This was one of my favorite bits from last night. Possibly because it reminded me so much of the Colbert report.
I made myself stay up last night to watch Colbert's debut, even though it was a little past my usual bedtime.
In fact I watched most of it in my office knowing that if I tried to watch it in my bed I would be dead asleep before he even started the monologue.
Speaking just for myself I have to admit it was a little unsatisfying to me. But that might just be due to the fact that I kept waiting for him to launch into one of his Report like bits from his Comedy Central show.
Colbert is still great, and as always quite funny.
But it is clear that he was not completely comfortable without his Stephen Colbert fake conservative pundit mask. (Which just so happens to look just like him.)
Having said that Stephen Colbert is enormously talented and I have no doubt that he will soon get comfortable, and start making his late night competitors Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy, Jimmy Kimmel, and Conan O'Brien incredibly nervous.
However he will have to do it shy one viewer, because I'm an earlier riser and I was so exhausted this morning that I couldn't even remember how my alarm clock worked. (Helpful hint for the future, punching it in the plastic face plate while screaming obscenities will not turn off the buzzer.)
Hey, Mr G, I'm with you: I was a little underwhelmed too. He has so much talent, I would love to see it without the overblown set -- Sistine ceiling (albeit a digital projection), the fancy desk and step-up platform. Whats wrong with a David Rose plain set and let the verbal be the content? I liked the Oreo thing until I read that it's actually paid product placement -- so I was going to buy some, to support the humor, but then NAAAAH, not if it was a paid thing.
ReplyDeleteI was totally underwhelmed. He rocked his own shw, but I can understand the call of even more fame. Growing up in the sixties, I thought he totally destroyed "I Want To take You Higher" at the end. Less is more, it was garish.
DeleteGive me a break it's his first fricking show.
DeleteI don't have to, 6:05 PM, and Gryph and we are allowed our opinion as you are yours, but, out of the gate? Meh.
DeleteI don't think he has that certain personality quality that really just works for late night talk shows. Letterman, Carson, Conan, Ferguson, all have it (or had, Carson rip). Self depricating... dry... goofy...unrefined.
Delete5:52 - we must have seen a different show. The show I saw ended with " Everyday People."
Delete7:48 PM, you are right, mea culpa. Looked to me like he tried too hard, and Stewart is the executive producer? That's why they left Comedy Central...I expect him to tank.
DeleteThe theater was renovated to bring some of it's former glory back and make it more of a theater and less of a TV studio. With modern technology they've improved on lighting and sound so it is less obtrusive. I suspect some of that overblown is original architecture of the period.
DeleteI'm not so sure that ceiling was all projected or even projected at all. I think that projection bit may have been a joke. Theaters of that period usually had really ornate ceilings.
Letterman suggested he move the desk to the right because there is no access from the left. That's why he would run across the stage every night.
I think the step up is to hide conduit and electricals. He has a teleprompter inset into the surface. I suspect the entire thing can be rolled off so that the stage can be used for other things. It also puts him higher probably making it easier for the cameras.
I'm just happy to have him back. The hair, the glasses, the ego are so not Colbert that I never expected him to morph into that character.
ReplyDeleteStephen Colbert has more talent than any network can kill but it'll be a while before we all adjust our expectations to accommodate the new non-cable paradigm.
Sorry...but I laughed & laughed,,,LOL...
ReplyDeleteYou know...he does have to appeal to everyone so he may have been a little dry...other than that, he's my favorite besides Jon
Sorry, but Jeb Bush on his first show?
DeleteI realize he had to but, in my opinion, he sold out
It was offered to Hillary first, and she turned it down.
DeleteI have to say that I love John Oliver as much as Stewart and Colbert.
DeleteI felt just about the same, Gryph. I think though that it will improve over time as he himself gets used to this new persona. And then, too, he will, little by little, get to do more outrageous things. I think he wants to get everyone to like the genuinely good person that he is, and at that point he will become bolder. Did you watch the bonus footage? http://www.cbs.com/shows/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert/video/ZHnQh0K9Knzv0ALYcQlcHDBDySRBQNnO/jeb-bonus-clip-/
ReplyDeleteLove me one Stephen.
DeleteHope he finds his niche.
Yeah, In Florida where he was governor, ALEC pulled all their puppet strings and behold; STAND YOUR GROUND.
DeleteThis Bushiot doesn't even understand the 10th amendment. While, yes, states have rights FEDERAL LAW TRUMPS STATE LAW!
I'll say it again. The only amendment the right acknowledges is the 2nd one and they don't even fully comprehend that one.
The Trump stuff was funny, having Jeb channel Trump. Now that is the old Stephen.
Sorry Gryphen, very O/T here but: is it true that in Sarah's resignation speech in 2009, she mentioned Mt. Denali???
ReplyDeleteYes, and she said it was "soaring."
DeleteJeb! as a guest was pretty boring since he doesn't have much of a personality. He always looks like a deer in the headlights.
ReplyDeleteRachel is just now covering the rally against the Iran deal, shaking her head in disbelief about Palin especially!
ReplyDelete4:23: yup, she did. And apparently hasn't been called out on it yet.
ReplyDeletePalin is such a pig.
DeleteThree letters...DVR. I watched while on my treadmill this afternoon. 😀
ReplyDeleteYes DVR. late night? am early riser too. up with the Rooster.
ReplyDeleteThat was just one show, with so much expectation riding on it.
ReplyDeleteGive him a few weeks and see how he settles in.
A middling night with Colbert will still be the best thing on tv.
