The blurred reality of Stephen Colbert’s world

Still, few lose when they enter Colbert World. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee’s unlikely rise late in the Republican primaries could be partly attributed appearances on “The Report.” Though viewership for the program is relatively small (it draws around 1.2 million nightly on average), Huckabee showed himself to have a better sense of humor than his competitors.

A study conducted by political scientist James Fowler of the University of California found that politicians often receive a slight uptick in donations following guest appearances on the show.

Former New York governor Eliot Spitzer appeared on the show several times, including one visit that records show came just minutes before he telephoned to schedule a meeting with a prostitute. Colbert later joked that his “whore-dar” wasn’t functioning properly.

Spitzer had been a guest for one of the show’s most memorable episodes: a surreal guitar “shred-off” complete with a cameo from Henry Kissinger. How Colbert views having who many consider a war criminal on the show is reflective of his politics: humor trumps all else.

After Kissinger’s appearance on the show, Colbert wrote him, thanking him for being such a good sport. He wrote, “Thank you for lending us your dignity because it was the source of our comedy.”

Colbert explains: “We do the same thing for the candidates. They’re all invited and they all understand — I hope they understand — we really are a comedy show. There’s opportunity for everyone to have a good time here.”

What’s separated “The Report” from other political (or not) comedy, is how Colbert uses reality as mere fodder for his absurdist humor. There’s no question that he’s best when right in the mix: on the campaign trail in Philadelphia, at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, causing havoc in South Carolina.

'Report' is different from 'Daily Show'
The presidential run was the comedian’s ultimate attempt to inject himself into the news, and many pundits and politicians resented the mockery — especially since Colbert was polling ahead of half the Democratic field. Eventually, party officials voted to keep him off the ballot, claiming he was a distraction.

“When a fictional person declares something news, is it responsible for you to agree? Isn’t that interesting?” wonders Colbert. “But so many real people declare fictional news and the press agrees. For instance, the surge is a success, don’t you think?”

Does it scare Colbert that a fake person can be taken so seriously?

“It does not scare me at all because I don’t take myself seriously,” he says. “My character wants to do these things. We’re making jokes. We never stop making jokes.”

On camera, his devotion to staying in character is total, but off-camera he’s himself: intelligent, relaxed and quick to laugh. Before taping episodes, he asks the studio audience if anyone has any questions “to humanize me before I say horrible things.” He begins every interview by telling his guest that his character is “an idiot” and to “disabuse me of my ignorance.”

“The Report” may exist in relation to “The Daily Show,” but the difference between the programs is huge. “The Daily Show” has a clear ideological point of view, commenting from the outside, whereas Colbert is a mock-insider. It’s no coincidence that when the two do a split-screen hand-off at the end of “The Daily Show,” Stewart is always the straight man.

“Jon Stewart can say he doesn’t influence all he wants, but you know what? I’ll take up that mantle. I’ll pick up that sword,” Colbert says archly. “That’s the big difference between my character and Jon’s persona. Jon would demur that responsibility, but my character gets right at the head of the lynch mob and he goes like, ‘Let’s go get the monster in the tower!”’

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