After Keith Olbermann's post-SOTU j'accuse of a bevy of conservative talking heads, in which he equated their cries of "arrogance" with the racially inflammatory "uppity," many thought Keith was overreaching at best.

Be that as it may, both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report covered a case of the pot calling the kettle "arrogant," as they reported on the unprecedented bit of reverse-place-putting that was the Republicans' Mini-me SOTU. It's not that Obama is "uppity," it's that the Republicans have been too "downity." (more...)

For many TV viewers, the most eagerly anticipated post-State of the Union remarks were neither the GOP response from newly-elected Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, nor reactions from any of the various TV reporters and pundits covering the proceedings - they were jokes from the fake reporter/pundit team of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. The two tape their shows in advance, so they couldn't offer their full remarks until last night - and they said largely the same thing (at least about McDonnell's rebuttal), though Colbert had a more inventive way of doing it. (more...)

video Thanks to the 'Underwear Bomber' and his Yemeni-based al Qaeda connections the country of Yemen is getting a lot of attention in the press these days. A lot. Depending on where you get your news Yemen is either filling the role in the Axis of Evil left vacant by Iraq says Stephen Colbert (video below), or beautiful but troubled according to NBC's Richard Engel, who also says the media may be blowing the threat out of proportion (along with Canadian airlines!). Or, alternately, our most fragile ally. (more...)

The Atlantic's Jim Warren, former managing editor and Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Tribune, attended the Second City 50th anniversary event in Chicago, which featured alumni of the comedy institution — including a very forthcoming Stephen Colbert. Colbert, who sat for a panel discussion with writers of "The Colbert Report," moderated by NPR's Peter Sagal, talked about the jokes he held back at the 2006 White House Correspondent's Dinner, what he thinks of Glenn Beck and why he couldn't help himself from liking Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. (more...)

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"I think this has been a wonderful decade for civility. And anyone who disagrees with me can gargle my man-sack."

video Stephen Colbert took some time last night to address the phenomenon that is the conservative media's apparent support of gold: Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, Bill O'Reilly all shill for gold as a good investment. "Conservative talk and gold" says Colbert, "go together like Obama and a Hitler mustache." Youch! (more...)

video Stephen Colbert made headlines when he announced last month that his viewership (or, as he affectionately calls them, "Colbert Nation") would take over as primary sponsor of the United States' speed skating team in advance of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. And the fans have delivered, raising approximately $250,000 for the team in the time since. (more...)

video Stephen Colbert became a huge star by adopting a personality radically different from his own, but since he and his fake pundit character share a name, the intertwining of the two Stephen Colberts was inevitable. Add in the high-profile public appearances he's made in character, and it's no wonder it can be a shock to the system when the real Colbert drops the blustery veneer, as he did last night on Late Show with David Letterman. (more...)

video Our favorite book author Gail Collins stopped by to talk to (what felt like a nicely subdued) Stephen Colbert last night about her new book 'When Everything Changed.' According to Collins one of the major problems we face today is that "half the workforce is female now, and we still haven't figured out who's supposed to take care of the kids." Collins also recounts the story of the newlywed who arrived at New York traffic court in 1960 to pay her boss's parking ticket and was thrown out by the judge because she was wearing slacks. Yes that is a true story. For his part Colbert seems especially struck by the fact that in 1960 there were airline flights reserved exclusively for men...the only women on board were the stewardesses, who would bend over to light the passengers complimentary cigars. (more...)

Over the last few months of political madness, a teary-eyed, raving Glenn Beck has outdone even Stephen Colbert, the comedic master of faux punditry and slippery rhetoric. But who would Colbert be if he didn't fire back, unloading over six minutes last night on the media's current court jester? As soon as Colbert announces that he is going to take a minute to "defend the mainstream media's favorite punching bag Glenn Beck," it's clear that you should strap in because this one is quite a ride. (more...)