Stephen Colbert in the Zeitgeist: Turkey Day Edition

Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving! Here’s the zeitgeist for Thursday, November 22, 2007.

A Nation Misses Stephen Colbert

• With the satirical world on hold, the political world also takes a hit – Star-Tribune: “If it weren’t for the writers strike, Stephen Colbert might be penning his presidential inaugural address.”
• Comedy writers on strike, campaign fizzles – Politico.com: “This strike’s first casualty was perhaps Stephen Colbert, who, after failing to get on the South Carolina ballot, dropped his presidential bid on Nov. 5, the same day the walkout began. Other than a press release and a brief public appearance that evening, however, he had little opportunity to expound on the indignity of it all. “
• Steven Paul Mark On Colbert, Writers’ Strike – Huffington Post (Karen Dalton Beninato):
  

  KDB: What do you think will be the impact on the presidential race, if any, with The Daily Show and The Colbert Report going dark for the Writers Strike?

  SPM: As there’s really no other source for reliable news and commentary, I fear that the American public’s right to know is being infringed.

  On that basis alone, I’d recommend a constitutional challenge and seek to enjoin both the writers and producers.

• Vision of the Future of Hollywood Strike – Associated Press (via Google): “MAY: Without the threat of ridicule from “The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report” or “SNL,” the presidential candidates get sloppy. With conventions looming, Rudy Giuliani drops nouns and verbs from his sentence construction and simply repeats “9/11″ over and over. A fearless Hillary Clinton begins jogging to McDonald’s with her husband.”
• It’s Not Only About Money: Are Far-Left Hollywood Producers In The Pocket of the Far Right? – Huffington Post (Steve Young): “Fact is, the strike has taken away The Daily Show, Real Time and The Colbert Report and left us with The Factor and Entertainment Tonight. Tell me that isn’t an attempt to dumb down the Folks™.”
• All The President’s Liars: Where the Hell are The Washington Post and NY Times on McClellangate?! – Huffington Post (Steve Young): “Point is, other than blogs and the Keith Olbermann network – and the Writers Strike continuing to keep Jon Stewart, Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert on the sidelines – we’re left with the right to spin an insider story of a White House coverup.”
• Fake news on Web just not as good – Connecticut Post: “This stuff isn’t very funny, is it? I concluded that the fake-news sites are carrying not what we call fake news but FAKE fake news. I hoped that the Writers Guild strike would end soon. Then my students could get back to the REAL fake news.”
• Operation Superstantial Truthiness is ON! – Huffington Post (Criag Newmark): “Hey, we need The Daily Show and Colbert Nation back on to get trustworthy news. Me, I just did the “Pencils2MediaMoguls” thing, lots more here:” [Editors Note: Craig is a real Hero once again. Within minutes of receiving word of Op.Sup.Tru. from NFZ, he had this posted up on Huffington post as well as his own blog.]
• strike #2 – Ze Frank blog: The master of the in-line cut discusses Big-Media finances and gives a shout out (and a ‘miss ya’) to Stephen at around 1:10. (I’ll recommend the family friendly edited version.)

Fans talkin’
Miscellaneous shout outs from the Nation.

• So many reasons to be thankful – Aiken Standard: “11. I am thankful for YouTube, as it allows such little-known shows as “Exit 57″ to live on. Most of you are not familiar with the show, but it’s a sketch comedy group from about a decade ago. Stephen Colbert was on it, and let me tell you – his work as a Dancing Muchacho is second to none.”
• Speaking out for a Muzzled Hero of Mine. – Snarky musings from the shadows: “I imagine Stephen Colbert as more like Xerxes as portrayed in “300.” Sitting upon his giant golden throne, God-King supreme, his every wish and need fulfilled by a countless horde of adoring slaves. All he asks from the rest of us is our subservience and love, and he will make all our wishes come true.”

Gratuitous Name Dropping
I couldn’t possibly include all the examples – but here are a few of the best.

• Bristol-Myers Squibb Creeps Higher on FDA Approval – Schaeffer’s Daily Market Blog: “BMY said the approval was based on 2 studies that indicated Abilify (which sounds like it was named by Stephen Colbert) “significantly improved” depressive symptoms in adults diagnosed with the disorder. “
• The Five Stages of Shopping – Huffington Post (Sandra Fu): “Just because you like something doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Thank you, Stephen Colbert, for sticking a Bratz in the microwave.”
• ‘Born Standing Up’ by Steve Martin – Los Angeles Times: “He was doing postmodern comedy before anyone knew what it was. His legacy includes a lineage of self-reflecting comedians — culminating in the blowhard, Escher-like character of Stephen Colbert, who is perhaps the ultimate expression of what Martin started almost 40 years ago.”