Finally! The Telegraph introduces Great Britain’s audience to Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Report with the thorough overview both man and show deserve.
From The Telegraph:
Stephen Colbert: the second most powerful idiot in America
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 18/05/2008His attacks on greens, pinkos and people who want to destroy Christmas have won him friends across the States – and enemies in the White House. Meet Stephen Colbert, host of a satirical news show that tells it like it is – sort of.
By Steven Daly
. . .The Colbert Report is news parody of the first order. The show’s titular host offers a funhouse-mirror reflection of the bellicose Right-wing opinionisers of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News channel (among others) who dominate and dictate the political discourse in the States with lengthy and obnoxious opinion-slots that are somehow passed off as ‘news’. Since this particular day happens to be Earth Day, it is Stephen Colbert’s duty – his patriotic duty – to belittle the event in a similar manner. Colbert’s production staff discuss the practicalities of giving the host a little balloon globe to wave at the end of a stick as he rants against America’s tree-hugging contingent.
Upstairs, past various ludicrous portraits of Stephen Colbert – including an oil painting of him as Napoleon on a rearing white steed – the boss-man sits behind his desk under a framed poster for Richard Nixon’s 1972 election campaign. The host of The Colbert Report (both words pronounced à la Français) is thrilled that he got show guest George McGovern, Nixon’s defeated opponent, to sign the poster. ‘I’ve always been a news junkie,’ says Colbert, 44, whose formative memories include after-school television programmes such as The Munsters being interrupted by the Watergate hearings.
It’s mildly disconcerting to find America’s favourite faux-conservative dressed not in his trademark preppy Brooks Brothers armour, but in black T-shirt, black shorts and Hi-Tec trainers. Colbert has just driven in from his home in suburban New Jersey, where he dropped the kids off at school (he has three) before doing a session at his local gym. Still, even in his baggy gym gear, he somehow maintains the immovable Republican hair that makes him so perfect for his strident on-screen role …
I highly recommend that you go read this (three-page!) article now; it’s filled with fabulous Stephen quotes about the show, his guests and all sorts of related goodies. Enjoy!
Hehe. This is, like, the third interviewer to express a vague feeling of disappointment over the revelation that Stephen doesn’t wear a suit and tie ’round the clock.
That’s a great article.
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‘We just played a handful of little local gigs for beer,’ Colbert recalls. ‘I can’t remember what song we did; maybe Jumpin’ Jack Flash… to be honest I was a little…’ – Colbert makes the gesture of toking on a joint.
Hehehehe. And Stephen calls the Colbert Nation ‘his strange little group of fans.’ Awwwwwww. I feel loved.
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I love it that he calls the Nation his “strange little group of fans.” He obviously gets us. :-)
Excellent article. Awesome picture too.
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“Ironically enough, the guest booked for that evening’s show is Susan Jacoby, the author of The Age of American Unreason, a new book that addresses the same pathology that Colbert embodies.”
Apparently British journalists don’t need to know the actual meaning of the word “ironically” any more than Americans do. (N.B.: that statement was ironic.) A better word there would have been “fittingly” or “appropriately” but is the Telegraph paying me to be their copy editor?
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Great interview! I see potential for the British to be counted among the “it-getters”.
One more thing, I am glad to be a member of “his strange little group of fans”.
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*salutes*
Long-time it-getter right here :)
Nice article… I love the description of the WHCD: “[He was] expected to administer a good-natured ribbing to members of the political elite. Colbert had other ideas: he was going to remove their ribs one by one, with no anaesthetic.”
:D
(reCAPTHA “agent Lancelot”)
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Given the way the article so appreciated and captured the essence of TCR, I have the feeling there will be a new *nation* of it-getters to add to the internet savvy viewers such as yourself. I did not mean to ignore our current British Heroes.
It sounds like reCAPCHA has knighted you “agent Lancelot” :)
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I did not mean to ignore our current British Heroes.
