Steven Colbert and Bill O’Reilly recently agreed to be interviewed on each other’s show, and the interviews took place this past week. O’Reilly is the more popular pundit and Colbert overmatches O’Reilly humor-wise, but neither man went for the jugular in the interviews, which is common with such highly-anticipated showdowns,
Nevertheless, Colbert did get in a couple of good cracks. After O’Reilly admitted that his TV show persona was all “an act,” Colbert asked O’Reilly: “If you’re an act, what am I?”
Another came during O’Reilly’s interview of Colbert. “They criticize you for what you say,” observed Colbert about O’Reilly’s critics. “But they never give you credit for how loud you say it.”
Finally, when Colbert pitched O’Reilly’s new book, one of those large, red “30% Off” Barnes & Noble stickers blotted out a portion of O’Reilly’s head during the close-up of the book’s cover. O’Reilly did not appear pleased.
Here is the first interview, Colbert on O’Reilly:
And the second, O’Reilly on Colbert:
I thought both interviews were nearly classic television.
I concur, PD. I think these guys need to take their show on the road.
This was classic satire and they really pulled it off.