Stephen Colbert in the Zeitgeist for March 25, 2007

Here’s your collection of odd bits and pieces from the news and blogosphere that we like to call the Zeitgeist – for March 25, 2007.

Six Degrees: Mo Rocca stars on Broadway!
Add another required ticket to the NY pilgrimage circuit – but for one month only.

• Humorist Mo Rocca Joins Broadway’s 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in Starring Role – P.R. Newswire: “Humorist and author Mo Rocca will join the cast of the 2005 Tony Award winning musical 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for a one-month run, beginning April 17, 2007. Rocca will play the role of ‘Vice Principal Douglas Panch’ in the show, which plays at Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theater.”

Six Degrees: Decemberist’s Meloy shreads his ax!
Or something extremely rad like that.

• Decemberists blast through past – Boston Herald: “The buoyant tones of “July, July” met with immediate approval and found Nate Query switching to upright bass while Meloy got worked up enough with his hold-it-up-high guitar strumming that he busted a string. Take that, Stephen Colbert.”

In a parallel world, maybe.
Philosophy grad students use the natural language of modal realists to discuss metaphysics all the time.

• Suppose Stephen Colbert read David Lewis… – Words and Other Things: “And, further, suppose he was interested in the philosophy of language. It seems obvious that he would require that for a language to be the language used by a community there’d have to be conventions of truthiness and trust for that language.”

Student Journalism can be so inspiring!
The art of the scathing satirical letter lives on at St. John’s University. Upper classman Elliot Erickson tears through a sophomore’s op-ed piece with the subtlety of a chainsaw, but it’s pretty darn funny – if you like that sort of thing. This blurb cannot do it justice.

• Satirical master matches Colbert – The Record: “Stephen Colbert once said, “Reality has become a commodity.” After reading the recent article “President Bush: great president, or greatest president?” I will pay whatever it takes to get a piece of the reality that author Kurt Sorensen bought. His article was brilliant satire. Sorensen played Colbert’s part almost as well as the god of Comedy Central himself… My roommates have tried throughout this semester to convince me that Sorensen is writing serious columns, but I know better. How could a writer seriously compare the public moods regarding Lincoln, whose actions ended the American Civil War, and Bush, whose actions have set the stage for an Iraqi civil war?”

Here’s a selected quote from the original article by Sophmore Sorensen:

• President Bush: great president, or greatest president? – The Record: “Granted, his personality is lost on many people. He accidentally made fun of a blind reporter, he has made up words on the spot and more, but isn’t this almost a quality? Sure he’s a little goofy, but at least he’s honest.”

Bonnie R. makes bloggers feel good
We weren’t the only blog that loved Bonnie’s story.

• Green Screen Challenge winner at The Colbert Report – rc3.org: “Bonnie R, winner of The Colbert Report Green Screen Challenge made it to a taping of the show and got the full VIP treatment. She posted an account visit to the show on The Colbert Nation message board. This is your feel good story for the weekend.”

Aura-n’t you sorry she didn’t go on?
Facial and aura analyst would really like to see Stephen’s teeth in person.

• Colbert in a huff over Fluff – Chicago Sun Times: “Reached the next day, Rosetree says she was disappointed that Colbert didn’t invite her on the program. “When it comes to face reading on his show, I would be funnier than Colbert,” she said.”

In case you don’t know what this last bit is referring to, here’s our (unintentionally controversial) coverage of the original article and here’s video of Stephen’s reaction, courtesy of Comedy Central’s MotherLoad.