By Craig Giammona
Stephen Colbert, a grandstanding host who has fashioned his brusque, comedic persona after Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly, got his start as a reporter on “The Jon Stewart Show.” Now he has struck out on his own and The Colbert Report features a regular segment called: “Know a District.”Meeks was the 39th member of Congress to participate in the segment and his appearance, unlike some others, came off well. In fact, the congressman nearly managed to get the normally stoic Colbert to crack a smile, when in an exchange about race, Meeks told Colbert: “Chocolate tastes good.”Colbert, who stays in character as a right-wing commentator throughout his 30-minutes show, can seen smirking. Meeks was initially supposed to sit with Colbert in December, but had to reschedule in favor of a trip to Cuba, where he received an update on the medical condition of Fidel Castro.During an exchange about the canceled interview, Colbert told Meeks that he was “playing with fire.” Colbert then donned a beard, feigned a Cuban accent and asked Meeks what Castro said to him.Colbert, at the start of the show, pointed out that the Sixth Congressional District, which comprises most of southeast Queens, was once home to jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and John Coltrane. Colbert also said Beat writer Jack Kerouac once called the district home.Colbert began the interview by asking Meeks what congressional Democrats, now that they control both the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, plan to do to “help the terrorists” and “establish gay marriage.”Meeks took the questions in stride and even went back at Colbert, who relished the give-and-take.A spokeswoman for Meeks said he wanted to go on the show because of its popularity with young people. She also said Meeks watched clips of other appearances by congressmen on the “Know a District” segment to prepare for his interview.A video of the Meeks appearance is available at www.comedycentral.com.Reach reporter Craig Giammona by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
