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Self-proclaimed as “the biggest newsman-hosted holiday special since ‘A Walter Cronkite Tet Offensive,’” this fine, foolish and sentimental musical particular is better than an Oreo with a cookie in the middle. ‘Tis not the season to be bloviating. It’s a kinder, gentler Stephen Colbert, of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report, clad in homey blue jeans, red turtleneck and a (basic) cable-knit cardigan who welcomes viewers to his mountain cabin. Will a marauding bear at his doorstep prevent him from getting to his New York studio to film his Christmas special? It surely doesn’t prevent inexplicable celebrity drop-ins by country music superstar Toby Keith, country music legend Willie Nelson, indie folk darling Feist and even “ageless icon of generosity and joy Santa Claus (George Wendt).” It’s all merrily “cheesy, crass and a mercantile travesty” in the time-honored tradition of network holiday specials, and Colbert delivers with a smile, a song, and the Jonas brothers falling through ice to their dooms (mercifully offscreen). The nearest A Colbert Christmas gets to a political statement is Keith’s rowdy anthem that takes aim at the “atheists and judges” who have declared “war on Christmas.” The rest is for the most part inspired holiday jeer. Highlights include the opening meta showstopper, “Another Christmas Song,” and Jon Stewart’s charmingly hesitant ode to Hanukkah (“a sensible substitute to Christmas”). Less suitable for young ones are Fourth Wise Man Willie Nelson’s ode to the “wonder weed” he gifts to Baby Jesus, and John Lennon’s randy celebration of, um, nutmeg. With such DVD extra features as three mock-alternate endings (the best echoes the classic Twilight Zone episode, “Time Enough at Last”), a bonus Christmas song (a country-style weeper, “Cold Cold Christmas”), an onscreen live-action advent calendar (a each day Colbert greeting), and even a books-roasting-on-an-open-fire Yule log, A Colbert Christmas is the gift that will keep on giving for seasons to come. –Donald Liebenson

Finding The Greatest Christmas Present Photo

Finding The Greatest Christmas Present Photo

Finding The Greatest Christmas Present Image

Most helpful customer reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful.
Died Laughing
By kojak
Watched this on Comedy Central and can’t wait to get the DVD. We loved the old variety show format (much like the Bing Crosby and Andy Williams Christmas specials from the ’70s), right down to the canned applause every time a guest is introduced. Good variety of musical guests, too. And how can you not love a show that has the world’s filthiest ode to nutmeg (courtesy of John Legend)?

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
5 Stars for Colbert NO Stars for Amazon
By The SMART Patrick
A Colbert Christmas is a hilarious parody that harkens back to the good old days when every celebrity under the sun had his or her own Xmas special with the usual parade of popular performers making their guest appearances. The plots of these specials were always convoluted and surreal and Colbert delivers on that with one of the strangest Xmas special plots ever conceived…he is trapped in his cabin in the snow, unable to get to his TV studio in order to tape his Xmas special because there is an angry bear outside of his cabin. While Colbert remains cabin-bound, an array of special guest stars somehow make their way past the man-eating bear and visit him at the cabin, delivering some of the most twisted Christmas Carols ever put to music as means of helping Colbert cope with his dire circumstances. What follows is one of the funniest, bizarre and insane Christmas shows ever to come along since South Park introduced the world to A Woodland Critters Christmas. If there is anything negative to be said on the subject of A Colbert Christmas it is that Amazon.com promised I would get this DVD by December 10, 2008 and have now informed me that I will not be getting it until AFTER Xmas. When I ordered the DVD it was in stock and I opted for 3 day shipping and now the item says 2-3 weeks for delivery which is totally inexcusable since my account order still says it is going to arrive on Dec. 10. My suggestion is to buy this from Best Buy or Target and pass on getting it through Amazon.com if you want it before Xmas.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
Incredible Family Fun
By miradu
I picked this up as a surprise for my family after Thanksgiving to celebrate the start of christmas. What an incredible joyous time we had watching Stephen Colbert and his struggle with bears. DVD includes many special features including a video advent calendar!

I had a lot of fun watching this, I bet you will to.

See all 55 customer reviews…