CBS unveils “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s” logo. | Image via @FrankPallotta
Stephen spent his birthday courting advertisers and heralding his new show. Not surprisingly, he made a great first impression.
Stephen Colbert Jokes About Finding Himself, Rips Rupert Murdoch at CBS Upfront
CBS brought out its biggest gun at the network’s upfront presentation at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall on Wednesday: Stephen Colbert, who’s poised to take over “The Late Show” after David Letterman retires.
The former “Colbert Report” host cracked up advertisers as he joked about ditching his conservative persona and going on a voyage of self-discovery.
In a video spoofing his transition, Colbert declared that he’s going to find himself, saying, “I leave but a boy, I return a myself.”
Unfortunately, Colbert’s trip was postponed when he discovered that there’s a “CSI: Cyber” now on the air.
In the video, a time-lapse viewing binge ensued, which eventually saw both Colbert and his Labrador retriever watching with him sporting Hassidic-length beards.
After transitioning from the video to the stage of Carnigie Hall in New York City, where the upfront presentation took place, Colbert continued to riff on his transition.
He joked that he had tried a number of personas in the path to finding his true self, including “a Russian strongman.” A picture of Colbert’s head was superimposed on a bare-chested Vladimir Putin flashed on the screen behind him.
He also joked that he briefly became “a Kardashian,” as a picture depicting Colbert in Kim Kardashian‘s infamous “Internet-breaking” picture from her Paper photoshoot popped up.
“I cant tell you how much waxing I had to go through for that shot,” Colbert told a cheering crowd.
Continuing on his theme of self-discovery, Colbert joked that he had taken a number of personality tests, including “the BuzzFeed ‘Which One Direction Member Are You?’” test. “Turns out that I’m a Harry,” he said.
Colbert also took aim at the network’s love of crime procedurals, joking about a series called “NCIS: CSI Division,” claiming “most of my show will be me solving murders by zooming in on pubic hairs.
Colbert went on to say that he was proud to join The Tiffany Network and explained, “Tiffany, of course, was the name of William Paley’s favorite stripper,” a reference to the venerable CBS pioneer. “It was this close to being ‘The Cinnamon Network.’”
Colbert also took a shot at Fox boss Rupert Murdoch, telling the assembled advertisers that they “want young eyeballs, and not just the ones Rupert Murdoch buys on the black market.”
Full Article: The Wrap.
CBS Upfront Presentation 2015 Live Blog
1:10 PM: Stephen Colbert is seen via video, going back to his office after his final time playing a conservative gasbag anchoring faux news show for Comedy Central. He prepares to take a trip to India to discover who he really is, having promised he will not play said bloviating faux anchor when he takes over CBS’s Late Show from retiring David Letterman. But, before he gets out the door, he gets sucked into watching CBS on his office TV set. “What?! There’s a CSI: Cyber Now?!” Months later, CBS CEO Les Moonves comes to his office to drag him over to Carnegie Hall for CBS’s Upfront presentation. “But I don’t know who the real Stephen Colbert is,” Colbert tells Les. “You’re a white male comedian with a nice haircut and suit,” Les says, cutting to the chase. “Oh! I’m a talk show host!” Colbert marvels.
End of video.
Actual Colbert dances out onto the Carnegie Hall stage:
“Good evening, hello and good afternoon,” Colbert tells media buyers and press watching live or via livestream from timezones further west. “I’m Stephen and this is my first official appearance as host of The Late Show With Starring Stephen Colbert. He suggests to media buyers they all get to know one another. I’m Stephen…and I like anything crispy, fatty, salty or sweet. Does anyone here sell any products like that?”
To pay tribute to David Letterman, who built Late Show show from scratch at CBS, Colbert promises to do the best show possible as its new host, “and occasionally make the network angry.”
“A lot of people have been asking ‘Who is Stephen Colbert?’ Mostly my wife. But I love you … I want to say Denise?,” Colbert continues. “If someone could Google that, it would be great, before I get home.”
He explains his version of Late Show will be another iteration of CBS’s prolific CSI franchise, “because most of my show will be me solving murders by zooming in on pubic hairs.” That said, he described mulling assuming other personalities for his new hosting gig, including Kim Kardashian’s.
