Greetings, Zoners, and happy Sunday before Christmas! Everybody get their holiday shopping done? I’m still working on mine, and at the rate I’m going someone may be getting an IOU on Christmas. Those of us here in the Northeast are also digging out from Snowpocalypse ’09, so it’s been a dandy weekend all around. While we’re waiting patiently for two whole weeks for the debut of TCR in HD, here’s a wrap-up of the best Colbert news from around the Interwebz. Today we have more on Stephen’s support for the US Speedskating team, TCR on a couple of “best of” lists (which offer high compliments to the TCR writers), and why Stephen is a marketing whiz.
US Speedskating
- Stephen Colbert in a skinsuit: Faster, higher, stronger, funnier – The Newark Star-Ledger: “They look like members of Blue Man Group, but beyond that there’s nothing comedic about speedskating,” Colbert says. “These are incredible athletes. My character isn’t ironically detached, he’s ironically a-ttached — things are important to him. And right now we’re here for speedskating.”
- Did Stephen Colbert jinx U.S. Speedskating? – Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Stephen Colbert has been the savior of U.S. Speedskating, jumping in as the team’s sponsor after Dutch bank DSB backed out. Now he might turned around and jinxed Apolo Ohno and company. The fake-news pundit is on the cover of the new Sports Illustrated in full speedskating regalia. The SI cover is perhaps the biggest jinx in all of sports, ranking just ahead of EA Sports’ Madden video game case.
Second City 50th anniversary
- Second City’s 50th Anniversary Celebration – Chicago Reader blog: It was a heartfelt reunion of artists and viewers who’ve grown up together, inspired by the people who came before them. It was also a sobering reminder that time moves on. The message came through loud and clear at the reunion show, during a 1993 sketch by Colbert and Paul Dinello about two brothers pondering their futures. “In five years you’re gonna be 35 years old,” said Dinello to Colbert, who is now 45. “You’re not taking care of yourself.” The line drew a huge laugh, because Colbert is in fine shape–but he looks his age.
Best of the year/decade
- Best TV Shows of the Decade – Hollywood.com: Honorable Mentions: The Colbert Report: Who knew that when the Report spun off from The Daily Show in 2005 it would wind up vastly outshining its progenitor? Pound for pound — since it airs four nights a week — this is TV’s best written show.
- Best and Worst of 2009: Bob’s list – TV Squad, posted by Bob Sassone: The Best: 6. The Colbert Report. Stephen Colbert is doing something really interesting here. Where The Daily Show (still very good) is a straight satire and takedown of news, politics, and current events, The Colbert Report is like performance art. He has created this “character” and it has taken on a life of it’s own, and it’s great to see what he does with it each and every night. The writing is brilliant, too.
Stephen Colbert, super genius
- Opinion: Why Stephen Colbert is a media genius – Digital Journal: Viewers have come to expect Colbert to be ignorant and boorish, but he’s far from dumb. In fact, both the fictional Colbert and the actor are incredibly smart in reeling in publicity and a legion of followers who do their bidding.
(h/t DB and Ms I)
Well Roger Federer was on the cover of SI when he won the French Open and then he won his 6th Wimbledon…I think the jinx is a myth, but anyway it’s Stephen on the cover, not the skaters. So I don’t think anyone should worry about it!
I hope we get to see some of the Second City on TV soon! Didn’t know that Stephen did a voice-over in a 3rd skit.
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“The line drew a huge laugh, because Colbert is in fine shape–but he looks his age.”
If Stephen looks his age, then my husband (a year older than Stephen) looks 90.
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Haha. Yeah, they need to look around and see what most men his age look like!
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Heh… I wondered what kind of response that line would get. I don’t really agree with it, either. Stephen looks much better than most guys over 40 that I know.
Disclaimer: I may or may not be a little biased.
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Thanks for the post, Ann G. I, too, will most likely have some very nicely wrapped IOUs under the tree for a few people!
If the jinx is real, then it probably means Stephen will jinx himself and won’t make an Olympic team tryout:( But I can’t wait to see the next curling segment to find out! :)
I also appreciate that in the “Best of” articles some critics/bloggers are separating the genius that is Stephen and his writers by recognizing him apart from The Daily Show. I love Jon and TDS, but I like to see Stephen and TCR’s well-earned accolades! Though content may be the same at times, the writing process and perspective are different as is the performance. Stephen acts as both the host and correspondent. It takes sharp writing and acting to pull that off. Glad to see more and more people acknowledging that fact. Are you listening Emmys?! :)
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I agree that it’s Stephen who’s likely to leave Vancouver with no medals, NOT the speedskating team!
Thanks for your continued coverage of the Colbert Nation’s sponsorship of US Speedskating. I’m helping with promotions for US Speedskating and we’re so grateful to all the bloggers who have helped keep the athletes in the news. I’m looking forward to reading your blog during the Olympics to keep up with Colbert in Vancouver :)
US Speedskating on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/USSpeedskating
@USSpeedskating: http://www.twitter.com/USSpeedskating
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I’m listening to an old radio station in my area revived on the internet while reading your post, and they are playing Toby Keith ‘Have I got a present for you’ from A Colbert Christmas! And they’re going to play, I think, all of the tunes from his special, oh, I don’t see Cold Cold Christmas. Check out the playlist http://jdx1029.com/?p=241 It’s really fun for me to hear these songs interspersed with old songs and some tunes only heard in my area, but you might like them too.
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