It has been noticed in both the Twitterverse and the comments here as of late that Stephen Colbert’s hair has made a drastic change as of the past 2-3 weeks or so. His former mane was known for being shellacked to his head, rigid and strong and never moving. Ever. It’s classic, and fits the “Stephen “character perfectly. It’s even been known to look Reaganesque once or twice on the ‘Colbert Report’. The suit, and the perfectly coiffed ‘Do are a delicious combination and have made fangirls swoon for years.
However, since the new year, his hair has been growing with no signs of stopping. Last night, his hair was adorably mussed, with movement like I’ve never seen on the show. Quite honestly, it was so full and luscious that it was the first thing I noticed about him when the show started and I just couldn’t take my eyes off of it.
While many girls have been singing the praises of this subtly different ‘Do, there have been others who have compared it to the out-of-control mane of Rod Blagojevich.
So what is your thoughts on the mane? Is the new longer hairdo just up your alley, or do you pine for the days of not a hair out of place, shiny and gelled? Please vote in the poll and give your opinion, and feel free to fangirl comment to help explain your voting preferences. For comparison research reasons, I’ve added a couple of videos to help you judge between the two looks.
Short Hair
Long Hair
My $0.02: To me, when Stephen has his hair done so no hair is out of place, I associate that with “Stephen” the character. When I see him outside of TCR with his hair a little mussy (*fans self*), I associate that with Stephen the person. Kind of like how only Clark Kent’s glasses separate him from Superman.
Second theory: Remember when he had those Palin glasses and was wondering who was going to notice? Maybe–just maybe–he’s doing the same with the “Blago-esque” ‘do.
Third theory: It’s in “tribute” to Sir Paul McCartney. Looks kinda “Beatle-esque” to me (at least from the screenshot).
So, although I think he looks hot no matter what (*/fangirl*), it seems like Character is crossing into Person. Blurring the lines slightly, if you will. And I’m not quite sure how *that* sits with me. (I still love you, Stephen! <3)
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Whups, that should read, “Person crossing into Character”. >_<
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agreed.
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I want MOAR!!!
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Well, I do also associate his slick style with the character, the fangirl in me cannot help but be completely excited about this ‘do. It seems like the gel actually holds him down – he had so much energy last night, and that just makes a girl giddy whether or not it reminds me of “Stephen”.
I think for the character it is best if he keeps it gelled, but for now my eyes are happy. It is kind of like Don Draper for anyone who watches “Mad Men”. When the character has his hair slicked back, that IS the character, but Jon Hamm looks absolutely divine outside the show.
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A third person chiming in with “Stephen” being the rigid hairdo, but I can’t stop squeeing every time I see fluffy hair. Brave new world with the new administration? Who knows, perhaps it’s a private joke or bet to see how many people notice.
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I can’t wait to see how the hair looks tonight. Part of me hopes he keeps it this way. Not quite character like though.
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he could grow it to his waist for all i care. i love long wavy brown hair.
it seems like he likes it too. i personally couldn’t stand to have my hair glued to my head for work every day.
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I used to have to do that every week for JROTC. Hair gel, hair spray (which I’ve now come to loathe), pins, elastics…and it STILL wouldn’t be enough. I’m so glad I’m done with that!
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yuck, although i always respected rotc people:)
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Haha
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I’d just die laughing if he grew his hair to the ground. Stephen the hippie :-)
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I love the less-shellacked longer hair, but like everyone else has said, I associate the gelled, doesn’t-move-an-inch hair with the character.
reCaptcha: complete bard.
LOL.
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Ditto. I’m a big fan of the shellac, but I usually associate the free-flowing do with “real” Stephen. If we’re talking about character Stephen, I prefer the shellac as whenever it isn’t uuber-gelled, it’s actually somewhat distracting…don’t know why.
Although, I will say, it was quite endearing to watch it flop about as he bobbed around to the remix that aired last night.
