When Writers Can't Write, They Pretend

"Well, who could do that?" asked Jason Ross, also of the "The Daily Show." "Who has that sort of power?"

"Beats me," Carvell said.

Pause for pointed looks at the lawmakers in the audience.

This was a hearing for those who are in on the joke, the ones inside the Beltway and the ones inside the story conference rooms. So everyone laughed when a man in a pink T-shirt ("The Daily Show" writer Kevin Bleyer) stood up and shouted, "I have no cause to advocate! I am just a lonely man who was not held enough as a child!"

Then Protester No. 2 ("The Colbert Report" writer Peter Gwinn), clad in a green tee, bellowed, "I call upon security to please escort the other protester from the room!" and "Ron Paul for president!" because, of course, that's what you expect on the Hill.

Things wrapped up with a Q&A from the audience. A ponytailed man wanted to know how things were going for the writers. You know, like, how broke are you?

"Have you sold your car?" he asked. "Are you burning up your savings?"

"Everyone has different means," Grosz said. Then, playing to the audience, he added, "We can't discuss what we're doing to get by. It's very . . . embarrassing."