Oh, I know… I was just saying… *high fives*
And I quite like ‘agent Lancelot’. I think all of us in the UK should have such titles – a nice mix between the UK and US :)
(But ‘awkward Homicides’ is just weird o_O)
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‘So I get to actually talk to someone who will take me seriously when I talk about religion – albeit I have to find somebody who’s seven to take me seriously.’
I love him. So much.
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I totally take him seriously when he waxes philosophical and I’m 25!
In the way that Stephen is a “news junkie” I’m a religion junkie. I pay closest attention whenever he taps a spiritual vein and find it very enlightening to see how he can simultaneously prop up the fundamentalist mindset, show the flaws, and even reveal a little bit of his personal beliefs with sincerity. He’s a believer, and he sees the heart of humor within his faith. I admire and love that part of him. So much.
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Very well put, Caitlin. I’m almost always fascinated by what he has to say about religion, particularly when he gets into Catholicism. But I do have to admit feeling a little twinge of guilt when I laugh at the pope jokes.
I’d love to sit down and have a theological discussion with him some day. I’d certainly take him seriously (and I’m not seven years old!).
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Hi Caitlin,
“He’s a believer, and he sees the heart of humor within his faith. I admire and love that part of him. So much.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I find it fascinating that, unlike many comedians, he still seems very connected to his faith and channels this into his work. Not putting down other comedians here. I just find this a very distinctive trait of Stephen.
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I’m loving the tableau illustrating the article – It’s striking, no?
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yeah, that was a great idea for a picture. kudos to the whoever thought of that.
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Very, very nice (*saved*).
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I had just found that picture a couple of days ago and made it my wallpaper. Great choice!
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When I read page 3 of the article a fundraising ad for the WSPCA came up, featuring a photo of a caged bear.
Oh sweet irony.
(hope I’m using that correctly rab!)
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I haven’t read the article yet (I’m on my way) but I think that’s the best title I’ve ever read! Add my voice to the chorus who love the picture too.
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I’ve sent my minions out to buy it right now. Anybody want scans? :P
The British invasion begins…
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I vote for scans!
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I read this post just before I went to work this morning. So glad I did, it meant I was able to pick up a copy :)
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ooh, yes please!
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Actually no point to scans, it’s pretty much the same as the article and no other pictures.
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Aww, cheapskate Telegraph!
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The article mentions the similarity between Colbert on the Report and Chris Morris on The Day Today. I’d recommend anyone who hasnt seen clips of The Day Today to check it out on youtube. It was like a mid 90s British version of the Report. The Day Today didnt have the cuddly atmosphere of the Report – its style was more brutal.
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I recommend it too, and you’re right. The Day Today was harsh as hell, but so, so daring. It makes me very happy that Stephen has seen even a little bit of it.
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The title of this show reminded me of Stephen’s running joke about “today’s The USA Today.”
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It’s mildly disconcerting to find America’s favourite faux-conservative dressed not in his trademark preppy Brooks Brothers armour, but in black T-shirt, black shorts and Hi-Tec trainers
Pics or it didn’t happen!
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The idea of him in shorts actually scared me.
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Not me… on the contrary, I can’t get that image out of my head… ;)
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I love pix, esp. how the “WHITE HOUSE” sign is askew – symbolism?
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ARGH!!! I saw this too late to buy the paper!! :(
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“Even with guests who ‘get’ the joke and come to play along, Colbert has more than enough improvisational skills to keep the show afloat; there’s just one thing that will kill an interview, he says, which is when the guest insists on ‘dropping joke bombs’.
‘There was one person who did completely shut me down,’ he recalls. ‘Jane Fonda. She got on my lap and nibbled on my ear. She was playing a virago, you might say; she took control with a character that was more powerful than my character at that moment. Never underestimate the power of a woman. She used her feminine wiles, albeit her septuagenarian feminine wiles – pretty impressive, I’ve got to say – to grab the status away from me.”