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I still prefer the short, and honestly i wouldn’t be surprised if his hair gets more and more helmet-like until someone notices it’s a Blagojevich-style helmet.
I’m agreeing with owlst4r about having that stiff short hair meaning the character rather than the person, and him blurring that line starts to kinda threaten the hot-ness of the person.
Also, in my little world, the character doesn’t seem to be the type of person with long hair, just current journalist style hair or shorter.
But it’s still Colbert, and i still swoon, long hair or short
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I think the poll should be “shellac” or “au natural”, independent of the actual length of the ‘do.
About to say something fangirly, but thankfully the need to run off and teach class prevents me!
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What do you teach wren?
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I’m a college prof in psychology, so I teach various courses in child development and research methodology. Also do research on cognitive development. Good stuff.
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Dude, that picture is hugely unflattering. It makes him look like Bill Gates, imo. :o
I keep missing the show sadly so I haven’t seen his longer hair “in action” yet, but going by that picture, I’m not keen!
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I like the longer, messy look. It kinda reminds me of the earlier years on TDS from the videos I’ve seen. I’m not much for that non-moving hair because it makes it out to be some kind of separate entity sitting on his head.
Plus messy hair helps with fueling that urge to run my hand through it though that will probably never happen.
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I prefer the longer, non-shellac hair. However, the shellac does indicate the “character” and not the real Stephen. Actually, I don’t care. I still think Stephen can do the “character” regardless of what his hair looks like.
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I agree that the longer hair is gorgeous but it could also register a subtle change in character given that he said, “I promise to support Barack Obama as long as he remains popular” and was “crying” at the inauguration.
On a practical level, maybe the tons of hair spray is giving him nasal irritation. I wouldn’t want to breathe that 4x a week. When I sat behind him at the screening of the Christmas special his hair had so much shellac it literally reflected the light from the stiff chemicals.
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It kind of feels like these last few weeks have been building up to a transition in the show’s format. Like you said, he endorsed Obama, and there (I think) have been more gay references, his hair is growing out and when was the last time he *doubted* a Nailing? All of that seems unlike “Stephen”.
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Ooh, I think you may have a point. The show does really kind of have to shift a bit now that there’s a new administration. Add in all off toothpick_pocket’s reasons, there may be a seed of truth in there.
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This is indeed an important topic in the world today. The longer, floppy hair is dead sexy.
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I think this is all a plot on Stephen’s part to see how much conversation he can generate among the fangirls on the Interwebz simply by not shellacking his hair. It’s working, so I hope he had money down on this!
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I wouldn’t put that past him!
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Me either. He could be just messing with us a bit.
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I think there might be a bit of credibility in the Blagojevich connection. Like how he started wearing Sarah Palin glasses without referring to them when she was first announced for the VP nominee.
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when did he stop wearing those? i liked them.
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Floppy hair is in!
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I haven’t seen last night’s show, but I voted for long as in “natural” hair. Like many of you, I associate the gelled look with “Stephen” and the non-gelled look with dear Stephen. I’m sure both are getting a kick out of all the comments regarding his hair – out there in the blogosphere.
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I love the longer hair–reminiscent of the Daily Show days and the early days on the Report. A good newsman has a good shelf of hair–I think he has refered to this before. But I, like many, associate stiff hair with “Stephen the character” and flowy hair with Stephen the person.
Perhaps the most simple answer is he had to go to parent-teacher conferences after the taping and didn’t want to show up with stiff hair? (I’m a teacher and it is that time of year again!)Who knows?! But, let’s be honest, he looks good either way!
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My theory is that he’s evolving his character to go along with “Change” and “Hope”. We now have a Democrat in the White House, so I think he’s going with a more liberal look. I’d bet a quarter that it has nothing to do with Blago.
Anyway, I love the longer hair, but also loved the shellacked look for what it stood for. I adore him, no matter what his hair looks like.
Aside: My husband never notices stuff like this. Hee.
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I’m wondering if there is truly a purpose for the new longer hair. As opposed to just growing it a bit. Maybe it does have something to do with the new administration – seems as good a theory as any others out there.
