EPISODE NUMBER: 6039 (March 17, 2010)
GUESTS: Nell Irvin Painter
SEGMENTS: Stephen Colbert’s Sport Report
VIDEOS: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everybody! There are certain parts of Stephen that I adore when “Stephen” allows him to take them over the top. One of them is his Catholicism, and another is his Irish heritage. And Stephen gets seriously Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. (If you haven’t watched “Faces of America”, you seriously need to do so, by the way.) Being Irish myself, I just love it when he gets all kinds of Irish. My Irish is a bit more removed than Stephen’s Irish, as I come from the Adair line of Cherokee Indians. Originally, there were only three Adair brothers who came to America from Ireland, and one took a Cherokee wife back in the 1700s, is where I believe the line started from.
There’s actually a very interesting story about the Adair name in my family. My brother and sister-in-law had a very whirlwind courtship and married after dating only two months. My mother went to visit her new daughter-in-law a few months after they were married. They were walking in downtown Van Buren, Arkansas, and saw a store selling a lot of native American art. My mom says to my sister-in-law, I love Indian art because I’m native American. My sister-in-law said, “Me too! What tribe?” My mother said, “Cherokee. What’s your maiden name?” My sister-in-law said, “Adair.” My mother said, “Wow! We’re Adairs too!” To which my sister-in-law replied, “Oh no! Don’t tell anyone! Everyone makes jokes about people in Arkansas marrying their cousins, and now I’ve gone off and done it!”
Okay, so back to the episode. I have to give a huge tip of the hat to the graphics department for their wonderful site gags tonight. While I loved the Second Jesus gag, the two basketball and scissors graphic was absolutely hysterical. (Yes, I’m 12.) And I have to hand it to the urologists, tying vasectomy healing to the beginning of March Madness is a stroke of genius.
I’ve never understood the paranoia that people have about the census. It tells the government how many people are in your area, which can bring government money and redistricting to get you better representation. Then again, I’m in Texas, where gerrymandering is not just a word but a way of life. It was good to see him hit the paranoia head on, especially with Michelle Bachman’s rants on it. Here’s hoping that she manages to dig her own grave with this one. I also loved the bit with the translated Telemundo. But then again, I love anything with a good cat fight.
While I enjoyed Nell Irvin Painter, I think Stephen came on a bit strong with her. I think she really riled him up with the Scotch-Irish comment and he just wasn’t able to back down after that to let her get a word in edgewise. I’m still wondering what the book is actually about myself. I did like the arm wrestling bit, and him tearing up his cards. But sometimes I really do want to hear what the guests have to say, and it’s frustrating when he railroads all over them.
What did you think about tonight’s episode? The shows this week started out struggling a bit, but are gaining steam as the week goes on. Here’s hoping for a nice, strong send off before the week-long break next week!
- That’s why four leaf clovers are so lucky. You get a bonus Jesus!
- I know we suffered a potato famine, but we can’t even grow a g_d damned weed?
- This thing is even luckier – it’s got five leaves. And the shamrock shakes that you make with it, while they taste terrible, you can’t stop drinking them.
- The more I drink these, the more I “get” Riverdance. It’s like we’re all dancing in a river.
- Last year, the final came down to North Carolina verses Spicy Pollo Rojo.
- Now March Madness can be March Nadless.
- Sounds like a pretty good deal, although personally I would prefer buffalo wings, because you can really drop the swelling by dropping your boys in a bowl of cool ranch.
- Chess boxing – it’s a natural fit. After all, kids on the chess team are generally familiar with viscous beat down.
- Or my personal favorite, the marriage of two ancient Japanese arts – Judoku.
- Nothing says health like a 28 inch neck and testicles that look like Raisinets.
- It’s like Uncle Sam has OCD – gotta lick every doorknob!
- They’re bringing back the Japanese internment camps! That’s why she keeps her eyes so round!
- Now that might sound offensive to descendants of actual slaves. To make sure he doesn’t offend minorities, Glenn Beck broadcasts at a frequency only white people can hear.
- That is one diablo MAS sabe!
- Painter: I have a PhD, am I white?
Stephen: I don’t see education either. - These are clearly worthless. These will get me nowhere over the next two hours.
- I am Default-American.
Stephen was a bit strong with her – but then again I, too, was getting frustrated that when she did have the chance to explain she didn’t seem to get to her point. First rule of a Colbert interview: Make your points and let Stephen be the funny one.
But Stephen does tend to get a bit punchy when he hasn’t had a break for a while – I can always tell when a break week is coming up because I start thinking he looks like he’s running on caffeine. Or maybe it was just too much special ‘Shamrock Shake’!
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That’s a good way to put it – Stephen gets punchy when he’s ready for a break. And I’m sure he’s beyond exhausted. Yeah, Nell did tend to meander around, and try to be funny herself.
