It’s a surprisingly small studio (think off-off broadway theater) and a surprisingly small, very nice staff.
If you’ve ever been to a TV show taping, you know the routine – line up, take you seat, listen to the warm up comedian (Pete Dominick, very funny guy), practice your whoops and cheers for the stage manager, and then the star comes in and takes questions.
That’s where Colbert showed his real persona – the one he showed in his interview on Larry King the other night. Nice guy. He signed a copy of his book for a woman to send to her husband inIraq, then shot her one of his wrist strong bracelets. Like I said, nice guy.
Then the show starts, and he’s brilliant of course. First he ragged on Hillary, then announced his candidacy for president. (He’s really doing it, though only in South Carolina, and registering as both a Republican and a Democrat.) Balloons fall on the stage to the strains of “Hail to the Chief”. Jeff Greenfield pops in to give some political advice. Then a brief interview with the author of “Curveball”.
Then, before you know it, it’s over.
And you think “That’s it?”
Maybe it was 16 minutes of material, including the commentary from the guests. Pretty much all of Colbert’s material delivered straight to the camera, with us, the audience, serving as the soundtrack. He acknowledged us enought to let us know that he knew we were there and appreciated us. And we felt appreciated.
But in the end, it wasn’t really a show for us. It was for you, and the over one million others who watch this show.
This little show produced by this little group of people in this little studio. Seen by over a million people every night.
Television.
It’s bizarre.
And brilliant.
OMG I am so jealous! I mean, your recipes I’ve craved, the trip to Italy I would have loved, but going to see the Colbert Report, even if only 16 minutes of it, now THAT I’m super envious about. I want to live in New York!
What fun!
The best part was when he was completing his application as a candidate and asked, “Who will pay the $25,000 fee?” as he munched a bag of Doritos… too funny.