Hello, Hubsters,
On October 30th, I went to my final taping of The Colbert Report—a truly bittersweet occasion, as you can imagine. I’d thought about holding off till nearer the end, and wavered about going, but finally I decided I just wanted to make sure I got one more taping in and grabbed the ticket. I did not want to be frozen out!
Everyone knows the pre-show ritual by now: the waiting in line outside, among the usual lovely fans; the waiting inside, watching the very funny tapes; and the warmup once you’re seated. I can never remember the warmup comic’s name (my apologies, I really do regret it), but he did ask the audience a question that I’d never heard asked before: how many people had ever attended a taping. My hand was up, of course, and I told him “Five,” but I was wildly outdone by the next person who answered. That man had been to HUNDREDS of tapings! It turned out that he knew someone on staff—a sound person, I think—and so clearly hadn’t dealt with the usual once-in six-months rule that applied to the rest of us ordinary mortals. Well, I’m definitely jealous! And in fact, when Stephen came running out, he went over to shake the guy’s hand. (Many of the production staff did, too.)
Fortunately, this taping had lots and lots of questions—although I was not one of those chosen. (This was partly because some tech things required extra time. More about that later.) Except for the final question, which I will leave for the end of my reporT, I’m just going to put them all together as I don’t remember the order in which they were asked. Now, one interesting thing did happen here: there was not a single LOTR question. Not one! I don’t think I’ve ever been there when this occurred, or read a reporT that didn’t include one. I was quite surprised.
Someone asked what dead comic he would like to do a buddy movie with; Stephen answered “Chaplin, because I would get all the lines.” Another audience member who said she was from South Carolina and voted for his sister asked whether Elizabeth would run for office again. Stephen said he didn’t know; she would have to discuss that with her family, but that he hopes so.
Now, for an “easy” question (ha): a person asked whether churches should be taxed or not. Stephen felt that given the separation of church and state there was some basis for them being tax-exempt, but if the church engaged in politics, then, yes, they should pay. As an afterthought, he quickly added, “Oh, hell—tax ‘em!”
The next question was very similar to one of the three I was considering asking: “What was the most fun moment” on the show? Stephen chose Andrew Young’s appearance, admitting it wasn’t “fun” per se, because it took place during the strike. He mentioned (for those in the crowd who might not realize) that he’d lost his father when he was young, and didn’t know him—but Young did, and that he’d settled the hospital strike with his dad.
Someone who had had a small role on Strangers with Candy greeted him (I’m assuming an extra or an actor with only a line or two), and Stephen went over to shake her hand.
Of course, there was a question about the new show, and he answered in much the same way he did when asked a similar question at the Carrell talk in Montclair. “Here’s the thing. Part of the character is me. I just don’t want you to know how much! We’ll see.” Stephen noted that he was “more middle of the road than you might think.” But he also wryly pointed out that “I don’t believe the world started 6,000 years ago.” And he once again stressed that his staff would be coming with him so they’d have the same sense of comedy.
Someone queried if there was ever a guest who asked that something not be aired. He mentioned the “Ten Commandments” politician who wanted the commandments posted but then couldn’t name them. But Stephen said “it rarely happens,” and pointed out that they are public figures.
And the last question I remember (before the actual final, final one I’m saving) was who was his favorite Palin and who was his favorite Beatle. He thought for a second on the first and brightly said “Michael Palin!” (Nice save, Stephen.) And for his favorite Beatle he chose George, because when he began he had kind of bad teeth—in general, I think he liked the kind of normalcy and awkwardness of young George, his lack of slickness. Stephen also mentioned a song that clinched George as his fave, but sadly I can’t remember which that was. I’m so sorry.
There were a few glitches during the actual taping. During the sequence when “Grimmy, the Travel Agent” came on—after Stephen announced his December 18th departure—Grimmy got his fingers caught in the costume while raising them in the horns and they had to do it again. Stephen just chuckled when it happened.
