Colbert: Mo Betta Than Dowd

Just when you’re so tired of reading Maureen Dowd’s whiny, sassy scribblings, she saves the day by handing her column off to Stephen Colbert, who is busy getting as much ink and face-time as possible in the wake of the release of his book. (Last year, Dowd, penned a Rolling Stone cover story on the Colbert/Stewart phenomenon)

So leave it to Colbert, to sum up the entire NYT Sunday Op-Ed experience in under 100 words:

I’d like to thank Maureen Dowd for permitting/begging me to write her column today. As I type this, she’s watching from an overstuffed divan, petting her prize Abyssinian and sipping a Dirty Cosmotinijito. Which reminds me: Before I get started, I have to take care of one other bit of business:

Bad things are happening in countries you shouldn’t have to think about. It’s all George Bush’s fault, the vice president is Satan, and God is gay.

There. Now I’ve written Frank Rich’s column too.

Hilarious. Lo, Rich’s Op-Ed today on the shadiness pervading Iraq — still — unbelievable — is a must read, as his columns generally are. As for Colbert’s “new bestseller,” I am America (And So Can You)!, I have absolutely no intention of reading it. I have, however, obtained the audio version — narrated by Colbert, of course — to listen to on an upcoming road trip (road trip tbd). I’ve listened to the introduction, though, and so far, so good. Time permitting, I’ll post a snippet for your aural pleasure.

Earlier in the week he admitted to Larry King that the book was a tool leading up to his seeking of a presidential nomination “from both parties.” (Video here and below).

related posts: Colbert; Dowd.