Feist, Elvis Costello Do Christmas With Stephen Colbert

Scrooge, you're on notice!
Feist, Elvis Costello Do Christmas With Stephen Colbert

Photos by Kristopher Long. Above: Stephen Colbert and Feist

Looks like this holiday season, our stockings will be stuffed with some cold, hard truth. Stephen Colbert-- he of the entirely earnest conservative talking television program "The Colbert Report"-- has invited some very special friends to join him for "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All", a brand new hourlong musical comedy special. It will debut on Comedy Central November 23 and hit DVD two days later from Comedy Central Home Entertainment/Paramount.

In a press release, the star-studded affair is described thusly:

In the special, Colbert is on his way to meet with Elvis Costello in New York City but is snowed-in at his cabin in upstate New York (bear country). He weathers through the storm with help from his friends Feist, Toby Keith, John Legend, Willie Nelson, and Jon Stewart.

And all manner of yuletide merrymaking ensue.

Stephen Colbert and Elvis Costello

In addition to what's sure to be an impressive collection of holiday sweaters, each and every one of the aforementioned folks joins Stephen in song. The whole crew-- Colbert, Costello, Feist, Toby Keith, Legend, and Nelson-- raise their voices for "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding", while Colbert teams up with Costello for "There Are Much Worse Things to Believe In", Nelson for "Little Dealer Boy", and Legend on "Nutmeg". Colbert provides "Another Christmas Song" all on his own. In addition, Feist turns in a tune called "Please Be Patient", and Keith does "Have I Got a Present for You". PLUS, Colbert sings a song called "Hanukkah" with Jon Stewart!

All but "Peace, Love and Understanding" are new originals written by Fountain of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger and "Daily Show" executive producer David Javerbaum.

Though you'll almost certainly have trouble missing it once it starts airing on the telly, the DVD of "A Colbert Christmas" sports some nifty bonus features: a book-burning yule log, a video advent calendar, and some alternate endings.

Oh, and don't tell Stephen, but it's for a good cause, too: Feeding America, who'll get a portion of the proceeds from the DVD sales.

Stephen Colbert and John Legend

Posted by Paul Thompson on Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 4:25pm