I need questions to ask Stephen Colbert

[Diva]

I have tickets to Colbert's talk in NYC (http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=t-lc5ca09) tomorrow promoting his new book. I know you all can come up with some good questions I can ask him while getting my book signed and/or a cool photo op!

[stunt poop]

I am America: Great book, or greatest book?

[Anderson]

When did you first realize that the bear menace must be purged?

[beamish13]

Will "Exit 57" ever come out on DVD?

[donde]

When will you have Keith Olbermann on your show?

[Greg David]

Here's a serious question, as it's something I've wondered. Does it ever get wearying being in character all the time? It just seems like he hardly ever steps out of this character whose views (I'm assuming) he does not share. I think I'd start to get stir crazy being in that frame of mind all the time.

[Parker]

That might be tough to ask if he's in character.

Ask him who his top five US presidents are. In character or not, should be an interesting answer.

[flyarz]

"What Sopranos cast member hit this from behind?"

Would "Surviving Christmas" get more laughs? I'll leave that up to you.

[Matt Goldberg]

Is your real name of "Ted Hitler" a weak spot in your campaign?

[Dannychico]

Colbert does break character on the show. Sometimes he'll just start cracking up at the absurdity of it all.

My question would be: does he realize that a good lot of this country does not realize that his show is satire? Like the bunch who want him to run on a ticket with Fred Thompson.

[Slater]

Which is worse, the action scenes in Battle Royale or anal tearing?

[LisaNY]

How does he feel about skipping the New Hampshire primaries and having the candidates duke it out in a steel cage death match? First round is beating the hell out of each other with metal folding chairs.

[Doug]

What the hell is up with your right ear? I can never keep my eyes off that misshapen thing.

[Brad Millette]

"Why am I standing here, wasting your time with a lot of bullshit questions, while there's like a hundred other people behind me in line?"

[Diva]

I'm partial to Anderson's question. Forget terrorists, bears are our #1 enemy.

Here's a serious question, as it's something I've wondered. Does it ever get wearying being in character all the time? It just seems like he hardly ever steps out of this character whose views (I'm assuming) he does not share. I think I'd start to get stir crazy being in that frame of mind all the time.

I went to a taping of The Colbert Report about a year ago and someone asked him this. His opinion may have changed since then as he's been in character longer, but he seemed not to have a problem with it. Something to do with growing up with 11 siblings and having to entertain them all the time.

[matches]

He gets asked that question quite often. I was at the New York Comic Con last year for work and someone asked him that during the two minutes I was in listening distance, so I'd imagine he gets it a lot. Letterman even asked it when he was on the other week.

[DARKMITE8]

Ask him if he thought the character and court intro VO I wrote for him (Outlaw Tennis, Xbox and PS2 console game) were OMFG funny.

*Yeah, that was a shameless plug and/or self-promotion.

[Diva]

He gets asked that question quite often.

Yeah, I bet. That and stuff about Tek Jansen Adventures.

[EdHocken]

If Hillary does in in fact become President. Will his head explode on camera?

If he does interview Rep. Henry Waxman during his "Know a District" series, will he ask if the Representative can indeed shove quarters up those nostrils of his?

[Bryan J]

Wouldn't Hillary getting elected make him happy since it would make his job easier?

[EdHocken]

Well I mean in reference to his character. As a comedian, you're right. But after the way his character reacted after the dems took congress. Who knows what could happen.

"Sweet brown medicine take me away."

[KaPabLe]

Ask yourself: What question would Jesus want Colbert to want you to ask him?

I'm sure the answer is something to do with Guantanamo.

[Andre Dellamorte]

Here's the thing. If you play to the character, you look like an idiot, if you play up that you know he's in character, you look like an idiot. The thing about funny people is you likely shouldn't try and trump them. Because you can't.

If you want to do something slightly out of the ordinary, bring him a copy of the complete series of Strangers with Candy to sign. Though others may have thought of this, I'm sure he looks fondly on that show and would likely be genuinely happy to know it still has fans. Though that would require the effort of watching and liking the show. Bonus points for catching the movie.

[DARKMITE8]

If you want to do something slightly out of the ordinary, bring him a copy of the complete series of Strangers with Candy to sign.
Bargain bin copy of Outlaw Tennis would be cheaper (and more obscure). Just sayin'...

