CBS said Stephen Colbert, who is taking over the late night spot on CBS from David Letterman, plans to make his show advertiser friendly, according to network executives.
Jo Ann Ross, CBS president for ad sales, said Colbert was a special guest at the network's development meetings with media buyers and clients.
"He had a crazy beard, so people had no clue who he was," Ross said. But once he started talking, "we had to get the hook," Ross said. "He was full of energy talking about his new show."
Ross said Colbert plans to be "advertiser friendly, but in his own voice. That's what advertisers want because they want to trust the person doing innovation... he won't make fun of them, too much."
On Comedy Central's Colbert Report, Colbert regularly poked fun at sponsors even as he promoted them. He is now a spokesman for Wonderful Pistachios.
