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I'm Stephen Metcalf, and this is the Slate Culture Gab Fest Middle of the Road edition.

This is also the daily podcast from slate.com for Wednesday, June 10th, 2009.

On today's program, we're going to talk about Stephen Colbert in Iraq, the Tony Awards on television, and General Motors on Ice. Joining me today are Slate's deputy editor, Julia Turner. Hello, Julia. Hi, Steve. Julia, you are bright and shiny with three shots of espresso. I have so much energy today. I could be on Broadway. Well, all you have to do is carry me through 20 minutes

of chit-chat. And Slate's foreign editor, June Thomas. June, always an enormous pleasure to have you here.

Mutually so. Julia, as I was watching Stephen Colbert on Hulu, I couldn't help thinking

that we're witnessing the birth of a national institution here. This is,

this feels like show business of your, of show business is something people can feel nostalgia for.

It's something about Bob Hope going and addressing the troops. And I don't think I was made

reclaimed by the fact that he was in Iraq specifically. I think it was something about the deafness

with which he danced along this line of irony and sincerity and was able to

play to both Crunchy Williamsburg residing lefties who find him hilarious no matter what

and a room full of potentially hostile or at least distrustful American troops. I thought he walked

that line almost perfectly and I'm wondering if you did too. I thought it was amazing. I mean, I have nothing to say about Stephen Colbert, but total

gooey admiration. So to fill people in, he's recording his show in Iraq this week in front

of troops. He recorded in a palace, one of Saddam's old palaces last night.

The acoustics were a little bit cavernous.

You didn't feel quite the same electric applause.

...