What was exciting for us was the appearance of the guest in the midterm election “Disinteporter 6700.” This was what had necessitated the mid-show pause: bringing in the machine. We could see that someone was inside the booth, but it was slightly dark, his back was to us, and we couldn’t tell who it was. When the man turned around and it was George Takei, what screaming! I was thrilled. I love Takei, both for his sense of humor and his dedication to social justice. So his appearance was absolutely perfect. I know many people had mentioned him as a guest they’d like to see, and even if Takei didn’t get to sit at the table, his presence was welcome. Nicely done, Stephen, with the Trek (or STARRY!) reference. By the way, I love “Starrys” as the new fan name. One note: because of the delay, he also re-recorded the comment about Kirk “boning” an alien, changing it to “make love.” In the end, they went with the first version.
For my money, the sequence about surrogate anchor babies for citizenship, with his new version of the Formula 401 manseed, was just brilliant—both in concept and in language. Fallopian loophole, indeed! What great writing.
I loved the interview with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Refugee Committee (IRC). I’m on their mailing list—part of “Rescue Nation” as Miliband put it at the end of the interview—and they do great work. He also handled “Stephen” in a beautiful relaxed way that allowed him to get his point across. The audience really seemed on Miliband’s side—no surprise. Some of the interview was cut, but mostly additional examples that Miliband gave of the number of refugees in various disaster-struck regions where the IRC stepped in to help.
After the actual taping was done, Stephen came down and as usual offered to answer one more question. Someone wondered whether he would ever write another children’s book. Stephen asked whether the person had any ideas for him, and the questioner said: “The Colbert bump.” Stephen looked down for a second, slowly and thoughtfully repeated “The Colbert bump” . . . and then said, “Oh, that’s not for children.” With a wicked grin, he bid us “goodnight” and left the stage. For me, there could be no more perfect end to that final taping: I will remember that sly smile and the naughty little reference as a wonderful way to go away.
And that, I’m afraid, is it for me. The last TCR reporT. *Tears and good wishes for the future.*
Cheers, everyone.
October 30th, 2014 – The Taping ReporT!
On October 30th, I went to my final taping of The Colbert Report—a truly bittersweet occasion, as you can imagine. I’d thought about holding off till nearer the end, and wavered about going, but finally I decided I just wanted to make sure I got one more taping in and grabbed the ticket. I did not want to be frozen out!
Everyone knows the pre-show ritual by now: the waiting in line outside, among the usual lovely fans; the waiting inside, watching the very funny tapes; and the warmup once you’re seated. I can never remember the warmup comic’s name (my apologies, I really do regret it), but he did ask the audience a question that I’d never heard asked before: how many people had ever attended a taping. My hand was up, of course, and I told him “Five,” but I was wildly outdone by the next person who answered. That man had been to HUNDREDS of tapings! It turned out that he knew someone on staff—a sound person, I think—and so clearly hadn’t dealt with the usual once-in six-months rule that applied to the rest of us ordinary mortals. Well, I’m definitely jealous! And in fact, when Stephen came running out, he went over to shake the guy’s hand. (Many of the production staff did, too.)
Fortunately, this taping had lots and lots of questions—although I was not one of those chosen. (This was partly because some tech things required extra time. More about that later.) Except for the final question, which I will leave for the end of my reporT, I’m just going to put them all together as I don’t remember the order in which they were asked. Now, one interesting thing did happen here: there was not a single LOTR question. Not one! I don’t think I’ve ever been there when this occurred, or read a reporT that didn’t include one. I was quite surprised.
Someone asked what dead comic he would like to do a buddy movie with; Stephen answered “Chaplin, because I would get all the lines.” Another audience member who said she was from South Carolina and voted for his sister asked whether Elizabeth would run for office again. Stephen said he didn’t know; she would have to discuss that with her family, but that he hopes so.
Now, for an “easy” question (ha): a person asked whether churches should be taxed or not. Stephen felt that given the separation of church and state there was some basis for them being tax-exempt, but if the church engaged in politics, then, yes, they should pay. As an afterthought, he quickly added, “Oh, hell—tax ‘em!”
