Stewart and Colbert

(Newser) - Jon Stewart fans can rejoice. His Daily Show will return to the air Jan. 7, along with the Colbert Report , says the Hollywood Reporter . The two Comedy Central shows will return five days after Leno, Conan, and Jimmy Kimmel do the same, despite the writers' strike. Stewart and Colbert may be at a disadvantage because their shows rely more on writers and less on celebrity interviews. More »

(Newser) - Two of Hollywood's glitziest shows will have to go on without striking writers, reports the AP, as the WGA yesterday denied waivers to the producers of the Golden Globes and the Oscars. The move means the shows will be scriptless, must pay residuals to screen old movie or TV clips, and will be boycotted by writers and actors sympathetic to their cause.   More »

(Newser) - Striking late-night comedy writers have some serious issues—no jobs and, worse, no creative outlet. When the jokes went from "60 to zero," in the words of a "Colbert Report" staffer, many aimed new blogs and videos squarely at the studios on the other side of the picket line. The result? A platform and a growing audience, reports the LA Times. More »

(Newser) - Top Obama supporters in South Carolina called up members of the deciding Democratic council to oppose Stephen Colbert's bid for a ballot berth, CNN reports. One voter said he felt “pressured” by the phone call from former US Senate nominee Inez Tenenbaum, who said Colbert's presence "wouldn't be fair." The Obama campaign denied any role in the phone calling. More »

(Newser) - Stephen Colbert’s fake dreams of becoming president ended in South Carolina last week, and the Writers Guild strike has put the final nail in the coffin of his White House aspirations. “I am going off the air until I can talk about this without weeping,” the fake candidate said today—not coincidentally, the same day his show was forced into reruns, ABC News reports. More »

(Newser) - Stephen Colbert’s satirical run for president hit a roadblock today—his bid to get on the ballot in South Carolina's Democratic primary was rejected by the party’s executive council, reports Politico . Most of the council's members didn't see the host of Comedy Central's popular faux news program The Colbert Report as a "serious candidate." More »

(Newser) - Stephen Colbert's presidential run is gaining a little "truthiness" as CNN reports that the Comedy Central star will file as a candidate for the Democratic primary by the deadline today. Colbert dropped his bid to run on both parties for practical reasons: to get on the GOP ballot costs $35,000. "They priced us out of range," a source told CNN. But local Dems might still keep his name off the ballot. More »

(Newser) - With Stephen Colbert kicking off his presidential campaign spoof in South Carolina yesterday, things got a little heated between the Comedy Central star and John Edwards, the state's other favorite-son contender. Colbert accused Edwards of having abandoned the Palmetto State at the age of 1; the Edwards folks shot back that their man learned to talk there, learned to walk there, and would “kick Stephen Colbert's New York City butt” there. More »

(Newser) - The Facebook group "1,000,000 Strong for Stephen T. Colbert" reached a million members in just over a week, making the organization devoted to the comedian's phony presidential campaign the fastest-growing political group in the four-year history of the social networking site.  More »

(Newser) - Steven Colbert got his start on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, " but has he, with "The Colbert Report," eclipsed his mentor? To settle the debate, the Los Angeles Times pits the comedians against each other, comparing their interview styles, humor, guests, books, segments, stunts, and more. LOL factor is low, but the analysis is seductive. More »

(Newser) - Taking a page from YouTube's playbook, Viacom is putting every minute, ever, of "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" online, the Los Angeles Times reports. The parent of Comedy Central has long been stung by the unauthorized appearance of clips on YouTube; the massive archive is Viacom's attempt—sure to be watched by other media outfits—to get into the game itself and collect online ad revenues. More »

(Newser) - Maureen Dowd turned over her column to faux conservative Stephen Colbert today in the New York Times —or it's her own clever parody on a master of the form. Either way, it's a fun read, with Colbert hinting he'd like to run for president. But unlike Newt, Colbert won’t force his supporters to raise $30 million. “I would run for 15 million. Cash.” More »

(Newser) - "Daily Show" star Jon Stewart is expected to be announced today as the host of Hollywood's next Oscar awards ceremony, his second time at the famous podium, reports the New York Times . Stewart hosted in 2006, swapping political satire for movie parodies, but didn't draw as many viewers as Ellen DeGeneres or Chris Rock did in recent years. More »

(Newser) - Tycoon Richard Branson one-upped Stephen Colbert when he threw a glass of water at the fake news anchor on last night's Comedy Central show. Branson was miffed that he didn't get to plug his new airline on the Report, even after christening an airplane for the host. Colbert, always thinking on his feet, retaliated by requesting his own bottle of water and tossing it at the mogul, but viewers say the spat seemed ad hoc and unpleasantly tense. More »