And, yes, you can put it on your DVR or watch it on CBS on-line.
Maybe.
DeleteSome of their stuff they're restricting because they still think they are going to make money with subscribers.
Like I'm going to do that when they put an advertisement over the entire subtitles to the French conversation on Zoo. I never did figure out what they were saying as it was over by the time the banner was gone.
Tonight he launched his election store 2016. Funny bit and some of the old Colbert flavor.
DeleteOh, yes. It's getting a little better each night.
I was disappointed. I agree that it was overdone. I think he has retained too much of the character from Comedy Central. Tonight I opted to watch Jimmy Fallon instead.
ReplyDeleteI concur and have said so, elsewhere, I'm sure he'll find his niche and wow us again. I think they were trying too hard and lost the spontaneity. Plus,.....I still miss the hell out of......
ReplyDeleteLetterman.
Gryphen,
ReplyDeleteYou need to do something with this. Maybe you already have something planned, but this is beyond outrageous.
http://www.mediaite.com/online/palin-calls-blacklivesmatter-protesters-dogs-at-anti-iran-deal-rally/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mediaite%2FxXeM+%28Mediaite%29
I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteIt was Letterman and it wasn't The Colbert Report but for a first show it wasn't bad.
I liked Les Moonves and his Mentalist lever, which was used twice. I liked the Trump bit. And I thought his interview of Bush was pretty good.
I'm withholding judgement on the band and the new theme music. Which probably isn't a very good sign.
He hasn't found his feet yet (and he ran over but a few minutes) but it was a good start and he'll only get better.
I thought the two Jimmy Fallon spots were cute too. Did you stay up long enough to see the locker room bit at the end?
OT, bout damn time..
ReplyDeletehttp://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/55f0d752e4b002d5c078247d
O/T: Uncle Gryphen, check your PM on Facebook. Nice picture.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Colbert now though I missed the opening monologue. And I'm so happy to tell you I'm jazzed with what I'm seeing. So much funnier than last night.
ReplyDelete>>Helpful hint for the future, punching it in the plastic face plate while screaming obscenities will not turn off the buzzer.<<
ReplyDeleteI have long wished for a model of television that went into mute mode when I yell 'shut up' at it.
I only watched the first show and thought it was a little boring, however since it was the first show he probable will get better.
ReplyDeleteI thought he spent too much time on The Donald, but I thought he did a great job shooting down Jeb! without Jeb even knowing it, in fact he seemed a little stunned.
When he asked him why do you want to be president and Jeb couldn't answer, talked about policies and how he made FL so great, loved it when Stephan told him presidents don't have much to do with education except have their photos on the wall and those are policies not why you want to be pres.!!! Jeb! seemed speechless, like a deer in the headlights, I think he walked off the stage like what just hit me. If it were Sarah she would be screaming gotcha questions.
George Clooney is usually funny and I thought was a total waste of time.
The Colbert Report was a 25 minute show four days a week,
ReplyDeleteThe Late Show is one hour five days a week. A very different pace and rhythm. Despite its fake conservative approach,
The Report was a news show, Late Night is not.
Two shows in I'm not knocked out, because I find myself waiting for a discussion of issues, rather than small talk. Guests on his former show had a reason to be there--movie, book, event.
Most likely he'll find his comedy groove, but the biggest weakness after two shows is his interviews. He doesn't seem relaxed. Interviews seemed forced. Really awkward with Elon Musk, as Colbert seemed to have gotten cross ways with him.
Ultimately they have to decide if his show is going to be the standard talk show model, or if it can be reinvented.
Colbert likes interviews.
DeleteBut I don't think he had much input on these first guests except, maybe, for George Clooney.
I am not liking the musical choices for the last 5-10 min. of the show. But then, my tastes in music and Colbert's don't align very well.
I don't think Colbert has had a chance to develop his personal schtick for late night yet.
The hat thing was hit and miss funny last night but the Election Store 2016 was really funny. That was more of the real Colbert coming out.
Last night was funnier than Tuesday. I expect tonight to be a little better.
I think he's improving fast and will hit his stride faster than people are predicting.
First show was really funnee. Second was a bore. That interview with Scarlett Johanson was awful, he was bad and she was worse. Really, she should only go on shows when she's got a product to promote.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care for her or George Clooney.
DeleteBut I thought Bush was OK and I liked Elon Musk.
I think this reflects Stephen's strong suit being more non-fiction than Hollywood fluff.
Finally some people who saw the same show that I did. I was very disappointed. However, Stephen never was a rata-tat-tat joke teller. His humor is more long form and littered with smart word play. I'm not convinced he will ultimately fit in to this TV form, unless he is allowed to re-invent it. I think he's also missing his Comedy Central writers. And who knows what restrictions the network is putting on him. I imagined Les Moonvez sitting the audience thinking, "I paid him HOW much?" I don't have the patience to watch over and over waiting for something to change. When people I trust tell me it's improved, then I might go back again. That's 21st Century television: there are too many choices to load up my DVR with shows I don't plan to watch.
ReplyDeleteWonderful show. The ceiling, sign of the cross, Mavis Staples, Jon Batiste--Stephen Colbert lovingly dedicates his first show to the human race and to the loving God he worships. We are everyday people.
ReplyDeleteSign of the cross. The trinity. Did any viewers miss Colbert's overt Catholic Christian signs? Ashes on his forehead year after year--unnoticed by bloggers?
ReplyDeleteDeep thinker is this cerebral late-night host. Not your average (atheist) bear.