Stephen Colbert Welcomes Home the Troops

     This week brought two very special episodes of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. They were titled "Been There, Won That: The Returnification of the American-Do Troopscape." In them, Stephen Colbert welcomed home our U.S. Armed Forces from Iraq. Airing with live feed to Iraq and Afghanistan on Wednesday, and with feed to Afghanistan and Walter Reed on Thursday, the audience was made up entirely of active duty military and veterans. Colbert served them hot dogs and beer, and brought in grass for them to put their feet on, as they had been in the desert.

     The half-hour episodes were basically a love fest for the troops, and I'm not complaining about that. If anyone deserves praise heaped on them, it is our men and women in uniform. Among the guests Colbert had on were Vice President Joe Biden, singer John Legend, General Ray Odierno, and soldiers Brent Cummings and Josh Bleill. Bleill lost both legs in Iraq, and after less than two years of recovery, can run and waterski on his new legs. He wrote a book about the experience titled One Step At A Time. Odierno was the man who shaved Colbert's head when the latter took his show to the Middle East last year.

     Despite all the positive energy, the episodes were not without some pokes and criticisms. For instance, Colbert joked that we had won the Iraq War many times already, and since we still have nearly 50,000 troops over there, aren't they being asked to win it again? But most of those negatives were softballs, not the scathing rhetoric Colbert is known for. I'd say the most awkward moment came when Colbert asked Joe Biden to thank former President George W. Bush for his part in Iraq. Personally, I see no reason to thank him, but Biden said some very nice things and came out looking classy.

     At one point, Colbert was invited to Afghanistan, but seemed reluctant to agree to go, and sidestepped the request. I don't blame him. Whether he goes or not, tune into The Colbert Report Monday through Thursday nights at 11:30 on Comedy Central. It's always a laugh.  In Lexington, Comedy Central is channel 60 analog, 148 digital cable, or 249 satellite, although, unfortunately, we are still being denied the HD cable version of the channel.

Please visit www.whitehouse.gov/salute to share your own salute.

Article first published as Stephen Colbert Welcomes Home the Troops on Blogcritics.

Colbert scores high at the Olympics

    As most people know by now, Stephen Colbert urged his Colbert Nation to step in and sponsor the USA Olympic Speed Skating Team when they lost their top donor.  As such, Colbert was named the Assistant Sports Psychologist for the team and got to attend the games in Vancouver these past two weeks.  This week, he is airing his show, The Colbert Report, from the games, which special Olympic "Vancouverage".      On Monday's first episode, Colbert spoke with his brother about what he could and could not say to keep him from getting sued while covering the games, as NBC paid a lot of money to be the sole network at hand.  However, despite all the amusing restrictions, and his brother's insistence that pretty much anything he did would be met with legal action, Colbert already had a deal worked out in advance, so any controversy is purely contrived.  That didn't stop it from making good entertainment.
     Part of the deal must have included an interview with NBC lead anchor for the games, Bob Costas, who not only did an interview with Colbert, put sat on a moose to the delight of the massive live crowd.  (Note: Colbert also sat down with Bob Costas on NBC last Wednesday).  Among others, Colbert also spoke with Olympic athletes Scott Hamilton, Ryan St. Onge, Lindsey Vonn, and Shaun White, the latter two having already earned medals this year.  Colbert also showed himself fulfilling his duty as Assistant Psychologist, as well as partying at other countries's houses, especially Ireland.  Generally, Colbert seems to be having much fun with his usual trademark egotism, and Canada, despite his digs on them in recent weeks, loves him for it.  The crowds at his outside segments are immense.
     If you like The Colbert Report, you should love this week's episodes.  And if you have never tuned into Colbert, but are interested in the Olympics, tonight would be a good time to try him out.  Colbert's coverage will conclude tonight at 11:30 on Comedy Central (channel 60 analog, 148 digital cable, or 249 satellite here in Lexington) as he interviews Shani Davis and Seth Wescott.
     The best way to watch The Colbert Report, of course, is in High Definition, but Lexington's Insight Cable declines to air Comedy Central in HD.  To request that they start, as I have done several times, please go to this link.  While you're there, please also request the CW in HD.  It isn't even cable!  Most cities already have the CW in HD.