Go for the DVR. Odierno did do those first few cuts (you can see the hair fall), then a pro finished the job, reportedly.

Hi, I will accept that --repoertedly. Kidding. I did nto see hair fall, but you are the second reader who did. So, a swipe by the general, and then a professional stylist sounds ok to me. Thanks. Z

Odierno started it (go to the DVR for a replay) then a pro reportedly finished the President's orders.

As for Obama appearing, it was all part of the tribute. Stephen is doing all of this for the troops, after all. Sure, it's good PR, but from what I've read, it's something he really believes in, that the media has really forgotten the soldiers still in Iraq. All the Colbert Report iTunes revenue for this week (not just this week's shows), for example, is going to the USO.

Z -

Listening to my iPod in recent days I came across a Barenaked Ladies song I enjoy with a line that just begs to be included in this story - or just about any piece you write these days on "news."

From their song, "Take it Back," they say "Is this a news report or a trailer for a motion picture? It all fades to gray."

Anyway - I agree. We haven't seen real news from Iraq in weeks, and Obama hasn't addressed it either. I'm still waiting for the media to call Obama out on his showboating for the camera. Not that I mind his popularity, but someone has to stop drinking the Kool-Aid... "Oh, his dog is being bad! So cute!"

Hi Dan, Thanks. I will give it a listen, and it surely does apply. As to President Obama, I started shaky about him again when I heard him say the words "the new GM" about 50 times in his comments on the day of the continued bailout on the car company. I thought, "He sounds just like Madison Avenue." And as someone who found him inspirational last fall, that now scares me a little. I hope I am wrong. But he sure does a lot of latenight TV shtick for a president with all the massive woes this nation has. I don't think the folks in my industry who have lost their jobs this year, are enjoying the humor as much he is these days -- whether or not the president is to blame. Thanks. Z

oh get over it. obama was doing work for the USO and boosting troop morale. you know, these USO shows mean a lot to alot of the people over there.

Hi, the prople I saw onscreen last night did seem to be enjoying the performance a lot. That does not mean we should be unquestioning about the media role in this. That kind of "non-questiong" media act helped lead us into the war with reports on weapons of mass destruction. That is what we in the media need to "get over" -- going with the flow and being afraid to question the media's role in such events. Thanks. Z

David,

I understand the point you are trying to make, but I believe you are missing the point of the Colbert's trip to Iraq entirely. Did you see who sponsored the Colbert Report in Iraq? It was the USO. Do you know what the USO does for the military? It brings entertainers to military bases all over the world. It builds recreation halls and places where military members can go eat, play games or call home. And what do servicemembers do on their down time? Do you think they want to read news about who died in Iraq and Afghanistan? No, they play cards, watch DVDs of Family Guy and Robot Chicken and try to distance themselves from the bad things they have to see or experience around them. I know, I served in the Marine Corps.

And I am concerned with your statement about turning one of Saddam's many palaces and buildings into a "comedy club." Are you really comparing a palace built on blood withinin the last 30 years to cathedrals and castles built in Europe hundreds and hundreds of years ago? Really? What is more important in Iraq? Looking "arrogant" by broadcasting a comedy show from a former Saddam palace? Or rebuilding schools and hospitals and the infrastructure of Iraq?

So what if the media wants to cover Colbert getting his hair cut? Its positive for the troops. It is entertaining the troops. And all that we have gone through by going into Iraq under false pretenses, losing friends to IEDs, snipers and suicide bombers, I think we deserve some humor over there.

You are part of the media that would rather cover the Octomom than cover the genocide in Africa. You are a member of the media that wants to show 15 minutes of highway car chases but ignores the rape and abuse of women and children in the Congo. When we first went into Iraq, every story was about who and how many were dying over there. But I didn't see many, if any stories about the schools we were rebuilding. The rights women gained. Political prisoners being freed.

The majority of the coverage by U.S. media in Iraq has been pathetic at best. And I should know, I was a combat correspondent and handled public affairs.

