Move over, Snoopy - "A Colbert Christmas" might be the greatest Xmas special of all

The holiday TV season officially begins Sunday with a new hourlong special from cable satirist Stephen Colbert, whose "Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!" sets the bar very high. We're talking Charlie Brown high. We're talking Peter Billingsley high. We're talking Willie Nelson high.

Actually, we really are talking about Willie Nelson high -- it's just one of a sleighful of unexpected laugh-out-loud moments in "The Colbert Christmas," airing 9 p.m. CT Sunday night on Comedy Central (and doubtless rrepeating over and over for the next four weeks).

Let's start with the fact that this program is a musical. As anyone who covers the TV industry knows, the cast of every TV show has a handful of frustrated musical-theater types who have been itching to belt out the big tunes on stage ever since high school. Stephen Colbert, you will learn from this hour, is no exception.

He's teamed up with David Javerbaum, former head writer of "The Daily Show," and Adam Schlesinger, from the group Fountains of Wayne, to create the most crackling hour of musical television since "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" gave it a go.

I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that every convention of the holiday TV specials we've known from the start is lightly roasted on an open fire. The show begins in a cabin where "Stephen Colbert" -- the jackass Colbert plays on TV -- finds himself trapped by an angry bear prowling outside. He can't make it to New York, where Elvis Costello (who dons a variety of gay apparel throughout the hour) is going ahead and taping the Christmas special without him.

Fortunately, through the miracle of television, Stephen is visited by a steady stream of musical guests, including the aforementioned Willie, who sings the praises of that gift he would bring to the Savior's manger, the herb "more powerful than frankincense or myrrh." John Legend stops by to pay raunchy tribute to nutmeg, the spice that goes on eggnog; indie rock queen Feist appears as an angel; "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart duets with Stephen on the song, "Can I Interest You in Hanukkah?" and in the process demonstrates why he is not usually called upon to sing on television; oh, and eventually Elvis enters the building to join the gang in the show's two heartfelt moments, a beautiful acoustic version of Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding." (The other is the closing number, a perfectly-pitched post-ironic instant classic sung by Costello and Colbert.)

For me, though, the most satisfying moment of the show is when Toby Keith shows up, sporting an automatic weapon and ready to enlist in the "War on Christmas." And then he tears into a over-the-top country anthem declaring solidarity with Bill O'Reilly's Christmas crusade and vowing to lop off the heads of anyone who disagrees. The visuals that accompany Keith's performance are priceless, and the number itself is so good, it could be played tomorrow on KFKF -- though something tells me not everyone would be in on the joke. (The soundtrack goes on sale, along with a DVD of "A Colbert Christmas," Tuesday. I've already alerted Rusty at my favorite Internet radio site, SomaFM, and he's got the tracks on order for his Xmas in Frisko station.)

Comments

[Jeff C]

I loved the show. It had heart and wit. With this show I think Colbert's going to get the performance Emmy he's lost to Manilow (Manilow!), Bennett, Rickles, etc.