Bill "Papa Bear" O'Reilly made his first visit to The Colbert Report in a low-energy showdown that may have not have offered any real fireworks, but you know who I blame? The liberal media elite. We built Thursday (Jan. 18) night's meeting into an event and when it just ended up being another Colbert Report interview? Well, it was probably our fault.

Then again, Colbert didn't help matters.

"When this show started 14 months ago, I had one goal," Colbert said, starting Thursday's episode. "It wasn't to have huge ratings. Though I got 'em. Or to be cheated out of an Emmy by Barry Manilow. Or to participate in the execution of a brutal Middle Eastern dictator [here he flashed a picture of the Hussein execution, identifying himself as one of the hooded guards]. No. No folks. My goal was to get Bill O'Reilly to appear as my guest and tonight I did it."

Colbert followed by unveiling a large "Mission Accomplished" banner. But, like the Presidential bombast it echoed, that banner may not have fully realized. Well, I guess the mission accomplished, but did the meeting live up to the mid-episode tease, "We're about seven minutes away from the greatest TV crossover since The Flintstones meet The Jetsons"?

Nah. Actually, it came closer to achieving the most modest goals of Colbert's introduction to his Fox News adversary.

"Folks, we are ready to rumble," he said. "And by rumble, I mean, 'A friendly conversation between peers who respect each other and agree on everything.'"

Yup. That was pretty much it. O'Reilly came onto the set to a smattering of boos, but Colbert made up for it by showing the blustery host a huge portrait hung over the show's fireplace. After the usual puffery, O'Reilly went into his definition of the culture wars, going into his usual hard sell about how true American patriots never doubt their country, even if mistakes are made.

"We may make mistakes, but we must never admit mistakes," Colbert cut in. "There's a big difference."

To that, O'Reilly answered, "No. We should admit it. This was a huge mistake, me coming on here. I'll admit that right off the bat."

Ha! It turns out that O'Reilly is often a funny guy, but he's almost never funny when he tries to be. Case in point: The protracted dud of a joke about NBC anchor Brian Williams' communist leanings. Since the punchlines were almost identical to things O'Reilly has said without any humerous intent.

Toward the end, though, O'Reilly declared, "This is all an act. I'm sensitive, I'm..."

Colbert cut in, "If you're an act, what am I?"

Hopefully Colbert can get back to what he actually is on next week's shows.

Was Colbert's visit to O'Reilly any more exciting? Did anybody get the requisite giggles out of the Papa Bear/Colbert showdowns?

Comments

There was certainly nothing in either visit to even vaguely rival Jon Stewart's Crossfire appearance...

Ori | Jan 20, 2007 2:33:57 PM | #

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it sucked. Much ado about nothing!

totlco | Jan 23, 2007 2:46:12 PM | #

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