Stephen Colbert in the Zeitgeist – May 12, 2009
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Hey there, Zoners, how’s your week progressing so far? Here are a few quick zeitgeisty items from around the web for today, May 12th, a.k.a. Stephen’s Birthday Eve.
Stephen’s rant last week against those sneaky Inuit who are trying to get their hands on the Arctic riches caught the attention of a mayor who thinks Stephen should visit the frozen (but thawing) north to see what’s what for himself.
- Iqaluit mayor invites Colbert to visit North after Inuit rant – CBC News
“A comical tirade by U.S. talk-show host Stephen Colbert about Canadian Inuit has prompted the mayor of Iqaluit to offer the popular late-night TV satirist a special invitation north.
“Thursday night’s episode of The Colbert Report included a rant by Colbert, citing a news report about the Inuit Circumpolar Council issuing a formal declaration on Inuit access to natural resources in the Arctic.”
…“The segment sparked some laughs Friday from Iqaluit Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik, who suggested Colbert visit the Nunavut capital to find out the real story about Inuit access to Arctic resources.
“‘It’s always been ours! It’s only being discovered because of the melt,” Sheutiapik told CBC News.”
Economist.com’s Democracy in America blog has an interview with recent TCR guest Douglas Kmiec, discussing again his idea for a fair resolution to the gay marriage debate. Other topics addressed include President Obama’s upcoming commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, which has caused some controversy in Catholic circles; suggestions for how the Republicans might win back religious voters who supported Obama last November; and the type of nominee the president might choose for the Supreme Court.
- Six questions for Douglas Kmiec – Economist.com
“During oral arguments, several justices [of the California State Supreme Court] seemed quite taken with the idea of separating marriage from the state and both sides more or less agreed such a solution would resolve the case. The court should take this path, and simultaneously encourage the legislature to confirm the freedom of religious bodies to determine their own standards or requirements for marriage.
“As I see it, it is a win-win for equality and religious freedom. That seems to be the general reaction of those who have heard me speak about it or who have read the articles a colleague and I have published on the topic. Nationwide interest has blossomed recently as a result of my appearance on the popular ‘Colbert Report’ with Stephen Colbert, who is one of the most intelligent and funny men alive – or so my kids told me in advance.”
For those of you who like a little humor with your politics, and vice-versa, a new book from NYU Press looks at the influence of shows like The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and Real Time with Bill Maher, and how they can help us make sense of the crazy world of politics.
- Satire TV: Politics and Comedy in the Post-Network Era, edited by Jonathan Gray, Jeffrey P. Jones, and Ethan Thompson. NYU Press, 2009
“Satirical TV has become mandatory viewing for citizens wishing to make sense of the bizarre contemporary state of political life… Satire TV examines what happens when comedy becomes political, and politics become funny. A series of original essays focus on a range of programs… along with Internet D.I.Y. satire and essays on British and Canadian satire. They all offer insights into what today’s class of satire tells us about the current state of politics, of television, of citizenship, all the while suggesting what satire adds to the political realm that news and documentaries cannot.” (A few excerpts from the book are posted here, if you think this is something that might interest you.)
(h/t the ever reliable Jennie)
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1 Comments
May 13th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
That book sounds really interesting…adding to Amazon birthday wish list. : )
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