The Daily Show on the hapless action figure taken hostage by ruthless Iraqi insurgents:
My God, they took it out of the box. It’s no longer in mint condition. You maniacs!
Incidentally, the Cave Troll which appeared as an insurgent in the Stephen Colbert segment happens to be a key component in the Daily Show’s comedy creation process. From a New York Times article:
“I have the luxury of not being a real reporter, and in fact, I’m not even a pundit,” admits Mr. Colbert, whose actual dressing room/ office is a shrine to all things “Lord of the Rings,” including a Gandalf for President button and an animated cave troll that serves as arbiter of his writing sessions with fellow “Daily Show” parodists.
If an idea is funny, the troll raises a trident. If a gag falls flat, it lowers a mace and grunts. Mr. Colbert doesn’t trust his own judgment. “I always love all of the ideas,” he says, giving the troll a peck on its ugly cheek.