“I know what you want, you want young eyeballs, and not just the kind Rupert Murdoch buys on the black market,” Colbert assures advertisers in the hall. When that gag does not play so well, he wonders how many people in the audience are Murdoch’s black-market young eyeball dealers. “Let me assure you, the younglings love me,” he says, trying another approach.
“Will Stephen Colbert do inclusive sponsorship?” he asks. “Yes, but only in rare instances. Young people trust me because of my integrity – brought to you by Old El Paso Seasoning. Old El Paso: You can really taste the Old.”
Colbert tries to hand Moonves his new-employee urine test. Moonves says it’s not necessary. “Good, because it’s not mine,” Colbert says, adding, “Thank for doing me a solid, Charlie Rose!”
Full Article: Deadline.
Stephen Colbert Scores With Advertisers in His CBS, and Upfront, Debut
Comedian charms the Carnegie Hall crowd, as network makes big plans
The comedian, who will succeed David Letterman when Late Show with Stephen Colbert debuts on Sept. 8, was the star of CBS’ Thursday afternoon upfront presentation at New York’s Carnegie Hall, held hours after the network announced its 2015-2016 lineup and made clear its intention to wrest the 18-49 crown away from NBC next season.
Those themes continued during the presentation, but the biggest news was that Colbert seemed to fit right in at his new home. He killed during his upfront appearance, first with a video showing the comedian the night he wrapped The Colbert Report deciding to find the real Colbert by going on a “voyage of self-discovery” only to get distracted by CBS programming. (“What? There’s a CSI: Cyber now?”)
He then charmed the audience onstage (“How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Turns out you take over a network talk show, and it’s mandatory.”) and joked that he’ll be a perfect fit on the procedural-heavy network: “Most of my show will be me solving murders by zooming in on pubic hairs.”
Colbert also paid homage to Letterman, saying that in tribute to the retiring legend, “We will do the best show we possibly can and occasionally make the network very angry at us.” And, most importantly, he made a terrific impression with advertisers—or as he called them, his “adver-buddies”—promising that he’ll go the extra mile to satisfy them: “You want young eyeballs and not just the kind Rupert Murdock buys on the black market.”
Full article: Adweek
Stephen Colbert Introduces Himself As CBS’s New Late Show Host
The piece opened on Colbert planning to go on a journey to India to discover himself, with a giant bag or gorp and a copy of Eat Pray Love. Until, that is, he became absorbed in a marathon binge-watch of CBS and lost track of time until May. Desperate, he told CBS president Les Moonves that he still didn’t know who he was. “You’re a white male comedian,” Moonves said, “with a nice haircut and a suit.”
“Oh!” said Colbert. “I’m a talk-show host!”
Full article: Time
Here are some more images and snippets of dialogue from the Upfronts:
Stephen Colbert, in a pretaped segment at CBS upfront. “There’s a CSI: Cyber now?” pic.twitter.com/fR46igs4Cw
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 13, 2015
Colbert and Moonves, beard buddies. #CBSUpfront pic.twitter.com/ZRDnQinEs4
— Joe Adalian (@TVMoJoe) May 13, 2015
Stephen Colbert joking that he is trying to find his new identity, possibly as a Kardashian, at #CBSUpfront pic.twitter.com/MI1gk9dPMT
— Kristin Dos Santos (@KristinDSantos) May 13, 2015
Stephen Colbert says he’s tried out multiple new personas for Late Show, including “presidential hopeful.” pic.twitter.com/zZJuUSj8zs
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 13, 2015
Colbert: “The only way to properly honor Dave is to do the best show we can and sometime make the network mad at us.”
— Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) May 13, 2015
Colbert offers Les Moonves his starting paper work and urine sample. (Not his.) “Thank you, Charlie Rose.” pic.twitter.com/1jYRSLdQRm
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 13, 2015
Stephen’s beautifully executed Charm Offensive yielded instant results.
Advertisers are loving Stephen Colbert. #CBSUpfront pic.twitter.com/C6DPD6P65p
— Stephen Battaglio (@SteveBattaglio) May 13, 2015
Stephen Colbert Dazzles Advertisers During CBS Upfronts
CBS unveils “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s” logo. | Image via @FrankPallotta
Stephen spent his birthday courting advertisers and heralding his new show. Not surprisingly, he made a great first impression.
Here are some more images and snippets of dialogue from the Upfronts:
Stephen’s beautifully executed Charm Offensive yielded instant results.