale since I was a kid. Amazing! In any case, all my efforts to land back on earth are doomed to failure, because I am so looking forward to Wednesday’s show with dancer David Hallberg. Many of you know I am desperate to attend live, and I intend to give it my best shot until the very last minute. All I can say is I’ve been a balletomane since I was a little girl and my sister took me to what was my first live performance. I’ve never forgotten it, and though I am a poor dancer myself–not built for ballet, I fear–through the years I have found ways to stay involved, from working backstage for a ballet company to writing a dissertation on dance and film. I think I am meant to go to that show. But only time will tell. Meanwhile, on to the guests! We have a wonderful variety this week.
Monday, 12/5: Jimmie Johnson
Are you ready for some high-speed hijinks? Jimmie Johnson is a record-breaking NASCAR driver who won the series championship every year from 2006-2010. That made him the first and so far only driver to win five times in a row. (He hasn’t done quite so well in 2011; having had a couple of accidents, Johnson came in eighth for the year in total points. But he was a good sport about it and helped this year’s Sprint cup winner Tony Stewart play a joke on award day.) In 2010, Johnson also received the Associated Press’s Male Athlete of the Year—the first time a race car driver had been so honored.
In addition to racing, Johnson and his wife Chandra have created the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, dedicated to helping families and communities in need. The foundation supports a variety of charities, including Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. What I imagine will be of particular interest to Stephen is Johnson’s focus on funding schools and educational projects. The foundation purchases everything from technology to playground equipment. I call THAT a winning move.
Johnson has also devised a video racing game that NASCAR fans should enjoy, called “Anything with an Engine.” It has a fun twist, as the “vehicles” are not cars necessarily, but anything Johnson’s crew can imagine adding an engine to—including a bathtub and shopping cart.
Visit Johnson’s NASCAR page.
Take a look at the Lowe’s Racing Page, which is the official site of the Jimmie Johnson Fan Club.
Follow him on Twitter.
Like him on Facebook.
This site welcomes all Jimmie fans.
Here’s coverage in USA Today of a recent race that didn’t go too well for Johnson—a danger inherent in the sport, no matter how good you are.
Want to buy some Jimmie Johnson gear? Go here!
Tuesday, 12/6: The Black Keys
Congratulations, Black Keys, on your Grammy® nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for the song “Dearest.” Black Keys is a two-man indie-rock band featuring Dan Auerbach (guitarist/singer) and Patrck Carney, a drummer and the group’s producer. They’re joining Stephen to celebrate the release—this very day–of their newest album, El Camino. By the way, if you love the music, you can actually buy the minivan that inspired the title! It’s for sale on their website. (Address below.) This is their second visit to the Report; they were on a “sell-out off” against Vampire Weekend this past January–and it was awesome.
The Black Keys released their first album, The Big Come Up, nearly a decade ago, and have worked steadily and successfully right from the start. Their other CDs include Brothers (May 2010, which won three Grammy Awards), Attack & Release (March 2008), and Magic Potion (September 2006), and the group has sold around two million records to date. Among their accomplishments: they’ve been judges at the Independent Music Awards, released an iTunes-only album on iTunes Sessions, played at the Bonaroo Festival, appeared on Saturday Night Live, and been named “Best ofs” by both Rolling Stone and Spin magazines.
Like them on Facebook.
Visit their official website, where you can enjoy songs and find out the latest information on their tour, Grammy nominations, and that truck I mentioned.
Watch the video of “Lonely Boy” from El Camino. Or take a look at “Tighten Up,” from Brothers.
Here are some more free listens.
They just spoke on NPR about the new CD. I love their “guiding principle”: they believe in playing together in the studio, live, without today’s typical technology, like click tracks.
Enter the Black Keys Fan Lounge. This currently includes a video of their SNL performance. It’s a great fan site.
They’re going on the road in March, and you can get tour dates here.
Read this article on the band in The New York Times.
Wednesday, 12/7: David Hallberg
(c) by Gene Schiavone
As everyone knows, this is the day I have been waiting for! And since most of you have seen his tweet posted here—tights wearing!—I’m sure that anticipation has risen even among the non-balletomanes. Now I’m going to kick it up a notch. Here’s another tweet from Hallberg, from December 2nd: “Just finished rehearsal with Colbert. My god… It’s SOOOOOOOOOOOO on. Dance off of the century.”