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I love that idea. It does seem to fit “Stephen” well.
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well this sure gets people talking!
to be honest, a show with less than crunchy hair seems like a big treat! I prefer the hair like it was last night.
also, I am going to contend, to see how it goes, that having a cranial shellac depository isn’t necessary for the character. although it is always changing, and the change has certainly accelerated since the beginning of TCR, the basic idea of clueless yet authoritative Colbert has been going on since early TDS. back then, the hairs were much more mobile and fluffy. the character wasn’t lost because of the attitude, and visually, the suit did a lot to help. the only thing the grease with a bit of hair means to me is that I don’t like it.
(btw, I really like the theory that he’s trying to look like Blagojevich. I would say that’s too obtuse, but after the foolish stuff with the Palin specs I wouldn’t put it past him.)
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Tiger’s quote,
“I would say that’s too obtuse”
Try to be oblique.
Strangers with Candy? Anyone…
That’s the first thing I thought of.
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hahaha… i saw that ep last week… oh, principal blackman…
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LMAO. Awesome. XP
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haha I got that! “I’m an obtuse man, so I’ll try to be oblique.”
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I love the softer look, and I think it gives him more room to be the character, as well as to expand and evolve in other directions. The real Stephen is such a joy and has so much to offer.
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I like it without the gel and a little bit shorter, but it’s Stephen so he looks gorgeous no matter how he styles it. :)
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This has really been evolving for 2-3 weeks? I just noticed it last night with a bang, and was really glad to see it. Five hundred nights of being shellacked like that is enough! I say no more — FREE STEPHEN’S HAIR! Long may it wave. I have complete faith in the Nation’s ability to find other ways to tell “Stephen” (the character) and “dear Stephen” (the man) apart.
(But looking at the pic you ran with this post — it may indeed be an homage to Blago, and so may be short-lived. I hope not, though!)
(Is he doing it to see if we’ll notice? Well, let’s see if this post ends up linked to over at ColbertNation.com…)
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LOL Maybe we need to start a hair liberation front?
*chants* Free Colbert’s Hair!
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Or at least a Facebook group!
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Oh, I’d join that in a heartbeat! Somebody get on that!! (I’d do it, but I have to go make myself human for work…)
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LOL @ “Free Stephen’s hair!” We need buttons with that slogan on them.
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“Yes we can! Free Stephen’s hair!” :)
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“Libre Colhert!” ;)
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I like it like it was last night – that’s how it was at the beginning of TCR. I never did understand why he started wearing it so much shorter and more stuck down.
And it was the first thing I noticed last night – even before he said “Tonight!”
ReCaptcha: ex-Gov Ignorant
Who could that be a reference to?
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clearly vengeful republicans are running ReCaptcha
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Good one!
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I was surprised at how much I disliked last night’s hair. In general I like it a little fluffier (though I love the gelled look too, for the character), but last night I thought it just looked dopey.
I hope it is a Blago-related thing, and will therefore be shortlived. (and he did seem to highlight it intentionally a couple of times, though he could do that just to vamp the new look even if it has no meaning)
All that said, the idea of a “free Stephen’s hair” button/campaign is hilarious!
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I’m afraid I’m not digging the new hair. I’ve always enjoyed him with shorter hair. Whenever he returns to the show with a fresh haircut it just makes me feel all happy inside, and the shine on top is the cherry on the cake for me. I like shiny things, to be perfectly honest, and even though wearing your hair like that looks very uncomfortable, at least for me, I love the glimmery look to it. It goes with the light in his eyes ^-^ And, as mentioned, the slick, concrete look suits the character perfectly.
The longer, more bowly-shaped ‘do just isn’t for me. I liked Stephen’s hair at times in the Report’s earlier days, when it was a little longer, a little less shiny, but kind of curly-like. That was cute to me. But this just looks a little too shaggy. It looks like he’s trying to pull off the slick “Stephen” shape but can’t quite escape the longness, if that makes any sense at all.
