Update, 1:45 pm: Colbert's cancellation is reportedly due to a family emergency.

Original: We're crossing our fingers that the "unforeseen reason" causing Comedy Central to suspend production of the Colbert Report for the second half of this week is something in the nature of a happy surprise, not anything more serious. The unusual last-minute cancellation remains a mystery, as Mediaite reported late on Wednesday, ticket holders received an email that read, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the show will air repeat episodes on Wednesday, February 15 and Thursday, February 16." The Atlantic Wire got the exact same response when we asked Comedy Central what was going on. But Third Beat notes there is precedent from the show's older sibling, The Daily Show, which has been abruptly canceled twice since Jon Stewart took it over in 1999:

A last-minute cancellation is highly unusual for Comedy Central’s fake news shows. The Daily Show has suspended production last-minute due to personal reasons twice during Jon Stewart’s reign: once when his second child was born, and once when a staff member passed away suddenly. If this week’s reasons are of a similar nature, it would be a first for the Colbert Report.

Obviously, we're rooting for baby or something like it.

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Adam Martin