Wired magazine claims McCartney did, in fact, get the Colbert Bump

I love it when the mainstream media gives hard evidence for the Colbert Bump, but I love it even better when they do their best to kind of pull a Bump out of thin air.

Here’s an excerpt from a new post on the Wired magazine blog:

Did Paul McCartney Ride His Colbert Bump to Coachella?
By Scott Thill
February 02, 2009 | 2:54:14 PM

Last week, Paul McCartney appeared on The Colbert Report, whose hilariously egotistical host explained that the cute Beatle would shortly experience an uptick in popularity often referred to as “the Colbert bump.” Days later, McCartney was handed headliner status at the popular hybrid music showcase known as Coachella.

Coincidence? Let’s weigh the evidence.

…

Coachella marks the first time Electric Arguments will be performed live, and will follow on the heels of McCartney’s Grammy performance with Foo Fighters’ powerhouse Dave Grohl on Sunday. Throw in a viral appearance on The Colbert Report and you have the makings of a timely resurrection for the Beatle who sang “Helter Skelter” like his life depended on it.

So there it is. Will McCartney rule Coachella, or will he put it to sleep, much like headliner Jack Johnson did last year? Is his latest foray into noisy rock refreshing, or are you likely to loop up The Fireman’s more ambient soundscaping? Has Stephen Colbert breathed a pop-cultural spark into an ex-Beatle?

Full text of article

And in case you missed the positively surreal “Better Know A Beatle” last Wednesday, here’s another taste: