Take The City And Run

The Colbert Réport (don’t pronounce the t’s — “It’s French, bitch!”) premiered Monday night after The Daily Show. And, after only two shows, the newly-enhanced — Colbert was formerly a “correspondent” on The Daily Show — tag-teaming of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert is already proving itself an inspired hourlong coupling.

Tuesday night’s 11pm-12am Stewart/Colbert bloc offered the surreal twist of featuring a face off between Stewart and Bill O’Reilly, whose Fox News show is a main target of Colbert’s satire. Stewart’s and O’Reilly’s spirited trading of jibes was followed by Colbert’s calling his supposed Fox Newsman mentor “Big Poppa.” And hilarity ensued.

It will be interesting to see if The Colbert Réport can maintain its format without going stale, but Colbert’s sarcastic tour de force (it’s French, bitch!) should go a long way toward keeping it fresh. Of course, with the first two guests — Stone Phillips and Lesley Stahl — as well as, presumably, tonight’s guest — Fareed Zakaria — being good sports, the question begged is: how will Colbert handle a more hostile guest or one that may not get the humor of the show?

Also of interest: The Colbert Nation