‘Tooning Out The News’: CBS All Access Sets Premiere & Reveals Guests For Stephen Colbert Animated Series

Peter White
·2 min read

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Animated anchor James Smartwood will start mocking the news later this month after CBS All Access set a premiere date for Stephen Colbert-exec produced cartoon series Tooning Out The News.

The show will launch on the digital platform in the U.S. and Canada on Monday March 16.

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Colbert and The Late Show showrunner Chris Licht are teaming up with RJ Fried and Tim Luecke, who co-created Showtime’s Our Cartoon President on the series.

Produced by CBS Television Studios, it will feature short daily segments leading up to a weekly full episode that includes a cast of animated characters mocking news of the day, and interviewing real world guests and newsmakers.

The cast of animated characters will be led by anchor James Smartwood, who will mock the news and interview real-world guests, newsmakers and analysts in daily five- to seven-minute segments, followed by a weekly full episode available every Friday.

Guests include Dan Abrams, Alan Dershowitz, Thomas Friedman, Nicholas Kristof, Rep. Barbara Lee, Olivia Nuzzi, Rep. Donna Shalala and Rep. Eric Swalwell.

It is the latest animated series for the streaming service, which airs Star Trek: Lower Decks from Rick & Morty’s Mike McMahan and The Harper House, from China, IL creator Brad Neely and Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Katie Krentz.

“After a successful negotiation between my forthright representation and a frankly insulting CBS business affairs department, I’m pleased to report that I am now the lead anchor and chief senior managing director of news and miscellaneous serious stuff at America’s #1 source for news and ‘Star Trek’: CBS All Access,” says Smartwood. “Now that I’m on the air, I have a stark warning to every power player in Washington: I will suck up to you for access – that’s a promise. Lastly, for the record, my involuntary sabbatical last year was my choice. Check out Tooning Out The News every weekday. I don’t work weekends. Weekends are for chili and roughhousing.”

Watch a clip below:

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