Four Horsemen of the Apopcalypse – Pop culture references in The Colbert Report: January 25-28, 2010
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Welcome to No Fact Zone’s weekly roundup of cultural references on The Colbert Report. From Darcy to Danger Mouse, String Theory to Shakespeare, we’ve got the keys to this week’s obscure, oddball, and occasionally obscene cultural shout-outs (hey!).
Hey Zoners! I’m still walking around singing “Three is a magic number” – I love me some Schoolhouse Rock! I can’t believe Arthur Benjamin didn’t catch that one in his interview (and yes, that in a tiny way makes me feel slightly better about my inability to multiply even two-digit numbers in my head – because I’ve got Schoolhouse Rock! skillz.) What were the highlights for you this week? And what about your favorite Schoolhouse Rock! segments? (** = TCR/TDS link)
Monday: Intro & The Wørd – Manifest Density
“Did you hear? I’m the new quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.”
Ok, I get that Brett Favre is one of American football’s all-time greats. But the endless saga of retirements and returns has moved into the realm of the absurd, hasn’t it? **Even Stephen has taken up the national past time of Brett Favre retirement watching. Long-time quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, Favre announced his retirement in early 2008, came back, left for the NY Jets, retired again in early 2009, then signed back on with the Minnesota Vikings. Recent reports suggest he’s considering another “retirement”. **Stephen’s already got his speech ready.
“The economy’s gotten so bad that Rich Uncle Pennybags is now selling himself on the boardwalk.”
I suspect that must be from the NSFW Edition of Monopoly (oh, you laugh, but with hundreds of licensed versions, I bet there is one). **Monopolyopoly will always be my favorite, though.
Tuesday: Mika Brzezinski
“I love your name. I think your father is a great man, Zbigniew Brzezinski.”
Professor of American foreign policy at Johns Hopkins University, Zbigniew Brzezinski was National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977-1981.
Wednesday: Hamid Karzai’s Fashionable Hat & Arthur Benjamin
“It’s a classic. It says I am ready to lead. And/or drive a tiny car in a parade.”
Here’s an American tradition that, on reflection, seems a bit… well, odd. The Shriners are a fraternal organization whose charitable arm runs a network of hospitals which provide free care to children (especially treatment for burns, orthopedic conditions, and spinal cord injuries). But they’re also a much loved staple at Independence & Memorial Day parades, wearing fezzes and driving around in tiny cars.
“Don’t say Wednesday. ‘Monday’s child is full of grace, Tuesday’s child is fair of face. Wednesday’s child is full of woe.’” [Traditional English nursery rhyme]
“What is the loneliest number? One. I would have also accepted two, because two can be as bad as one. What is the magic number? Three is the magic number.”
Who else was answering these out loud at the screen? “One is the Loneliest Number” was originally released by Harry Nilsson in 1968, but became a hit in 1969 when covered by Three Dog Night. As for the magic number? That’s “Three is a Magic Number“, from Schoolhouse Rock!, a classic TV series of educational animated shorts. Originally produced from 1973-1986, it then aired intermittently until 1999. Go watch some – they’re just as clever and catchy as you remember! Also, see the eminently funky danceable version by the fantastic De La Soul.
Look it up? Yes, sir. Jefferson Davis, a former Secretary of War, was serving as US Senator from Mississippi when the state seceded from the Union in 1861, at the outset of the American Civil War. He was later appointed, then elected, President of the newly formed Confederate States of America, and served for the duration of the war (and the Confederacy). Though the capital of the Confederacy was initially in Montgomery, Alabama, it was soon moved to Richmond, Virginia (in the same Statehouse building where McDonnell’s speech was given). And yes, it’s only tangentially related, but **Stephen says there’s absolutely nothing gay about Civil War reenactments (innuendos and character breaks galore!).
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