So, come jeté onto the Report stage, danseur noble! David Hallberg is one of the world’s foremost, most elegant dancers—and now the very first American to become a permanent member of Russia’s famed Bolshoi Ballet. Hallberg will also continue to dance for American Ballet Theatre, which has been his home company in recent years, and he is currently in New York for performances of Nutcracker at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Hallberg made his debut with the Bolshoi just weeks ago, but it ended up being a not-very-calm experience. Only days before he premiered in the company’s new production of Sleeping Beauty, broadcast live in cinemas around the world, the Bolshoi was rocked by the departures of two of its most famous stars, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev. They decided to join a new troupe, created and privately funded by a Russian banana billionaire. (Yes, you heard right: banana billionaire.) Since dancing with Osipova was one of the major draws for Hallberg, her decision must have been a disappointment to him. Then, sniping began from some native Russian dancers who didn’t think an American should dance the premiere the new production. To top it off, Hallberg then injured his ankle only moments into the performance of Sleeping Beauty, but soldiered through beautifully. I know that’s true because I saw the film screening, and he was stunning. Read about the hubub here, in The New York Times.
What I will say, personally, is that his tenure with the Bolshoi should be interesting. The word “bolshoi” means “big” in Russian, and it’s an accurate description of what has traditionally been the company’s hallmark style: huge, bravura, acrobatic, dazzling. Of course, the Bolshoi has had many brilliant and subtle artists through they years. But the tendency has long been to flamboyance, and the refined Hallberg, with his beautiful line and quiet presentation, comes from a very different place.
Hallberg hails from North Dakota, not a traditional bastion of ballet, and eventually went to study at the Arizona School for the Arts. He joined ABT in 2001 after dancing with their smaller, younger studio company, and has won the Princess Grace Fellowship, the Chris Hellman Dance Award, and a nomination for the Benois de la Danse Award.
Visit David Hallberg’s website. It has a full bio, a gallery of gorgeous photos (he is beautiful), and more. It’s not quite up-to-date: the man’s been busy lately!
Hear him discuss creating a character in ballet, in this case Romeo.
Watch an excerpt of him in Giselle. For those who do not know the ballet, the spirits of dead girls, betrayed by their lovers, are trying to dance him to death.
Follow Hallberg on Twitter or like him on Facebook.
The film Black Swan sparked a lot of debate in the ballet world. Read what Hallberg had to say about Natalie Portman’s Oscar win for the lead role.
He spoke with NPR about joining the Bolshoi.
Here’s another great article on the events surrounding the Sleeping Beauty performance.
Thursday, 12/8: Jack Abramoff
I don’t know whether to boo this guest or rub my hands together in glee in hopes Stephen will skewer him. Jack Abramoff is the disgraced former congressman and lobbyist who went from conservative hero to convicted criminal for big-time fraud and tax evasion. His exploits were documented in the film Casino Jack, starring Kevin Spacey. The underhanded dealing involved gambling on Native American lands, which has become a huge source of income for tribes. Abramoff lobbied Congress to make sure profits from these casinos wouldn’t be taxed—and he also got his cut. Congressman Tom Delay (aka Dancing with the Stars joke) was close to Abramoff and fell victim to the scheme; I consider it one of the most positive fallouts from the shady goings-on. But wait—that wasn’t the only scandal! Abramoff also plotted to put a “Made in the USA” label on articles manufactured in the Northern Mariana Islands. Never mind that those Islands had no minimum-wage laws. (They are, however, a Commonwealth of the United States.) And there’s more and more and more, not even counting his part in the Oliver North Iran-Contra mess. So basically, this guy is a sleaze.
So what is he doing on the Report? Well, he has a new memoir out, called Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America’s Most Notorious Lobbyist. I guess it’s his side of the story, but I wouldn’t trust Abramoff as far as I could throw a piano. (And for the record: I’m not even five feet tall and cannot throw a piano at all.) In the wake of the publication, he’s making a number of appearances, commenting on Gingrich on ABC News, and on politics in general on NPR. Much as I don’t like him, I thought this was a good quote: “Well, I think the great tragedy in American politics is what is legal, not what is illegal. The truth is, there are not a lot of Jack Abramoffs who are pushing the envelope so far that they go over the line. They’re very few, frankly. The problem is what’s legal…”
Hear him discuss “The Lobbyist’s Playbook” on 60 Minutes.
