'The Colbert Report' Temporarily Suspended; Host's Mom Suspected to Be Ill
Comedy Central suspended production of "The Colbert Report," hosted by the comedian and political satirist Stephen Colbert. New reports indicate the suspension was due to a family emergency.
Since Wednesday, the popular show, which yielded the network some of its highest ratings, has been running reruns, with the network only announcing "unforeseen circumstances" as the reason.
Audiences holding tickets for the tapings were notified via email with the same explanation, with some participants who had not yet read their emails showing up at the studio only to be turned away.
Pete Dominick, the warm-up act for The Colbert Report, also tweeted that he no idea why production was temporarily halted.
"Yes I work at the Colbert Report and No I dont know why the show is off for 2 nights," he wrote.
The usually chatty Colbert who frequently updated his Twitter also offered no insight as well, with his last posting on Valentine's Day.
"Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you're enjoying your flowers, or chocolates, or smug self-satisfaction at not celebrating Valentine's Day."
Fans of the show have speculated many possibilities, including a health scare in either his family or his staff.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the suspension – a purported first of its kind – was due to an emergency in Colbert's family, with other media sites claiming his mother, 91, was sick.
Others wonder if his relationship with the network is faltering, leading to a cancellation of the show, a spinoff from "The Daily Show."
The network spokesman declined to comment on any speculations. An anonymous source, however, told The TV Column that the show would return to originals soon.
Fans are wishing Stephen Colbert and his family the best.
