Colbert Bringing Show to Baghdad

Show cites 'unforseen circumstances'

(NEWSER) - If you were surprised that there was no new Colbert Report last night, you're not alone; so was the show's guest and audience. Just hours before the scheduled taping, Comedy Central suddenly shut down the show, saying it would instead air reruns for the rest of the week. A network rep would tell E! News only that the break was due to "unforeseen circumstances." The Wall Street Journal is now citing show insiders as saying that an emergency in Colbert's family is to blame, and that the show should resume taping as soon as next week. More»

Pokes fun at Vancouver weather in taping Report

(NEWSER) - Comedian Stephen Colbert put his faux feud with Canada to rest today, taping his show in a Vancouver park to cheers from hundreds of locals. “This was a welcome that we could not have imagined … I take back everything I ever said about Canada,” said Colbert, who’d dubbed his northern neighbors “ice-holes,” “syrup-suckers” and “Saskatche-whiners” in the run-up to the Olympics—which he’s attending to watch the US speed-skating team he’s sponsoring. More»

(NEWSER) - When Stephen Colbert announced he was doing four shows in front of the troops in Baghdad, many wondered if he’d tone down his ironic bluster. Wonder no more. Colbert swaggered on stage for the taping in a camouflage business suit yesterday, and declared himself the only one man enough to declare victory in Iraq, the New York Times reports. Then the president ordered Ray Odierno to shave Colbert’s head. More»

(NEWSER) - Fans of Stephen Colbert know he’s taking his show on the road next month, though the Comedy Central star hasn’t gotten more specific than “the Persian Gulf.” Enter Sarah Palin, who blew his cover today on her Twitter feed, Videogum reports, with the Alaska governor spilling that she was taping a spot to be shown next month when Colbert’s in Iraq. More»

Criminals allowed to fight in US wars likely to continue troubles

(NEWSER) - Dozens of US criminals who were granted Army waivers to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan have been linked to in-service problems, the Sacramento Bee reports. In a year-long study, the paper connected "suspect soldiers"—accused of beating prisoners, stealing weapons, and more—to troubles back home. Of 18 with felony arrest or mental health records, eight were involved in Iraq incidents and a ninth killed himself. More»