I’m hoping Mitt Romney can get his act together in this debate because as a conservative pundit, or rather, playing a conserve pundit…it’s so difficult for me right now to get behind Mitt Romney. It’s incredibly frustrating as a performer who has to model behavior that is so schizophrenic and bifurcated because it’s almost an unprecedented candidacy – as far as I can tell. No one seems to like him – even the people who are behind him. There isn’t a sort of monolithic point of view to base my own satire on.

Basically, the satire of my character in relation to Mitt Romney now is night to night, I can change my mind and I can be hopeful or in despair from night to night because I have no point of reference for what’s happening now. Even McCain in 2008 post-Lehman Brothers might have seemed like a bit of a winged duck, but people still liked him. People were still behind him.

You get a feeling that everybody of the sort that I’m modeling really has one foot out of the boat right now and I really I hope Mitt – I mean listen I have my own political views, but as a performer I hope he does something positive tonight so that there’s something for me to rally behind because that’s what my character wants to do… He wants to have a champion that he can champion and that just doesn’t exist in Mitt Romney right now. He’s just a walking wound.

— Stephen Colbert on how his character wants Mitt Romney to do well in the presidential debate in Denver

Stephen Colbert returns to Fresh Air today to talk about his new book, “America Again.”

But remember when the tables were turned earlier this year? A good opportunity to look back at Terry’s interview on “The Colbert Report”.

(In case you’re wondering, Stephen is standing on a chair here.)

Peabody Award winners on Fresh Air:

Stephen Colbert

Parks and Recreation

Portlandia

Game of Thrones

Homeland

Treme

Fareed Zakaria

Freedom Riders / American Experience

trending topics on twitter last night

This is my last Terry/Colbert related post but this a) is so ridiculously hilarious and b) unbelievable that I had to share. Shortly after the show ended last night, these were the trending topics on Twitter.

 *   #TellTheWhiteHouse
 *   #middleschoolmemories
 *   #SexualPickUpLines
 *   #HighSchoolMemories
 *   Deron Williams
 *   Nets
 *   Kris Humphries
 *   Magic Cyclops
 *   Terry Gross

I guess that’s what they mean by the Colbert Bump. I also want to say how much I enjoyed meeting everyone who works at Colbert. The producers, host and staff members who work on the show are really class acts. Nice, funny, gracious and creative people. I had a great time watching the taping and also learning how their show works behind the scenes. (Thanks Monica!)

Terry was on The Colbert Report last night. If you missed it, you can watch the video here. Also, here’s a list of the interviews Stephen mentioned during their chat:

Grover Norquist on Fresh Air

Bill O’Reilly on Fresh Air

Stephen Colbert on Fresh Air

Terry and Stephen

#freshaironcolbert

— If you’d like to join in our discussion about Terry’s appearance tonight on Colbert, this is the Twitter hashtag to use. I’ll be updating from the @nprfreshair account and my own personal @mkramer account. Okay, off to NYC. See ya, Internet.

I’m leaving work early today to go to NYC to watch Terry Gross tape her interview on The Colbert Report. It’s airing tonight 11:30 EST/10:30CST.

Update: Animated gifs? Tonight? Let’s do it.

Hey Internet, check out The Colbert Report’s schedule for next Wednesday.

[Related: Stephen Colbert on Fresh Air]

Even at this early point in the latest, very welcome comeback by Bill Moyers, only one nagging question remains: How long will it be before he books Stephen Colbert?

— David Bianculli talks about Bill Moyers’ appearance on The Colbert Report and his return to TV.

Audio for Terry’s interview with Stephen Colbert is now available. Enjoy!

I had no idea if I wanted anyone to know I was doing it, because I knew how hard it was going to be. I was afraid I would suck. I don’t mind failing so much, but I am a perfectionist. … If you’re a perfectionist and you know you’re about to do something at which you cannot be perfect … then that is daunting because you know what your heart is like and the way you approach your work. … It was difficult to say ‘Hold onto your socks America, I’m singing Sondheim.’

— Stephen Colbert on why he didn’t talk about his musical theater sidegig on The Colbert Report. [complete interview here]

So my character thinks of himself as at least equal with any story and so while this Weiner thing was just consuming the world of news, to be part of it, to be in the reporting — to have my name in there — was a complete validation. As much as [my character] may demur and say he doesn’t want to be associated with such unsavory details, in fact he was thrilled. I was, too, to have such a pure expression of his ego right there on paper.

— Stephen Colbert talks about his show becoming part of the Anthony Weiner story.

Stephen Colbert on performing in Sondheim’s Company: “I tell a lot of young performers, ‘Go get in trouble. Go commit yourself to something you’re not sure you can do. And I followed my own advice. It was something I desperately wanted to do — not as a career — but an invitation I knew I couldn’t refuse and yet had no sense of whether or not I could do it. And that is trouble — but it was all so joyful. I’m very grateful to Mr. Sondheim that he got me in such trouble.” [complete Colbert interview here]

cannibalbuff3t:

Two of my favorite people. <3

Tomorrow: Stephen Colbert. Before: NPH on FA.