Stephen Colbert Goes Commando in Iraq

Hot air comedian Stephen Colbert is in Iraq right now, filming four episodes of the Colbert Report at Baghdad’s Camp Victory.  It is the first time ever that a “nonnews” show (this is how the New York Times characterizes it) has been filmed and broadcast from a U.S. military combat zone, though to me this would be a pretty strong argument that the narrow definition of a “news” show is constantly being revised.

Colbert apparently has not turned down the fake-blowhard nature of his talk show persona for “Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando,” but the troops seem to be appreciating it either way.  The first episode from Iraq airs tonight, and the press has already noted that Colbert receives a special makeover courtesy of Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of the American troops…  

The general shaved Colbert’s head onstage (under orders from one Barack Obama), and Colbert, wearing a camoflage business suit, ran through the audience high-fiving the soldiers.  

Colbert said this about how his ultra-sarcastic, liberal’s-eye-view-of-a-conservative on-air character would fly with the servicemen:

“The best way I can show gratitude is to do my show the best I can and make them laugh,” he said. “If I tried to tailor my material to people in the Army, there’d be two things. A, that’d be patronizing. And B, I’d be wrong.” 

And, indeed:

“I, Stephen Colbert, by the power invested in me by basic cable, officially declare we won the Iraq war.”

But of course, there have been drawbacks.  Mostly hipster-related.

Along with Mr. Colbert, who arrived Friday, came 30 members of the show’s production staff. That’s one-third of the usual, but still a large operation that takes over several rooms at a former palace of Saddam Hussein, where the show is being taped: skinny comedy writers and producers milling around Camp Victory in vintage sneakers and peasant blouses give the sprawling compound a jarring touch of Williamsburg.

They know no bounds.  Baghdad is the new Portland!

Source: New York Times, CNN.