Stephen Colbert in the Zeitgeist – Almost Monday (!!!) edition

Hey, Vanity Fair! You want to move some paper? You put Stephen in a sailor hat pulling his shirt open on the cover! TGIF because it’s one day closer to Monday! Here’s the Zeitgeist for September 6, 2007.

UnBEARable Likeness to Beans.
The California Living Museum (CALM) near Bakersfield California is a “Native Zoo and Garden” preserving native plant and animal species. They are currently holding a contest to name their new California black bear, asking a $1 donation for each “vote”. A group has formed to promote this fund raising effort and to encourage the selection of a name “honoring” Stephen Colbert. Though it seems wrong on so many levels (California? Bear? Enviro-nazis?) it might be a worthy cause.

• Friends of Stephen Coal Bear is encouraging votes to name the bear “Stephen Coal Bear.”
• Introducing CALM’s Stephen “Coal” Bear – KGET (Bakersfield’s NBC affiliate): Video report about the new black bear at CALM and the Friends of Stephen Coal Bear. Enjoy some local affiliate style news.

Stephen Colbert: Crystal Balls?
NOT what you’re thinking!

• Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark: Party Out of Bounds – Harp Magazine: “At the Sundance Film Festival last January, she got to tell her idol, Stephen Colbert, about it. “He was like, “Hmm…let me guess…,” and he totally looked me up and down. “[Your show] would be about a girl, played by you, who’s saving the world through glamour.” Of course I was totally dumbfounded, because in the most distilled sense, that is kind of what I’d love [to do].””

Emmy Watch: Seacrest no Tsunami
As excited as I am for the Emmy Awards on the 16th, I am less than thrilled about the selection of Ryan Seacrest as the host. And the press isn’t helping: Ryan mea culpas already; Fishbowl has no sympathy; and Kathy Griffin recounts a Seacrest moment.

• Seacrest’s hosting duties leave him little idle time – Orlando Sentinel: “He said he won’t pretend to be a standup comedian that night and predicted the laughs will come from such presenters as Ellen DeGeneres and Stephen Colbert.”
• Ryan Seacrest: Press Conference Wrap-Up – Fishbowl LA: “This probably would have a been a much kinder wrap-up had Fox PR bouncer Nicole Gonzales not shut us out of the Ryan Seacrest press conference Wednesday. But she did. So it’s not.”
• Kathy Griffin on Ryan Seacrest – Part 1 and Kathy Griffin on Ryan Seacrest – Part 2 – NSFW videos on YouTube: Kathy Griffin tells her experience of presenting with Ryan Seacrest at the American Music Awards. Insightful.

Has the press finally figured it out?
Looks like some in the MSM realize that video archives are useful for more than “comedy.”

• In Calling Bush Out On His Definition of “Success” In Iraq, Dan Abrams Takes A Page From Jon Stewart – Huffington Post: “I have often wondered why the cable nets didn’t plunder the Daily Show’s modus operandi on more fronts, since it is often so effective (it seems to be the only news outlet that seems to mine C-SPAN for material — yeah, I said “news outlet”). It’s true that “Meet The Press” has perfected the “gotcha” moment (well, gotcha-moment-as-less-gotcha-than-predictible-TV-by-the-time-it-airs, but still, it remains effective), but this struck me as a new and welcome take on a proven format. In any case, it worked.”

Spoiler Alert
Don’t blame me if you read the next line.

• Media Alert 10/10/07 – WesPAC-Securing America’s Future: “General Clark will appear on the Colbert Report on Wednesday, October 10 @ 11:30PM EDT / 10:30PM CDT”

Ha! Ha! Ha! Wii.
Anyone know if Stephen’s voice is on these?

• Harvey Birdman gets on Wii’s case Nov. 13 – Joystiq: “Capcom is bringing Harvey Birdman’s courtroom fumbling to the Wii this November alongside previously announced PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions. Based on the Adult Swim television show of the same name, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law has players donning the law suit of the eponymous and spectacularly unskilled attorney in five “uproarious” cases.”

General Geekdom
It may be harder than we thought to keep WristSTRONG alive; How to keep your clips on YouTube

• From Cool to Passé: Identity Signaling and Product Domains – Knowledge@Wharton (U. Penn) [via The Daily Dish] : “In other work, Berger examined the 2004 yellow wristband phenomenon. A research team at Stanford first sold the bands to students living in one dorm. A week later, researchers began selling the wristbands in a neighboring dorm with a stronger academic focus and a social reputation as a “geek” dorm. A week after the wristbands were adopted by the “geeks,” there was a 32% drop in students wearing the bands at the first dorm.”
• Why Fair Use Suffers on YouTube – Plagiarism Today: “If users are able to push their YouTube pages themselves, and not just their blog postings, into the realm of fair use, companies such as Viacom will no longer be able to ignore those rights.”

Six Degrees of Stephen Colbert
Jon Stewart in Atlantic City, Lizz Winstead stands up in Ohio and talks “Daily”; UCB on DVD; J.J. Sedelmaier live redux; A hard Rain gonna fall?

• Jon Stewart – Ticketmaster: Tickets available for Jon Stewart at Caesars Atlantic City, October 6, 2007. (two shows)
• ‘Daily Show’ co-creator gratified by reaction – The Vindicator: ” “That’s interesting to me, and I don’t feel bad that people are getting their news from ‘The Daily Show’ because it’s not like they’re just making up wacky things. They’re setting up the truth and buttoning the truth with satire and humor.” Therein also lies the appeal of Winstead’s stand-up act, which she brings back to Northeast Ohio next Thursday through Sept. 16 at Hilarities. “
• “UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON” DVD HITS STORES ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 – Comedy Central: “In the second season of COMEDY CENTRAL’s cult favorite series “Upright Citizens Brigade” starring Matt Besser (“Walk Hard”), Amy Poehler (“Saturday Night Live”), Ian Roberts (“Arrested Development”) and Matt Walsh (“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”), the group trace the origins of the deadly drug supercool, see Jesus in strange places and deal with an infestation of friars and party with the Wu Tang Clan.”
• UPA retrospective highlights Ottawa ani fest – Hollywood Reporter: “In addition to Bosustow, other Americans booked for the Ottawa event include J.J. Sedelmaier, who created the “Colbert Report’s” “Tek Jansen” cartoon series; … The second-largest animation festival in the world, the OIAF runs Sept. 19-23. [MsInterpreted has posted more information here.]
• Male VS. Female – Ikimasshoi.com: “As all of you know (or should if you pay attention to the rare Asian entertainment references in U.S.) that Rain was on the Colbert report for being voted as #1 out of 100 for ‘The most Influential People’ in PEOPLE magazine. This probably makes Rain quite a famous person, and should be at least responsible for pleasing his fans because he’s so ‘talented’, yes? Well, lately he’s been canceling all his concerts, especially in the U.S. and hiding in Europe – this is definitely hurting his career even more especially as he has left JYP. When he was called for interviews in the U.S., and producers found that he needed a translator, all his potential in America was thrown away. It’s too bad we found a replacement for him already, FEMALE replacement if I may add!”