Oh, and whether Gen. Odierno actually cut Colbert's hair or not, you might want to look at some still photographs of the event. Any soldier or Marine worth their salt can give a military cut. Colbert just got a buzz, not a high and tight. That takes no "professional" to do. Any good reporter would know that.

But you are right, "we" don't cover the "war." If I want to know what is really going on in Iraq, I check in with my fellow Devil Dogs, or read news from the BBC and other foreign news organizations that actually report real news. (heck, I even read Al-Jazeera)

When I want to smile and not think about my fellow Devil Dogs dying in the sandbox, I want to see Colbert getting his head shaved. And so do the rest of the servicemembers.

Hi CK, I say in the original post that the USO is sponsoring. I do understand that. But thanks for the comments. Good stuff. Thanks. Z

If it gives some comedic relief like Bob Hope used to do and focused attention back on the war that would be good. I agree we don't hear real news about the war anymore. In my opinion it should have been over a long time ago. We need to be reminded sometimes that real people are across the world serving our country. Sounds like proceeds are for a good cause in the long run.

I think you're right about the use of the palace - it is potentially inflammatory if the military is using it as an entertainment venue (imagine if we were invaded and saw the whitehouse turned into a comedy club).

I don't think you're right about the impropriety of the president being involved - it does not seem problematic in principle for the president to have a token involvement in USO events.

In satire, it is difficult for one to see the actual positions being defended, because satire is more of a mockery of a position than an expression of one of the many others one might take. I was surprised to read recently that Colbert is almost as popular with conservatives in the US as liberals, and that a fair percentage of conservatives believe his satirical expressions are mostly sincere. Is that a problem? It's an interesting question..

David, this is ridiculous. I was one of those troops in attendence.

First of all, YES the general really did start to shave Colbert's head. Then his head makeup person finished the job during a commercial break.

Secondly, lighten up a little on filming in a palace. Anywhere else would be less secure, and a prime target.

Third, the president is the Commander-in-Chief of the military. Your point concerning the perception of others may be valid, but he made the cameo appearance for us.

Don't read into a genuine act of support for us so much. Both the president and the general were good sports -- give them a break. They are human, and we all need the opportunity to unwind from time-to-time.

And finally, I agree with your point that the media doesn't cover the war anymore, but will cover a comedian on a tour in Iraq. Americans have let out a collective 'yawn' and moved on to their 401(k). Same thing happened with Hurricane Katrina.

I think you are missing the point of John Stewart and the Stephen Colbert...which is to show how ridiculous actual news media in the US is. It is a complete joke and has been for the last 10 - 15 years. I haven't read your newspaper but I'm sure your reporting is a joke also. To give you some idea or to put it in context you should watch Jon Stewart's Daily Show from last night (http://www.hulu.com/watch/76565/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-mon-jun-8-2009). He basically lays out the reason his and Mr. Colbert's shows are so popular. It's because the actual news is complete garbage. If you want more information about it read Noam Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent or Media Control. Point is...as soon as you guys (the US media) starts doing actual reporting, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert won't have a job.

I don't think the president should have participated though. That to me would seem to diminish the seriousness of the war even if it was in the setting of a humor. We need to remember that real people die in real wars. My father who turns 80 years old this Saturday is a veteran of the Korean War - everyone who serves deserves real respect.

Agree with you on the jokes about Saddam - seemed in pretty bad taste to me. I'm a big fan of the show in general though. Judging by the interviews he's given on the topic and the charity work he's done for troops, I expect Stephen Colbert would probably agree with you that it's ridiculous that him getting his hair cut gets more attention than the war itself. It'll be nicely ironic if his apparently earnest attempts to bring the media's attention to the troops in Iraq only results in more media focus on his own celebrity. Won't be for the want of trying though - and he and his team do deserve credit for that.

"Does the president's involvement in the shtick not undercut the life and death seriousness of war?"

David, President Obama did not undercut ANYTHING by his participation. He did his bit in front of the troops, so as to entertain the troops. That's called showing RESPECT for the troops.

