In the long awaited meeting of the (wink wink) like-minded, satirist Stephen Colbert and Fox no-spinner Bill O'Reilly traded guest appearances on each other's shows in an exchange that Colbert called "a meeting of the guts."
Stephen Colbert REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
O'Reilly is Colbert's chief avatar, with Colbert shaping his tough-talking, America-defending persona as host of the "Colbert Report" and often credits O'Reilly "Papa Bear" with speaking up for defending all values American and traditional. Colbert, of course, is just pulling your leg. O'Reilly is dead serious.
"The Colbert Report" and "The O'Reilly Factor," are both top-rated programs in cable news, were taped one after another early Thursday evening, with "The Factor" airing at 8 p.m. EST and "The Report" at 11:30 p.m. EST.
Colbert dubbed the meeting of the two "the greatest TV crossover since the Flintstones met the Jetsons." A "Mission Accomplished" banner and a portrait of O'Reilly placed fireside festooned the Colbert set, immediately it seemed O'Reilly seemed to be noting all the boo's from the audience, and regretting his decision.
"This was a huge mistake, me coming on here," he snickered to Colbert.
Colbert will not be upstaged, and actually whipped out a purloined microwave snuck out of the Fox green room, which he proudly showed off at the end of his show.
A spokesman for Fox News confirmed that Colbert stole the microwave, but all was forgiven.
O'Reilly teased Colbert about the pronounciation of his faux French accented name-insisting on an audible "T" at the end of Colbert.
O'Reilly cut right to the chase, insisting he was due some retroactive payola: "Don't you owe me an enormous amount of money?" he mused to Colbert.
Colbert's show featured a montage of clips from both shows, titled "Great Minds Think Alike." Goofing on his sci-fi "Tek Jansen" series, Colbert wasted no opportunity by hooking O'Reilly to read some lines for a new O'Reilly-based character in his cartoon series.
Colbert also asked what was "destroying America" more, NBC, activist judges, illegal immigration or gay marriage, O'Reilly blamed NBC.
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