Abramoff still insists he gave his clients value.
Huffington Post discusses Abramoff’s new book.
Here’s an excellent article on Abramoff from The New York Times Magazine, written when the scandal broke.
And now, let’s check in with our good friend, Jon Stewart!
Please note: I will add information on Wednesday’s guest, Ralph Fiennes, ASAP. Originally, the scheduled guest was Kate Winslet and I wrote about her.
Monday, 12/5: Benjamin Lowy
Award-winning photojournalist Benjamin Lowy’s newest book is Iraq/Perspectives, and it presents, from a distance, what Iraq was like in the wake of our invasion and for some time after. Lowy began covering the war in 2003 and the book includes six years’ worth of images. These are not comforting or cozy photos, but gritty, sometimes green-tinged as if through night goggles or coldly surveying an unwelcoming landscape. People lean against walls, unsmiling; run from approaching danger, or even have arms raised in surrender. I think he will be fascinating to hear. Iraq/Perspectives has won the CDS/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography.
Check out the book on his website.
Read his Tumblr.
Read a conversation with him. Strange that a man who has now dedicated himself to capturing reality once wanted to be a comic book artist.
See his New Yorker Magazine gallery.
Lowy viewed Libya through an iPhone camera lens. These pictures are amazing and proof positive that is not the camera but the photographer who makes a great photo.
Tuesday, 12/6: Jonah Hill
Comic actor Jonah Hill was the star of Superbad, Knocked Up, and Get Him to the Greek. He now has a new film out, The Sitter. Hill, the son of a costume designer and the accountant for the band Guns ‘n’ Roses, began his career writing small plays. He made his film debut playing a small role in I (Heart) Huckabees before moving on and becoming one of director Judd Apatow’s stable of performers. Hill continues to write and direct.
Follow him on Twitter.
He’s appeared on The Daily Show before.
Here’s a New York Times article on The Sitter.
Watch the trailer for The Sitter.
Wednesday, 12/7: Ralph Fiennes -UPDATED
He played the evil one in Harry Potter whose must not be named—among many, many other great roles. With his soft and lovely voice and beautifully sensitive face, it’s almost hard to imagine he could play anything other than a gentleman, but Ralph Fiennes is one of our finest actors and his range is amazing. The many movies this graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art has appeared in include: Schindler’s List, The English Patient, The Constant Gardener, and The Hurt Locker. He also has performed frequently with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his most recent project is a modern-day film adaptation of Coriolanus which he directed and stars in along with Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Gerard Butler, and Jessica Chastain. Fiennes must have enjoyed the experience as he’ll be back in the director’s chair for The Invisible Woman, a story about Dickens’ mistress, due out in 2013.
Watch the trailer for Coriolanus.
Step into the Ralph Fiennes Corner II, a fan site for the actor.
He’s set to appear in the next James Bond film, Skyfall, and here’s what he has to say about it.
Fiennes is being honored at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) this year.
Thursday, 12/8: Ed Gillespie
Okay—Thursday for both Jon and Stephen is GOP day. Sigh. Ed Gillespie is a Republican political strategist who worked in Bush the second’s White House and is now chairman of the Republican State Leadership Committee. He also has a consulting company that advises businesses and trade associations, and of course, he lobbies. That means on this evening, between him and Abramoff, you can truly ponder the way the American political system works (or doesn’t) and how broken it is. And I’m being an equal opportunity criticizer here, because Gillespie’s lobbying company was formed in partnership with Al Gore’s former chief of staff, Jack Quinn. By the way, Gillespie is also an adviser on American Crossroads, the Ham Rove SuperPAC—so I wish it were Stephen having a go at him.
He has appeared on The Daily Show before, earlier this very year.
Follow him on Twitter.
He was the Republicans’ hero in the last elections, according to Marc Thiessen of the Washington Post.
He weighed in on the CainWreck before it totally went off the rails.
That’s it, everyone! Who are you most looking forward to seeing?
Have a great Colbertian week! Cheers.
Better Know a Guest
Hello, Hubsters!
