Stephen Colbert: Iraq show spoilers

First, non-spoilery: Stephen Colbert, who is bringing his "Colbert Report" to Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, this week, has guest edited the June 15 issue of Newsweek (which goes on sale today) to bring some additional focus to the troops fighting in the Middle East. Here is his editor's note, and you can read the cover story, by frequent "Daily Show" and "Colbert Report" guest Fareed Zakaria, here.

OK, now for the spoilers. The cover of the magazine depicts a grimacing Stephen getting the side of his head shaved so that his remaining hair spells out the word IRAQ. Obviously it was a Photoshop trick, but Stephen did indeed have a date with the clippers. According to this AP report, Colbert's guest, Gen. Ray Odierno, "accepted a videotaped order from President Barack Obama to shave Colbert's head." Oh, thank goodness President Obama got involved. We would hate for an entire week to go by without another late night talk show appearance by the Commander-in-Chief.

Sen. John McCain also made "a surprise appearance in a videoclip in which he thanked the troops for their service and reminded them to clean their muskets."

The show will also feature a pretaped comedy bit showing Colbert "arriving at Fort Jackson, S.C., in a stretch limousine for 'the full 10 hours' of basic training, which included him struggling to do push-ups and sit-ups."

Colbert will broadcast all four of this week's shows from Iraq. It is the first time a non-news program has been produced, taped and transmitted from a combat zone.