I love this. Hearing Stephen talk about characters and power struggles is always great. (And I had to look up septuagenarian hahah)
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i had to look up “virago,” hehe.
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Wonderful quote! We’ve added it to our entry on Jane Fonda at Colbert U:
http://colbertuniversity.nofactzone.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=17&Itemid=68#fonda
I had to look up “virago” too! Love all the smart, eloquent quotations and reflections from Stephen in this interview.
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It’s because he’s talking to a Brit…
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ok, first thing, i did NOT know Jane Fonda was over 70. good lord, she looks at LEAST 15 years younger.
also, i wonder, how much does the average Brit keep up with American politics? I wonder if people in the UK will understand as many of the jokes? I know I’d be totally lost if I were to watch a Peabody award-winning news satire show about UK politics.
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A few months ago, the Washington Post ran an article about how the current American presidential election is being viewed around the world. According to this story, the US political process has become an obsession for many Europeans, almost in the same way someone would follow an important sports tournament. If this is true, then it’s a perfect time to introduce TCR to the UK.
The reCAPTCHA is “atNewsfront”.
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Speaking as a Brit, your elections are all over our news right now and big politics stories are always on our news too, like the Spitzer scandal, and everything else can be picked up pretty much from TDS and TCR, and if I really don’t know what’s being talked about, which is very rarely, there’s always the internet. Plus the jokes can carry it anyway.
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Not just Europe, either. Here in Costa Rica, there’s always something about American politics on the news. Everybody knows about Hillary and Barack, everybody enjoys making monkey faces while blasting Bush, most of the sex scandals get at least a couple of minutes of airtime (especially Larry Craig, I remember), and most people consider McCain a threat. If it’s important in the US (by normal people’s standards, not Paris Hilton etc), it’s important here. Remember – if the US sneezes, the world gets the flu! And nobody more so than Latin America…
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That’s a nice adage, I’ll remember that~
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that’s really cool to know. i didn’t realize how much news we made, haha. i guess we’re attention magnets after all.
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Oh yeah, you make so, so much news. Actually Stephen-wise, I remember the Correspondents Dinner being in the paper(s) over here eventhough to the vast majority of people (including me) he was a complete unknown then. I don’t think they even showed The Daily Show back when he was on it, and when they did start to show it they used to cut off the toss. Thank God they sorted that out~
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Yeah, personally I think I know more about American Politics than I do UK Politics! I just seem to find American Politics more interesting…Gordon Brown bores me to death.
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no way! i saw what i assumed to be a Parliament session on c-span and it was like two speakers, one being gordon brown, trading off passionate arguments and their posses cheering them on behind them. i was like, “this is intense!” compared to the dry filibustering of our Congress.
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Here, here! I love watching Parliament on C-SPAN. They’re far more dynamic…and possess a better vocabulary:)
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Glad I’m not the only one!
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The Telegraph gives good diction:
“…soaking up the audience’s noisy approbation”;
“…bellows forth the victorious non-sequitur, ‘I accept your apology!’”
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Well, we did invent the language, so it’s our duty to use it wisely…
Is it me or does Stephen use more complex language when speaking to a British journalist than an American? He knows we can take it. ;)
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We can take whatever he wants to give us… ;)
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Just don’t let “Stephen” catch you saying that!
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‘Stephen’ loves us! We are the land of Camilla.
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Based on a few experiences hearing Stephen speak and seeing what gets reported, I would hypothesize that he speaks the same to everyone, but a lot of what he says sails over the head of a lot of reporters. Not this one, happily.
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“‘We just played a handful of little local gigs for beer,’ Colbert recalls. ‘I can’t remember what song we did; maybe Jumpin’ Jack Flash… to be honest I was a little…’ – Colbert makes the gesture of toking on a joint.”
hehe. Awesome article! I love the title.
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I thought the title was hilarious, then it made me sad. It **will**, dare I say, be so great to have a president who is not an embarrassment. VERY SOON.
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