A Daily Show: January 8, 2008

Let me preface this super quickly: I'm glad that a lot of you enjoyed my Colbert Report post from yesterday, but I'm afraid that was just a once in a while thing because I don't have the time to do both Daily Show and Colbert Report every single night. However, when Colbert does a crazy episode (first day back, Guitarmageddon, Papa Bear's visit, etc), TV Squad will get on it. On regular nights, I might add a little Report-related note in my section for the Jon/Stephen throw and I'm totally cool with TCR discussion in the comments. So, sorry if we got your hopes up. We still love you (and Colbert).

Ahem, let's get started, shall we? First of all, the team really did follow through with The A Daily Show, which is fantastic. Probably gave the graphics people something to do since they're not designing pun-tastic images everyday.

"Indecision 2008": I'm glad Jon pointed out Wilford Brimley's appearance in support of John McCain. I thought I was going crazy at first, seeing a walrus-y apparition on my television screen. Of course, no one can know for sure if that's Brimley until we make him say "diabeetus". I also propose that we send Huckabee's Chuck Norris and McCain's Brimley into a steel cage and make them fight to the death. Whoever wins will get the Republican nomination. If other candidates want to join in, they're going to have to step up their game and get their own informercial celebs.

Naturally, some time was spent on Hillary's New Hampshire debate "I've already made change!" outburst, which was so much fun to watch. The media has been following Hillary very closely, waiting for emotional outbursts and moments of weakness. She can't even let her voice crack without FOX News setting up a poll about it. Jon's a little more fair than that, though, and spent good time teasing others as well. Mitt Romney may have voluminous and shiny hair, but he hasn't been paying much attention to his words against McCain or the words that he approved. And surprise, surprise, Rudy Giuliani denies using 9/11 as often as people say he does, and then proceeds to name-drop it like it's hot.

Correspondent John Oliver made a brief appearance, reporting on the picketing writers just outside of the studio. I've forgotten how much I miss Oliver, for I have trained my heart to save myself by repressing the feeling. The love came back as soon as I heard "ceramic pineapple". An argument between a pre-taped Oliver and the greenscreen Oliver ensued after he revealed that he's only back on the job because he's on a work visa and if he protests, he could get deported.

The night's guest was David Frum, author of Comeback: Conservatism That Can Win Again. Obviously, one can gather from the title that Frum wants the conservative side to make a comeback, but Jon could not help himself from dropping a few jokes against him and then immediately apologizing, which was a bit awkward. It's okay, Jon, save most of the caustic jokes for the top of the show.

Jon/Stephen: The funny thing is that I like to pretend that the two of them really do have a friendship locket that they wear under under their collars all the time. You know it's true. Moment of Zen: FOX News doesn't think Hillary Clinton's tears are genuine. Well, at least 40% of the tears aren't.

TCR: Stephen actually had an audience that shut up quickly! Good for them for not following the previous night's bad example. Also, what was up with Stephen reading old material? I mean, it was a funny idea, but it seemed tremendously out of place. I hope "finding" old scripts isn't going to be a recurring thing.