I am still floating down slowly from Stephen’s amazing interview on Friday night, which for me was followed by ice-cream-laden fangirl fun with several Zoners and Hubsters. No Americone Dream or Late Night Snack here; we went to a wonderful old-fashioned ice cream parlor with homemade ice cream and candies I hadn’t seen for sale since I was a kid. Amazing! In any case, all my efforts to land back on earth are doomed to failure, because I am so looking forward to Wednesday’s show with dancer David Hallberg. Many of you know I am desperate to attend live, and I intend to give it my best shot until the very last minute. All I can say is I’ve been a balletomane since I was a little girl and my sister took me to what was my first live performance. I’ve never forgotten it, and though I am a poor dancer myself–not built for ballet, I fear–through the years I have found ways to stay involved, from working backstage for a ballet company to writing a dissertation on dance and film. I think I am meant to go to that show. But only time will tell. Meanwhile, on to the guests! We have a wonderful variety this week.
Monday, 12/5: Jimmie Johnson
Are you ready for some high-speed hijinks? Jimmie Johnson is a record-breaking NASCAR driver who won the series championship every year from 2006-2010. That made him the first and so far only driver to win five times in a row. (He hasn’t done quite so well in 2011; having had a couple of accidents, Johnson came in eighth for the year in total points. But he was a good sport about it and helped this year’s Sprint cup winner Tony Stewart play a joke on award day.) In 2010, Johnson also received the Associated Press’s Male Athlete of the Year—the first time a race car driver had been so honored.
In addition to racing, Johnson and his wife Chandra have created the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, dedicated to helping families and communities in need. The foundation supports a variety of charities, including Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. What I imagine will be of particular interest to Stephen is Johnson’s focus on funding schools and educational projects. The foundation purchases everything from technology to playground equipment. I call THAT a winning move.
Johnson has also devised a video racing game that NASCAR fans should enjoy, called “Anything with an Engine.” It has a fun twist, as the “vehicles” are not cars necessarily, but anything Johnson’s crew can imagine adding an engine to—including a bathtub and shopping cart.
Visit Johnson’s NASCAR page.
Take a look at the Lowe’s Racing Page, which is the official site of the Jimmie Johnson Fan Club.
Follow him on Twitter.
Like him on Facebook.
This site welcomes all Jimmie fans.
Here’s coverage in USA Today of a recent race that didn’t go too well for Johnson—a danger inherent in the sport, no matter how good you are.
Want to buy some Jimmie Johnson gear? Go here!
Tuesday, 12/6: The Black Keys
Congratulations, Black Keys, on your Grammy® nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for the song “Dearest.” Black Keys is a two-man indie-rock band featuring Dan Auerbach (guitarist/singer) and Patrck Carney, a drummer and the group’s producer. They’re joining Stephen to celebrate the release—this very day–of their newest album, El Camino. By the way, if you love the music, you can actually buy the minivan that inspired the title! It’s for sale on their website. (Address below.) This is their second visit to the Report; they were on a “sell-out off” against Vampire Weekend this past January–and it was awesome.
The Black Keys released their first album, The Big Come Up, nearly a decade ago, and have worked steadily and successfully right from the start. Their other CDs include Brothers (May 2010, which won three Grammy Awards), Attack & Release (March 2008), and Magic Potion (September 2006), and the group has sold around two million records to date. Among their accomplishments: they’ve been judges at the Independent Music Awards, released an iTunes-only album on iTunes Sessions, played at the Bonaroo Festival, appeared on Saturday Night Live, and been named “Best ofs” by both Rolling Stone and Spin magazines.
Like them on Facebook.
Visit their official website, where you can enjoy songs and find out the latest information on their tour, Grammy nominations, and that truck I mentioned.
Watch the video of “Lonely Boy” from El Camino. Or take a look at “Tighten Up,” from Brothers.
Here are some more free listens.
They just spoke on NPR about the new CD. I love their “guiding principle”: they believe in playing together in the studio, live, without today’s typical technology, like click tracks.
Enter the Black Keys Fan Lounge. This currently includes a video of their SNL performance. It’s a great fan site.
They’re going on the road in March, and you can get tour dates here.
Read this article on the band in The New York Times.
