The Colbert Report

Ex–Daily Show–er Steven Colbert unearths a 24k nugget of satirized politics with enough legitimate editorializing to make Fox News go Green Party with envy. Report (silent "t", like in the host's surname) rips into the ranting format popularized by political socialites like Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, but does so without fear of national humiliation. Hell, Colbert's even willing to create new words to prove he is the master of pundit "truthiness." The cast of one tapes daily for Krispy Kreme freshness and relies mainly on White House spin to keep his biting sarcasm as topical as Coppertone, while script blunders only add to the down-to-earth integrity. And just like its 11 P.M. predecessor, Colbert welcomes an American News Idol for sparring or snuggling every night. But expect the host to hold his own; after all, he did learn from one of the best spin artists on television. (Not including Karl Rove, of course.)