Six Degrees of Stephen Colbert's Writers: Tiki Barber, Judy Miller, Mikhail Baryshnikov and That Guy From <em>Footloose</em>

Six Degrees of Stephen Colbert's Writers: Tiki Barber, Judy Miller, Mikhail Baryshnikov and That Guy From

Last night Stephen Colbert welcomed his writers back to his show with a flourish, grandly welcoming them into the studio and onscreen one by one as they ran in triumphantly and were handed a ceremonial pencil by Colbert, to have and hold and write jokes with. Interspersed with the writers were some special, random, surprise special guests: Tiki Barber, Mikhail Barishnykov, Judith Miller and Kevin Bacon, plus Colbert's writers, some of whom look pretty cute under those strike beards. Watch:





A wee note on comedy structure: Once the joke is made, it's built upon with "heightening," i.e. more ridiculous and outrageous versions of the same joke. So, bringing out Tiki Barber needed to be topped by bringing out "Misha," as Colbert affectionately called Barishnykov, followed by something more outrageous: The notion of hiring Judith Miller as a writer on the Colbert Report. No doubt Colbert's loyal flock will be in a twist today over his welcome to someone who will forever be associated with the Bush administration run-up to the Iraq war, but the real injustice is putting Kevin Bacon after her. What did he ever do?



Here's Jon Stewart's writer-welcome as well. Kudos to whomever is responsible for that Westminster Dog Show "War on Terrier" joke. Welcome back, writers!



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