How would Obama undercut the life and death seriousness of war? Well, if he were to prepare a video for the White House Correspondents' Dinner where he "searches" all over the White House and the Oval Office for those pesky Weapons of Mass Destruction, then yes, he would be "undercutting the life and death seriousness of war." And yes, seeing your fellow journalists sitting with "statesmen" like Joe Lieberman yukking it up at such a presentation would also count as, well, "undercutting the life and death seriousness of war."

Colbert goes to Iraq to remind America we're still at war. Stewart has interviews with Gretchen Peters about Afghanistan.

I've gone through the Baltimore Sun, NY Times and Washington Post today and found little that compares to this kind of interest in the war over seas. Lots about the political squabbling here at home over Guantanamo, Sotomayor and Twitter though.

Like the person who posted above, if American's are looking for real news we need to turn to foreign sources. For the latest partisan back and forth melodrama we can always rely on the American press corp.

Hello Geoff, I said in the post that Colbert's central premise was intended to serve as a reminder that we are still at war. Thanks for repeating it back to me. And that is a pretty sweeping generalization about the American press corps. And by the way, I think I said the American press, by and large, did a pretty lousy job on the war also, though, there were some correspondents who did great work -- as well as some who suffered life altering injuries trying to cover it. Thanks. Z

I watched the show this morning on hulu.com and loved every bit of it, especially the coverage of the cheering servicemembers in the audience. As others have pointed out, the show was for them, including the parts played by General Odierno and the President. CK got it just right.

"He ought himself to be importing humour into every controversy; for unless a man is in part a humorist, he is only in part a man.... If he objects to my treating of life riotously, I reply that life is a riot". - G.K. Chesterton

Hahaha... here you go again.... Wouldn't it be nice if for once we took comedy as comedy and stopped seeing politics behind it all???

What the President did was amazing... I mean.. how many countries in the world would have their President or Prime Minister indulging in a gag like this for the sake of the troops?? Couldn't you get the simple idea that everyone who participated in the show did so for the troops??

Stop being so righteous... how many times have you yourself written on Iraq in last five-six months?? Have you even bothered to talk to a veteran even in US let alone go to Iraq??

Its easy to issue moral comments on almost everything.... but at times.. you should respect what someone else is doing...

Three cheers to the troops... the President... Senator McCain and salutations to Colbert

Damn man, lighten up. The troops enjoyed the show and this is a big morale booster. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

It seems to me, columnist, that you are writing an article to be critical/jealous of Colbert.

All of your points about the media not covering what is happening in Iraq are only being talked about by you and all of the media in the Western Hemisphere (NOW) due to the fact that you and the rest of the media in you-know-what Hemisphere ignored it forever until Colbert mocked you on it and brought a real grass-roots appreciation of our troops.

So, suck on your constant media shape-shifting. We always spot it!

Yes, Colbert was absolutely undercutting the seriousness of war. That's why the USO exists, to give the soldiers/sailors/Marine a break from the seriousness of war. How often do you think those men and women have a chance to sit, not do, and *laugh*?

As I watched the show, I cried while I laughed. Why? Because of all those great, selfless men and women laughing and whooping in the audience. Colbert is reminding us to remember them. How can that be wrong?

You totally miss the point. This kind of satire can only be applied to that which already and obviously maintains an almost overwhelming sense of seriousness. With every joke, with every little bit of humor, it is a brief relief from the dredge of our involvement overseas ... but it doesn't last long.

No big deal about going to Iraq to entertain and poke fun at the war. WWE has been doing it since the war started. People need to lighten up and stop the lame-o political correctness.

Just as a note, but Colbert being a parody of Bill O'Reilly isn't just some people describing him as such. It's actually directly written into the character and has been since the show's inception. The whole point of the Colbert Report is to parody Bill's show, so much so that Stephen even calls O'Reilly "Papa Bear."

It was pure Stephen Colbert.
And I think the fact that he went anywhere near the "don't ask don't tell' issue shows that he was willing to cover some serious and controversial issues.

There aren't many people in the spotlight that would seriously shave their heads just for a UFO show.

END(less) THIS WAR

Thanks to the troops for your service- but this war needs to stop.