Wednesday, 12/7: David Hallberg
(c) by Gene Schiavone
As everyone knows, this is the day I have been waiting for! And since most of you have seen his tweet posted here—tights wearing!—I’m sure that anticipation has risen even among the non-balletomanes. Now I’m going to kick it up a notch. Here’s another tweet from Hallberg, from December 2nd: “Just finished rehearsal with Colbert. My god… It’s SOOOOOOOOOOOO on. Dance off of the century.”
So, come jeté onto the Report stage, danseur noble! David Hallberg is one of the world’s foremost, most elegant dancers—and now the very first American to become a permanent member of Russia’s famed Bolshoi Ballet. Hallberg will also continue to dance for American Ballet Theatre, which has been his home company in recent years, and he is currently in New York for performances of Nutcracker at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Hallberg made his debut with the Bolshoi just weeks ago, but it ended up being a not-very-calm experience. Only days before he premiered in the company’s new production of Sleeping Beauty, broadcast live in cinemas around the world, the Bolshoi was rocked by the departures of two of its most famous stars, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev. They decided to join a new troupe, created and privately funded by a Russian banana billionaire. (Yes, you heard right: banana billionaire.) Since dancing with Osipova was one of the major draws for Hallberg, her decision must have been a disappointment to him. Then, sniping began from some native Russian dancers who didn’t think an American should dance the premiere the new production. To top it off, Hallberg then injured his ankle only moments into the performance of Sleeping Beauty, but soldiered through beautifully. I know that’s true because I saw the film screening, and he was stunning. Read about the hubub here, in The New York Times.
What I will say, personally, is that his tenure with the Bolshoi should be interesting. The word “bolshoi” means “big” in Russian, and it’s an accurate description of what has traditionally been the company’s hallmark style: huge, bravura, acrobatic, dazzling. Of course, the Bolshoi has had many brilliant and subtle artists through they years. But the tendency has long been to flamboyance, and the refined Hallberg, with his beautiful line and quiet presentation, comes from a very different place.
Hallberg hails from North Dakota, not a traditional bastion of ballet, and eventually went to study at the Arizona School for the Arts. He joined ABT in 2001 after dancing with their smaller, younger studio company, and has won the Princess Grace Fellowship, the Chris Hellman Dance Award, and a nomination for the Benois de la Danse Award.
Visit David Hallberg’s website. It has a full bio, a gallery of gorgeous photos (he is beautiful), and more. It’s not quite up-to-date: the man’s been busy lately!
Hear him discuss creating a character in ballet, in this case Romeo.
Watch an excerpt of him in Giselle. For those who do not know the ballet, the spirits of dead girls, betrayed by their lovers, are trying to dance him to death.
Follow Hallberg on Twitter or like him on Facebook.
The film Black Swan sparked a lot of debate in the ballet world. Read what Hallberg had to say about Natalie Portman’s Oscar win for the lead role.
He spoke with NPR about joining the Bolshoi.
Here’s another great article on the events surrounding the Sleeping Beauty performance.
Thursday, 12/8: Jack Abramoff
I don’t know whether to boo this guest or rub my hands together in glee in hopes Stephen will skewer him. Jack Abramoff is the disgraced former congressman and lobbyist who went from conservative hero to convicted criminal for big-time fraud and tax evasion. His exploits were documented in the film Casino Jack, starring Kevin Spacey. The underhanded dealing involved gambling on Native American lands, which has become a huge source of income for tribes. Abramoff lobbied Congress to make sure profits from these casinos wouldn’t be taxed—and he also got his cut. Congressman Tom Delay (aka Dancing with the Stars joke) was close to Abramoff and fell victim to the scheme; I consider it one of the most positive fallouts from the shady goings-on. But wait—that wasn’t the only scandal! Abramoff also plotted to put a “Made in the USA” label on articles manufactured in the Northern Mariana Islands. Never mind that those Islands had no minimum-wage laws. (They are, however, a Commonwealth of the United States.) And there’s more and more and more, not even counting his part in the Oliver North Iran-Contra mess. So basically, this guy is a sleaze.
So what is he doing on the Report? Well, he has a new memoir out, called Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America’s Most Notorious Lobbyist. I guess it’s his side of the story, but I wouldn’t trust Abramoff as far as I could throw a piano. (And for the record: I’m not even five feet tall and cannot throw a piano at all.) In the wake of the publication, he’s making a number of appearances, commenting on Gingrich on ABC News, and on politics in general on NPR. Much as I don’t like him, I thought this was a good quote: “Well, I think the great tragedy in American politics is what is legal, not what is illegal. The truth is, there are not a lot of Jack Abramoffs who are pushing the envelope so far that they go over the line. They’re very few, frankly. The problem is what’s legal…”
Hear him discuss “The Lobbyist’s Playbook” on 60 Minutes.