The next question was very similar to one of the three I was considering asking: “What was the most fun moment” on the show? Stephen chose Andrew Young’s appearance, admitting it wasn’t “fun” per se, because it took place during the strike. He mentioned (for those in the crowd who might not realize) that he’d lost his father when he was young, and didn’t know him—but Young did, and that he’d settled the hospital strike with his dad.
Someone who had had a small role on Strangers with Candy greeted him (I’m assuming an extra or an actor with only a line or two), and Stephen went over to shake her hand.
Of course, there was a question about the new show, and he answered in much the same way he did when asked a similar question at the Carrell talk in Montclair. “Here’s the thing. Part of the character is me. I just don’t want you to know how much! We’ll see.” Stephen noted that he was “more middle of the road than you might think.” But he also wryly pointed out that “I don’t believe the world started 6,000 years ago.” And he once again stressed that his staff would be coming with him so they’d have the same sense of comedy.
Someone queried if there was ever a guest who asked that something not be aired. He mentioned the “Ten Commandments” politician who wanted the commandments posted but then couldn’t name them. But Stephen said “it rarely happens,” and pointed out that they are public figures.
And the last question I remember (before the actual final, final one I’m saving) was who was his favorite Palin and who was his favorite Beatle. He thought for a second on the first and brightly said “Michael Palin!” (Nice save, Stephen.) And for his favorite Beatle he chose George, because when he began he had kind of bad teeth—in general, I think he liked the kind of normalcy and awkwardness of young George, his lack of slickness. Stephen also mentioned a song that clinched George as his fave, but sadly I can’t remember which that was. I’m so sorry.
There were a few glitches during the actual taping. During the sequence when “Grimmy, the Travel Agent” came on—after Stephen announced his December 18th departure—Grimmy got his fingers caught in the costume while raising them in the horns and they had to do it again. Stephen just chuckled when it happened.
What was exciting for us was the appearance of the guest in the midterm election “Disinteporter 6700.” This was what had necessitated the mid-show pause: bringing in the machine. We could see that someone was inside the booth, but it was slightly dark, his back was to us, and we couldn’t tell who it was. When the man turned around and it was George Takei, what screaming! I was thrilled. I love Takei, both for his sense of humor and his dedication to social justice. So his appearance was absolutely perfect. I know many people had mentioned him as a guest they’d like to see, and even if Takei didn’t get to sit at the table, his presence was welcome. Nicely done, Stephen, with the Trek (or STARRY!) reference. By the way, I love “Starrys” as the new fan name. One note: because of the delay, he also re-recorded the comment about Kirk “boning” an alien, changing it to “make love.” In the end, they went with the first version.
For my money, the sequence about surrogate anchor babies for citizenship, with his new version of the Formula 401 manseed, was just brilliant—both in concept and in language. Fallopian loophole, indeed! What great writing.
I loved the interview with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Refugee Committee (IRC). I’m on their mailing list—part of “Rescue Nation” as Miliband put it at the end of the interview—and they do great work. He also handled “Stephen” in a beautiful relaxed way that allowed him to get his point across. The audience really seemed on Miliband’s side—no surprise. Some of the interview was cut, but mostly additional examples that Miliband gave of the number of refugees in various disaster-struck regions where the IRC stepped in to help.
After the actual taping was done, Stephen came down and as usual offered to answer one more question. Someone wondered whether he would ever write another children’s book. Stephen asked whether the person had any ideas for him, and the questioner said: “The Colbert bump.” Stephen looked down for a second, slowly and thoughtfully repeated “The Colbert bump” . . . and then said, “Oh, that’s not for children.” With a wicked grin, he bid us “goodnight” and left the stage. For me, there could be no more perfect end to that final taping: I will remember that sly smile and the naughty little reference as a wonderful way to go away.
And that, I’m afraid, is it for me. The last TCR reporT. *Tears and good wishes for the future.*
Cheers, everyone.