Fan Fare
Entertainment behind the scenes
from Tales from the Trail:
Stewart, Colbert rally gets ‘puzzling’ endorsement
First came celebrity endorsements from Oprah and Arianna. Now Jon Stewart's Washington "Rally to Restore Sanity" has a more puzzling promoter.
Here's a clue: German summer pants for little William? (10 letters)
Stumped? The answer is "Will Shortz". He's editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle, which today devotes no fewer than eight clues to the Daily Show host, his fellow satirist Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report and the joint rally they're planning for Saturday on the National Mall.
For anyone flummoxed by the clues to 54 and 65 Across, Colbert's version of the event is called the "March to Keep Fear Alive."
The Stewart-Colbert gathering is a reaction to Fox News commentator Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally, which was held at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on this year's anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. 
Stewart is also a big fan of Shortz and appeared in the 2006 documentary Wordplay, which focused on the Times crossword puzzle editor and the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.
Do Stewart and Colbert need the fiery presence of thousands of crossword puzzle enthusiasts? Now that's a question. But the idea may be too inside the box for rally organizers.
Hollywood and religion. Double standards, or fair game for satire?
Should all religions be taboo when it comes to comedy and satire?
Comedy Central — the same TV network that managed to both anger and bow to Muslim sensibilities in April by airing and later censoring a “South Park” episode portraying the Prophet Mohammad — is now at the center of a pre-e
mptive storm over plans to develop a comedy show about Jesus.
A new coalition of family and religious groups Citizens Against Religious Bigotry has called on Comedy Central not to air the animated series “JC” and asked advertisers to refuse to sponsor it.
After Iraq broadcasts, can Stephen Colbert declare “Mission Accomplished”?
(Writing and reporting by Laura Isensee)
Two presidents, a major general and a shaved head all played a part this week in comedian Stephen Colbert’s declared mission to bring attention to the 6 year-old war in Iraq and the troops still fighting abroad.
On Thursday, Colbert broadcast from Iraq the last of four episodes he starred in this week from the battle-torn country. On Thursday’s edition of “The Colbert Report,” a program which spoofs U.S. politics and culture on cable channel Comedy Central, the show featured a special shout-out to the troops by former President George W. Bush. It was one of several guest video spots that included politicians from right and left, from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to President Barack Obama.
Kanye West feels “murdered” by South Park swipe
Kanye West said on Thursday his ego was a little bruised by his less than flattering depiction on ”South Park,” which portrayed the rapper as, well, egocentric.
West wrote on his blog in his customary all-caps style that the long-running animated satire “murdered” him, but that it was funny.