Still, I do like his hair when it’s messier. Little curls here and there are nice when he’s out and about.
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I like his short hair better, when it is all gelled up. I do think it’s cute when his hair is floppy (especially how floppy it was earlier in TDS), but I sure love the night when I notice that he got a fresh new haircut.
I do suspect that he is going for the Blagojevich-look now though, same as he did with the Palin glasses.
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I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed Stephen’s hair before he even said anything last night – the hair made me happy :)
It would be hilarious if Stephen was going for the G-Rod look though. Given that “Scumdog Million-hairs” is on the local news every night, I can see the similarities…
As an aside, I love the “Free Stephen’s Hair” idea.
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Has no one thought of this: maybe his hair is thinning out or receding a little bit (I can’t help but notice his hair is not nearly as lush as it was in TDS days) and this is a way of camoflaging this? He is still lovely, however.
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Noooo! Stephen’s hair can’t be thinning. In fact, I was about to make a post noting how we can all be happy that Stephen, regardless of how he styles his hair, will always have a healthy mane of hair. He just doesn’t strike me as the balding-type…despite his love for the bald eagle and acting as father to one;)
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No one else noticed his tie? OMG I love his tie, I need to buy one for my hubby. Anyone know what it is?
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His wardrobe is provided by Brooks Brothers, so that would be the best place to start.
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Hmm, let’s revise my earlier position… I prefer short over long (gelled or not) – like Nukaleu, I like the spark of a fresh new haircut. But floppy is also better than stiff (um, for hair anyway). A little bit shorter but still loose is best, because then his bangs fall on his forehead just so.
But I won’t complain in any case :)
Also, quite entertained by the fact that this has gotten more replies than most recent threads. We have our priorities straight!
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It’s hard for me to choose on this one, I’m kind of on the fence here. I haven’t seen last night’s show but I’m delighted to hear that his hair actually MOVED! I’ve always been averse to his immovable shell of hair so this is a welcome change!
However, as many of you have already said, I associate that shell of hair with his character. It kind of goes with his character.
We’ll have to see how this goes, methinks. For now, it’s absolutely adorable! And – yes – a little Beatle-ish. Teehee. Paulie did knight him after all. :P
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I think “Stephen’s” hair, to borrow Judith Butler’s theory on performativity, is a kind of authoritative speech to the audience that an evolution is taking place. Having been consistently styled this way for a number of episodes now, the hair is one of the most accessible platforms in expressing a new identity of the character.
I think “Stephen Colbert” is subtly changing his tune to be in sync with that of the new administration. And it’s starting with his hair. :) It’s more than just a tool to better manifest his “anger” at the remixes.
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This is a test. Stephen is testing us. He wants to see if we’ll notice that he no longer has stock in hair gel.
I like the Blago ‘do theory, but I prefer to think of it is a throwback to his Chuck Noblet/early TDS days getting”remixed” into the present. Teehee!
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Ooh yes, I’ve been noticing how lovely his hair has been over the past few weeks. IMO the floppier hair is gorgeous, and I do hope it stays that way.
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DOHHHH. He changed it back!!!
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Love the rigid, military precision of short, molded hair for the character, the look lends ‘elder statesman authority’ to the Report.
But I’m not letting that stand in the way of enjoying that thick, gorgeous, long, dark hair, that lets him look more his age.
Work it, Stephen!
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I definitely like the longer, less gelled/sprayed/helmeted hair! That being said, I can’t help but wonder if this is some sort of inside joke or if he’s leading up to something with it.
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Now that I’ve actually seen the show, I did like the softer, unshellacked hair, he looks younger with it done that way. His hair actually moved when he jogged over to do the interview, and it almost looks like it’s starting to curl a little bit in the back. I don’t know if I’d want to see it get much longer, I’m too used to seeing him with short hair.
Someone on the Colbert Nation boards pointed out that it also looked like it had just been colored, so maybe that helped him look younger, too. (Heh.)
