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The set for this show is, hands down, the ugliest late night set since plaid-sofa-era Carson.

Well now that I watched the episode, I fail to see what was so bad. Just like on Colbert, the product placement was a bit ridiculous. And the whole Trump bit seemed straight out of the Report. I laughed out loud a bunch and just don't think it was too much of a departure from CR.

I was really pleased with Colbert's segment on Trump, since it gave some indication that he was going to at least maintain some of his previous strengths. I think he's still trying to figure out what to do with the bigger paint brush.

I guess Fallon lobbed softballs all night at Trump, to nobody's surprise.

This Vice piece sums up my feelings about Colbert so far, and I'm strongly in the camp that feels like the show is great. For one thing, there are so many bits that would've felt right at home on Colbert Report, especially the bits he does with the news images over his right shoulder. Colbert has always been a friendly guy. I can't think of a time in the Report's history where he really "cut through the bullshit" and "told it like it is." He was almost always jovial, and while certainly witty and sarcastic, never did so in an attacking way.

I can't stand the Jimmy Fallon/Seth Meyers-type of late night, which is basically the late-night equivalent of clickbait, aiming for youtube hits and social media shares. I find the new show nearly as funny as the Report, and the earnest moments truly moving.

I somewhat disagree about cutting through the bullshit, Colbert has a different approach to it than, say, Letterman who is usually more direct and caustic. The high point was his appearance at the White House Correspondents Dinner which is still the gold standard.

I like some of Fallon's clickbait, but he's a terrible interviewer. And he really has no business interviewing politicians.

Huge ratings drop for Daily Show with Trevor Noah over Jon Stewart
I was only a casual Daily Show fan before, having caught a few episodes of Noah's show I can say I'm not impressed. He's not necessarily unfunny but he says "replacement" more than star. He's about as charismatic as the average Buzzfeed presenter

Anyone else catch Bill Maher on Colbert? It was noticeably tense between the two, which isn't exactly surprising considering how hostile Maher is in general, but seemed kind of needless. Colbert appeared amused by Maher's aggression. Just my impression, but Maher came off as slightly bitter about the fact that Colbert (and by proxy Stewart ... and probably Oliver) have sort of surpassed him within the genre Maher helped pioneer.

A rare example of superior intelligence(s) being rewarded in pop culture.

There is also the not insignificant fact that Maher is just simply an asshole.

And not really that funny.

The unedited interview up on YouTube is a bit less heated than the one that went to air. It may be because there's less cuts back to Colbert's reaction after Maher's jabs.

I tend to prefer Maher politically (although he is totally obnoxious) and I find a lot of the "satire" that Colbert, Stewart, Oliver etc. are famous for very cheap and infantile, but Colbert really got the better of Maher on this occassion. Maher looked so pissed right at the end when Colbert stepped on his last joke and finished it far better than he ever could.

"Cheap and infantile" could also describe the very people they are mocking.

So, that's what happened. I was wondering about the switch in the schedule.

Watch the 70's stuff (sadly, little of his prime pre-'72 shows survive), which airs on weekends. By many accounts, he went a little on autopilot during the '80s.

hearthesilence wrote:By many accounts, he went a little on autopilot during the '80s.

Yes! You are correct sir!

Craig Kilborn cannot seem to stop talking on a new Bill Simmons podcast that sounds like every inescapable cocaine conversation you've ever been on the receiving end of - uhhhh, not that I'm suggesting anything specific or anything...

...

...

...at any rate, it's something of an unmitigated disaster. At one point Craig needs to take a break. To, uh... drink some water.

Apparently he recently appeared on a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese commercial as well.

Don't worry, he's not James Woods and this isn't Twitter

Disaster? It was fantastic, very much in tune with Craigers' Late Late Show persona. The bits about his brother were especially funny. Having said that I can see how in a long form podcast people would think Kilborn was scatterbrained — his kind of arrogant humor is easier accessible in short bursts. This was also the first time I recall Simmons letting a guest actually go. Admittedly this may have been because Simmons had no clue what to do. Pretty awesome,


I like Simmons a lot, but having seen him on tv before and his unimpressive HBO promo I really hope the upcoming show is more like his Grantland Network stuff than ESPN. He has everything you want in a host except the two most important things, screen presence and charisma.

He couldn't keep one thing going without trailing off into something else. He was completely scattered, unable to maintain a discussion, and was obviously making Simmons uncomfortable. There was nothing suave or biting about it, he was way too disoriented (and disorienting) to pull that persona off.

Not surprisingly, I had three different friends send me the link to Kilborn's appearance on the Simmons podcast and all three texts mentioned the possibility of heavy cocaine use.

How familiar are you guys with his show?

Because this is exactly how he was on it. He was never biting and 'suave' he was only in a form of parody.

Like I said without the ability to see him his style lends itself to being misunderstood inside the usually sharply structured podcast interview formant, but this was certainly a performance by someone who knew exactly what he was doing.

He also didn't make Simmons uncomfortable. What I heard was Simmons getting a kick out of Kilborn and laughing a lot. If as you say Simmons was 'uncomfortable' there's no way the interview would have gone on for 80 minutes which outside of show regulars is as long as his interviews go.

The Letterman and ESPN stuff were excellent. Points about BIrd & Jordan were smart too.