Abramoff still insists he gave his clients value.
Huffington Post discusses Abramoff’s new book.
Here’s an excellent article on Abramoff from The New York Times Magazine, written when the scandal broke.
And now, let’s check in with our good friend, Jon Stewart!
Please note: I will add information on Wednesday’s guest, Ralph Fiennes, ASAP. Originally, the scheduled guest was Kate Winslet and I wrote about her.
Monday, 12/5: Benjamin Lowy
Award-winning photojournalist Benjamin Lowy’s newest book is Iraq/Perspectives, and it presents, from a distance, what Iraq was like in the wake of our invasion and for some time after. Lowy began covering the war in 2003 and the book includes six years’ worth of images. These are not comforting or cozy photos, but gritty, sometimes green-tinged as if through night goggles or coldly surveying an unwelcoming landscape. People lean against walls, unsmiling; run from approaching danger, or even have arms raised in surrender. I think he will be fascinating to hear. Iraq/Perspectives has won the CDS/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography.
Check out the book on his website.
Read his Tumblr.
Read a conversation with him. Strange that a man who has now dedicated himself to capturing reality once wanted to be a comic book artist.
See his New Yorker Magazine gallery.
Lowy viewed Libya through an iPhone camera lens. These pictures are amazing and proof positive that is not the camera but the photographer who makes a great photo.
Tuesday, 12/6: Jonah Hill
Comic actor Jonah Hill was the star of Superbad, Knocked Up, and Get Him to the Greek. He now has a new film out, The Sitter. Hill, the son of a costume designer and the accountant for the band Guns ‘n’ Roses, began his career writing small plays. He made his film debut playing a small role in I (Heart) Huckabees before moving on and becoming one of director Judd Apatow’s stable of performers. Hill continues to write and direct.
Follow him on Twitter.
He’s appeared on The Daily Show before.
Here’s a New York Times article on The Sitter.
Watch the trailer for The Sitter.
Wednesday, 12/7: Ralph Fiennes -UPDATED
He played the evil one in Harry Potter whose must not be named—among many, many other great roles. With his soft and lovely voice and beautifully sensitive face, it’s almost hard to imagine he could play anything other than a gentleman, but Ralph Fiennes is one of our finest actors and his range is amazing. The many movies this graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art has appeared in include: Schindler’s List, The English Patient, The Constant Gardener, and The Hurt Locker. He also has performed frequently with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his most recent project is a modern-day film adaptation of Coriolanus which he directed and stars in along with Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Gerard Butler, and Jessica Chastain. Fiennes must have enjoyed the experience as he’ll be back in the director’s chair for The Invisible Woman, a story about Dickens’ mistress, due out in 2013.
Watch the trailer for Coriolanus.
Step into the Ralph Fiennes Corner II, a fan site for the actor.
He’s set to appear in the next James Bond film, Skyfall, and here’s what he has to say about it.
Fiennes is being honored at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) this year.
Thursday, 12/8: Ed Gillespie
Okay—Thursday for both Jon and Stephen is GOP day. Sigh. Ed Gillespie is a Republican political strategist who worked in Bush the second’s White House and is now chairman of the Republican State Leadership Committee. He also has a consulting company that advises businesses and trade associations, and of course, he lobbies. That means on this evening, between him and Abramoff, you can truly ponder the way the American political system works (or doesn’t) and how broken it is. And I’m being an equal opportunity criticizer here, because Gillespie’s lobbying company was formed in partnership with Al Gore’s former chief of staff, Jack Quinn. By the way, Gillespie is also an adviser on American Crossroads, the Ham Rove SuperPAC—so I wish it were Stephen having a go at him.
He has appeared on The Daily Show before, earlier this very year.
Follow him on Twitter.
He was the Republicans’ hero in the last elections, according to Marc Thiessen of the Washington Post.
He weighed in on the CainWreck before it totally went off the rails.
That’s it, everyone! Who are you most looking forward to seeing?
Have a great Colbertian week! Cheers.