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*delurk*
In the interest of picking-a-side-we’re-at-war, I chose long in the poll. I should note it’s a “long” with a qualifier–the mussed ‘do is like turtle cheesecake with Oreo crust covered in hot fudge and caramel and should be saved for special occasions, lest it lose its special… specialness.
“Stephen” needs his perfect shiny, shiny slick hairdo, I think. But the occasional tousled look at strategic moments (like the Superman curl or the little flippity bit last night) is very nice.
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I love the new hair. I knew from the beginning of the show that this would be HUGE! It’s better than the greased up hair. Although that worked for him as well. Looks like it took a few years off too. And DB, I knew that you would be the first to report this. I would not have been surprised if this was reported as the show was on. 51 comments already! Wow!
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Just so you know, it’s times when the Zoner community rallies together to participate in serious and earnest discourse about the events in our fandom (i.e. Hair v. Product) that make me so very happy that we have this blog for a venue.
Thank you all. Okay, enough with the sappy, back to hair discussion!
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I don’t care if his “au natural” haircut clashes with his character. I love it! Besides, maybe “Stephen” is cutting down on hair gel because of the economy.
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Wow I love the amount of discussion this topic has generated! Makes me feel more normal about being so entranced by his flowing locks last night :)
I wonder why the no-part look never caught on, I think he only tried it one night…
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/181556/february-07-2006/tip-wag—zacarias-moussaoui
Now THAT’S some hair! :)
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Two things:
a) It’s kinda scary that someone else other than me remembers that night.
b) I remember hearing that it was slicked back because he had filmed “Charlene (I’m Right Behind You)” earlier that afternoon and didn’t have time to wash out the gel. So they faked it.
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is it strange that I’m flattered to be in such exclusive company? hehe :) It is really weird that I remembered it though, I have a terrible memory! I guess it just goes to show that Stephen does have a very special place in my fangirl heart
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Hey, I didn’t know that! Fun fact, or better yet, Fract!
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Wow, serious number of comments on this thread. I wonder which NFZ thread got the most, this, Guitarmageddon or Fonda or another?
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I was all over this one last night. Especially when he did that suave, slow swipe to push it back. HAWT.
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I think he looks so much better with the longer/non-shellacked hair! I think he looks quite a bit younger as well.
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I’m all for Stephen having floppy hair. (remember that tossled look he had for that Vanity Fair shoot?) But the style he had going on this week was definitely not good. I think he might have been trying to Blago it up. And like some have said in the comments above, I really loved when he swooped it back into place toward the end of the show. XD
So I say Stephen should stick to his regular slick, short hair.
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Owlst4r’s comment about Stephen’s hair being natural vs gel as analagous to Clark Kent vs Superman is right on the money.
I think he looks best with his hair trimmed rather short on the sides and then longer on top, the way he wore it in the early 2000′s on TDS (you know, with that lovely soft wave in the front? Sigh). I don’t think the overall long hair he’s been wearing lately is the best cut for him (though he’s still dishy). It is very reminicient of Blago and can’t help but wonder if bits about the former gov. inspired the cut.
In closing, let me say 48 thoughtful comments on Stephen’s hair? I love fandom.
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Since I just started watching this in August – to me it’s definately got a Clark Kent/ Superman effect – I’m thinking “Wait a minute, he’s not in costume…”
But it’s Stephen, so it is clearly intentional – this is not a guy who throws his appearance together last minute with little forethought.
Since August I’ve looked up early TCR/ TDS and SWC. Even Exit 57. (So many expressions & gestures I’d like to put on a loop…) Fave Stephen scenes have little hair product to be found, his natural hair is very becoming – kinda boyish. In fact, the shellacking seems to draw attention to how much he’s aged since the begining of TCR, the softer hair really counteracts that. Look at the Indaba music interview. It’s pretty enjoyable.
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Just watched it again – actually, the longer hair kinda draws a real straight line across his forehead. Shorter but not shellacked is the ticket.
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