Stephen Colbert in the Zeitgeist: Met the Press Edition

Stephen Tiberius Colbert meets Cucurbita Maxima
MsInterpreted has posted the story from the “paper of record”, but more views and reviews of Stephen’s appearance on MTP are found in the mainstream press and the blogs. Full transcript of the appearance is available here.

• Magical day for gays / Enter Truthiness – Chicago Sun Times: “A well-timed joke. If ever a presidential election cried out for satire, it’s the early and endless slugfest that began an eternity ago and will never end. Colbert, the host of Comedy Central’s popular “The Colbert Report,” speaks with an earnest meaninglessness that could have been clipped out of any actual candidate’s stump speech.”
• Colbert says presidential run is no joke – Reuters (via MSNBC): “Comedian Stephen Colbert insisted on Sunday that his ambition to run for president was no joke — then joked he would consider disgraced Republican Sen. Larry Craig as a vice presidential running mate.”
• Stephen Colbert Appears on ‘Meet the Press’ to Discuss Race for President – Editor & Publisher: “Did Stephen Colbert overshadow Sen. Barack Obama on today’s “Meet the Press”? He certain left Tim Russert incredulous if not, of course, speechless, after several minutes of discussing his belated race for president (at least in his native South Carolina), announced just this week.”
• Colbert re-modifies White House intentions – The Palmetto Scoop: “We’re not lawyers, but this seems like a flawless plan. If Colbert announces that he’s running for president but he doesn’t want to be president, then he can possibly continue campaigning. Which means he may have found a loophole that would keep the shtick alive.”
• Colbert Discusses His Presidential Ambitions On “Meet The Press” – Huffington Post: “Russert seemed incredulous about Colbert’s presidential bid, but Stephen set him straight, assuring Russert that he was very serious about his candidacy, and that this was not “a dream you will wake up from.” Colbert’s “Meet the Press” appearance, a required venue for any serious presidential contender, solidifies Colbert’s intention to seek the White House.”
• COLBERT: BID FOR PREZ NO JOKE – New York Post: “Yesterday it was hard to take Colbert too seriously. He even said he’d consider Republican Sen. Larry Craig – who has been caught up in an airport men’s room sex scandal – as his running mate.”
• Colbert: I Am a Candidate (And So Can You!) – Caucus (NY Times Political Blog): “qComedy Central’s Stephen Colbert said he’s in it (the presidential primary in South Carolina, that is), and he’s in it to win … one delegate. Or so he told NBC’s Tim Russert who grilled the comedian today on “Meet the Press” in what was one of the more humorous – and, at times, bizarre – editions of the normally all-business Sunday morning show.”
• Colbert’s report: Running to lose, offers Craig No. 2 – The Swamp (Chicago Trib. Washington Bureau Blog): “There is a certain “truthiness” to Stephen Colbert’s campaign for president, including his admission that he doesn’t really want to be president. He just wants to run.”
• Colbert Meets the Press. You’re Welcome. – NPR’s The Bryant Park Project,: ” Comedian and author Stephen Colbert is on top of the world, not to mention America. We recap his performance on ‘Meet The Press’ this weekend.”

Speaking of Cucurbitae
More evidence of the Sioux Falls Pumpkin Riots of 1923

• PUMPKIN RIOTS OF 1923 – SIOUX FALLS HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOMEPAGE: “By far the city’s most tumultuous moment came in the form of the Pumpkin Riots of 1923, a four-day outbreak of violence and looting. They began in the town’s Falls Park on October 16, before spilling out into the main commercial district and surrounding lower-class neighborhoods, and ended on October 19.”

Entertainment Weekly is mulling over Entertainer of the Year edition
and is seeking ideas of who should top the list…

• Who’s your Entertainer of the Year? – EW.com: “It’s that time of year again when EW’s editorial staff brainstorms, debates, and agonizes over who’ll make the cut for our year-end “Entertainers of the Year” issue.”

Gibson gets a wake up call
from a hero in Arizona

• Candidates trivializing U.S. politics – Arizona Republic: “Charles Gibson of ABC had a short piece last week on the announcement that Stephen Colbert was entering the race for president of the United States. Gibson opined that announcement “trivializes” American politics. Really? The current herd of politicians trying to win the nomination is trivializing the race for president. The current group will say anything to anyone at anytime to get a vote. Wake up, Charles. Stephen Colbert is not trivializing the process. The candidates are.”

From the Canadian Press
We won’t call it “unAmerican” anymore!

• The secret agenda of Stephen Colbert – Macleans: “For now, politicians are having fun being in Colbert’s arcs (“It just sort of panned out and became this wonderful little story,” Mayor Gray says). So although Silverman said last year that the goal of the show “is to find out, how can satire and silliness live together?”, the new goal of The Colbert Report is to make up lots of silly sitcom stories. And if Colbert doesn’t agree with this observation, he’s welcome to attack Maclean’s on his show.”
• Daily Show comedy factory – The Winnipeg Sun: ” [Steve Carell about Stephen Colbert:] “I could always foresee big things for him… It’s astounding what he knows and what he can do and how smart he is. But the other thing is he’s fearless. I really believe a lot of what makes him so funny is because he has no fear. He can walk a tightrope comedically and there’s a self-assuredness to him. And even as he walks the tightrope you get the sense you’re in good hands with him because he is in such control.” “

Pocket Master talks about TCR appearance
The article says Kucinich came in second after Edwards in a straw poll taken Sunday in San Mateo County. Sounds like a Colbert Bump!

• Kucinich pushes Bush impeachment – The Monterey County Herald: ” Still, his expression seemed to lighten as he recalled his comedic success last week as a guest on The Colbert Report, the farcical news show on “Comedy Central.” “The secret of it,” he said, pausing for effect, “Don’t try to be funny.” Only then did he let out a laugh. “

Gratuitous Political Name Dropping

• The End of Big Politics – Huffington Post (Bryan Farell): “By announcing his plan to run on both the Republican and Democratic tickets in his home state of South Carolina, Colbert has illustrated better than anyone that there is very little difference between the two parties, at least when it comes to their mainstream candidates.”
• The Comedy of Politics – ABC News: “When faux conservative commentator and comedian Stephen Colbert announced his candidacy for the presidency last week, it drew plenty of cheers and laughter.”