EDIT: He may not be proud, however.

[Diva]

Here's the thing. If you play to the character, you look like an idiot, if you play up that you know he's in character, you look like an idiot. The thing about funny people is you likely shouldn't try and trump them. Because you can't.

If you want to do something slightly out of the ordinary, bring him a copy of the complete series of Strangers with Candy to sign. Though others may have thought of this, I'm sure he looks fondly on that show and would likely be genuinely happy to know it still has fans. Though that would require the effort of watching and liking the show. Bonus points for catching the movie.

I have no intention of trumping him. But people - famous or not - like being acknowledged for their work. And while saying something silly may make me look like an ass, it's still flattering to Colbert that people not only watch, but like his show. Also since the event is for his book, which is written by the character Colbert, it seems more apt to acknowledge his work on that than Strangers for Candy (which by the way I love - show and movie). But odds are, I won't be able to say anything at all as I'm going with my aunt, uncle, and cousin who most likely won't want to wait in line to meet the man.

[Matt Goldberg]

Here's the thing. If you play to the character, you look like an idiot, if you play up that you know he's in character, you look like an idiot. The thing about funny people is you likely shouldn't try and trump them. Because you can't.

If you want to do something slightly out of the ordinary, bring him a copy of the complete series of Strangers with Candy to sign. Though others may have thought of this, I'm sure he looks fondly on that show and would likely be genuinely happy to know it still has fans. Though that would require the effort of watching and liking the show. Bonus points for catching the movie.

While I agree that it would be cool to bring him a copy of Strangers with Candy, I don't see the failing in playing to his character. He's an improviser. You just throw up the ball and he slam dunks it and you get a good laugh. You're not trying to out-funny him; you're just letting him showcase his talent to you personally.

[Andre Dellamorte]

Did the borat interviews teach us nothing?

[Diva]

Well you'll be happy to know I did not make an ass out of myself, but I did get a signed copy of the book and a photo of Colbert (no photos with Colbert were allowed).

As for the event itself, Stephen spoke as himself. He was interviewed by Frank Rich, a NYT's op-ed columnist, who asked him mostly softball questions. A lot of it we already knew (Colbert's the youngest of 11 kids; he was obsessed with Richard Nixon as a kid; he did improve with Second City, etc.).

But there were also some great anecdotes about backstage talk with Bill O'Reilly, Stephen meeting the President at the White House Correspondence Dinner, and hilarious footage that never made it to air of Stephen trying to get Henry Kissinger (who refereed a Guitarmageddon shred-off between Colbert and Chris Funk of the Decemberists) to say, "Where's my pancakes? You promised me pancakes?" Stephen reasoned that they had to give some excuse for Kissinger to be on the show since it was just too absurd for him to be there and apparently somewhere in the editing vaults is 5 minutes of Colbert trying to persuade him to say the pancake line. Kissinger never said it, but they did get him to say, "Stephen, it's time to rock!"

There was also a discussion about his presidential campaign and Colbert wanted to make it clear that he doesn't want to actually win the Presidency. He just wants to run for office - it's a platform for him to espouse his opinions.

Someone asked him about staying in character and he said that he had years of training in improve so he's used to going in and out of character at the drop of a hat. Also, he'll tone it down if he has a somewhat respectable guest on - the guy talking about the Human Genome Project - and turn it up if he's interviewing someone like Tom Delay. I also liked the question, "Barring anyone from the current administration, who would you like to have on the show that wouldn't actually come on the show?" The answer, J.D. Salinger.

Edit: There was not one question about bears, but the last question of the night was, "Since The Colbert Report was a spin-off of The Daily Show, what would be a great spin-off of TCR?" Stephen answered that you'd have to have other people on the show for a spin off and since it's just him unlikely, but he would love to have a Tek Jansen series. Man, someone make that happen!

[Bryan J]

Stephen answered that you'd have to have other people on the show for a spin off and since it's just him unlikely, but he would love to have a Tek Jansen series. Man, someone make that happen!

I would think that he has contacts with Cartoon Network/adultswim since he's done various voice acting jobs. It would be great if they could make it happen.

[Jacob Singer]

Good stuff, Diva. Thanks.