Colbert Top Contender to Replace Letterman?

So who gets Letterman's seat when he steps down next year? If a report at Mashable is correct, don't be surprised if it's Stephen Colbert. The website's Josh Dickey reports that Colbert is the network's top choice at the moment and that Colbert is interested. His contract with Comedy Central is up at the end of the year, making the timing just about perfect. If he makes the move, Colbert would be himself, not the political persona of his current show, says the report. At Slate, meanwhile, Phillip Maciak makes his case for Ellen DeGeneres. "She belongs to—maybe even pioneered—this new generation of hosts who don’t care what time it is." Both are on USA Today's list of Top 10 candidates (along with Jay Leno). Click for that. (More David Letterman stories.)