I definitely have more cringeworthy moments during Colbert's interviews than during Stewart's, but Stewart evokes his own style of cringe as well, when he sometimes takes himself to seriously and takes his political viewpoint (which I happen to pretty much completely agree with, BTW) to blatantly into his interviews. Colbert definitely isn't as comfortable with himself (at times) than Stewart is most of the time, but the fact that he has to maintain his "character" all the time really gives the whole show, including the interviews, a different dynamic. In some ways, Colbert's gags are more subtle than Stewart's, since they have to be coiffed in his ridiculous (good ridiculous) character. You can't say that Colbert's interviews with Congressmen are worthless. The way he says some of the things he says to people in power is breathtakingly funny. As is their reactions. Most of the rest of his interviews are pretty good too. You just have to get used to the idea that he is not Stewart, and not trying to be.

The way I would put it, the majority of Stewart's jokes are fairly straightforward (although still extremely funny and inteligent). But you have to peel back a couple of layers from Colbert's jokes to get what he is trying to say, and there is a certain value to that that some people can't grasp.

And Akbar, do you think Leno, O'Brien, Letterman, even Stewart aren't big rip-off parodies at least as much as Colbert. Get real, dude.

I say rip-off. His show is a gimmick. The interview segment is worthless. Stewart asks real questions, and occassionally even has worthwhile conversations with people. Colbert's interviews are nothing more than a setup for a joke.

This is the second time that the Colbert show has used someone elses joke. But I'd like to think that Colbert himself isn't responsible, but that there's some ass-hole who brings these ideas for jokes up in meetings, acting like its his.

I'd say its probably a coincidence, I doubt the writers would have time to watch webshows mere hours before the show tapes. Beside I even thought of that gag when i heard about the story earlier in the day. Its a very obvious gag

In this instance at least, I would give the benefit of the doubt. The story was news, I certainly had heard about it before Colbert mentioned it. The story does mention spheres and doughnuts and doughnuts in a scientific sense naturally leads you to think of the edible ones and then it gets a bit obvious.

Seeing how Colberts whole schtick is one big rip off parody it wouldn't suprise me.

This is nothing new, The Colbert Report did a rip off of an Attack of the Show skit before too..

Anecdotal evidence (i.e. a Google search) indicates that the Colbert Report begins taping at around 7:30 pm, which means the writers would have had plenty of time to work this segment into the show.

However, it's a pretty obvious gag, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a coincidence.