Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports president and Team Conan chairman, appeared on “The Colbert Report” as scheduled on Wednesday.
And as predicted, Stephen Colbert – who is leading a fundraising effort to get the U.S. speedskating team to Vancouver for the Olympics next month – lobbed a few grenades in Ebersol’s direction over NBC’s failure to secure enough advertising to break even in its coverage of the Games.
“It’s gotten so bad that NBC is saving money on the Olympic Torch by just setting fire to Conan O’Brien,” Colbert quipped. “Or that could be his hair, it’s hard to tell.”
“When I was backstage, I’m pretty sure I saw [Dick Ebersol] slip a roll of toilet paper into his briefcase.”
“Clearly they need help," Colbert continued. "That’s why I’m calling on you, the ‘Nation,’ to sponsor a new charity: NBC. Our fundraising goal is $200 million."
“If we get to $200 million, I’m confident Bob Costas will be holding interviews with the ‘Colbert Nation’ logo tattooed on his forehead," he said. "Or if we raise a little bit more, maybe a tramp stamp.”
During the interview, Ebersol offered Colbert an opportunity to come to Vancouver “as a member of the NBC team.”
“Do you have a title in mind?” Colbert asked. “Because I kind of like ‘host of the Tonight Show.’”
He continued: "I’m just saying right now, it’s like, you know, next week there’s going to be no Pope. When is the smoke going to come out of NBC to let us know what is going on?”
Ebersol’s response: “Where were you several months ago when there was clearly an opening about to happen?”
But Colbert didn’t directly take Ebersol to task over the executives harsh comments about Conan O’Brien, which were published in the New York Times last week.
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