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omgoodness this episode was just amazing!! i especially lol’ed at the dubbed over mexican tv show scene :D
when i saw the list of guests for this week and i saw that someone had written a book called the history of white people i was really excited. it sounded like a very clever idea(because white people are always writing books about black history and all and the whole fact that this author was black it just seemed like an interesting idea….) anyway i dont think it was a good interview at all (besides the arm wrestle ;) ) and if anyone does actually find out what the book is about please tel me :)
i guess i’ll have to catch up on some old clips this next week. i’ll miss ya stephen
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On St. Patrick’s Day you expect him to go easy when the topic of Scots-Irish is brought up? I’m glad he went there, it was funny. I think she got to make her point and then some, the interview was very entertaining.
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I just realized how “white” my car is, as it has a NHL team magnet on it and Parrothead license plates. And my first name is Kerry, about as Irish as it can get (although I’m not 100% Irish, there’s German, Greek and Italian mixed in there as well).
Based on the response, I’m guessing Stephen had a hard time getting the Raisinets line right. Hopefully someone was there and can fill us in.
Great show. I’m still giggling over that basketball/scissors graphic because I am also 12. :-)
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I wasn’t there, but I was at The Daily Show last night. Right before they taped the toss, Stephen said something about how they’d cut the line about the Raisinets. I guess Jon’s reaction (he said something like “If that’s what you cut, then everything else must be *really* good!”) must have convinced them to put it back in.
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Thanks so much for the background on that! The only thing I could think of was that it was something from the pre-show Q&A. Thanks again!
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Thanks so much for letting us know. Jon and Stephen are just too adorable. I’d give anything to witness a toss. I’m so glad they still seem really close and that Jon remains very interested in TCR.
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And my assumption was that it took Stephen several tries to get through the Raisinets line without laughing!
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So did you hear anything about that being the last toss ever? Or was it just Stephen’s audience?
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WHAT?!? Say it ain’t so! They talked about coming up on a break soon, but nobody said anything about that being the last toss. I hope that’s not true. I love the tosses! :(
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Hmmmm. Interesting. Because there was a recent taping report on March 17th that quoted Stephen saying something along the lines that they won’t be doing tosses anymore. I’m just trying to get to the bottom of this, wondering if it’s just an unfounded rumor or if there was anything said to the Daily Show audience too.
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That was the most successful non-interview I’ve ever seen. It made me immediately want to run out and get the book so I can find out what the heck it’s about!
And Stephen was so vehement about the Scots-Irish not really being Irish!
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Although it was very entertaining to see Stephen go off about the Scotch-Irish and I certainly can’t blame him for doing it – heck, I cringed when she said it – I would still really like to know what the book is about. The Sport Report and the segment about the census were both really funny! Chess Boxing? Really?!
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Fun show. I love it when there are just silly parts matched with satirical commentary. I was very excited to have a shamrock shake yesterday and get my census form in the mail!
I think Stephen took over the interview, but I get the feeling that Painter didn’t mind and was having a good time! I would bet that she would be invited back since she played so well with the character.
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I loved the interview. I think Stephen really got in character and even if he came a little bit strong it made me really curious about the book. And I simply love when he gets all irish.
About the soap opera it was actually brazillian so not telemundo but tvglobo…and I actually love those two actresses and I know dozens of catfights better than that one xD
Good episode though not my favourite of the week
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I think it wasn’t so much that Stephen was running roughshod over Painter, but that he (like me) was getting frustrated that she never *said* anything. If by 3 minutes into the interview (& after repeated direct questions) you haven’t said what your book is actually about, you’re doing something wrong. Not to say I didn’t enjoy the interaction, but she didn’t hold up her end as an interviewee.
And yeah, I think he gets punchy as a break approaches. Heck, I do the same thing :)
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maybe its her technique- dont say anything and put us in suspense so that we go and buy her book (or just wiki it ;)) in order to relieve our suspense.
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That was my feeling exactly about the interview. It wasn’t successful, but that wasn’t for lack of trying on Stephen’s part. Painter just couldn’t seem to get to the point. And like many others here, I still have no idea what the book is really about.
But I gotta say, that Scots-Irish rant was a thing of beauty. And so appropriate for the day.
I’m now going to think of that tie as his Irish tie.
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I went to look up what the book was about, because while I was interested, I really got nothing from the interview. the “Caucasia” was just about the only part that gave a clue. reading the Amazon page, it does seem to be just about what I thought it was based on the interview.
I thought of Faces of America while watching this too, and about the pie charts they received in the last episode. that was such a great series.
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Yeah – I thought of Faces of America too – that was a really fun series to watch!
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definitely! I’m so glad Stephen was in it because it enticed me to watch the whole thing, and the other people were really interesting too!
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I loved Faces of America too! I’m very tempted to buy the DVD set from PBS. :]
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Do you know if it’s supposed to have any extra footage? I mean, they must have talked for hours to each guest… but you’d think they’d tell us on the PBS site if it did, since that would get more people to buy it… but it doesn’t say.
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Y’know, I have no idea – I sure hope so! I checked Amazon and Barnes and Noble too, and they don’t say anything about special features either. It would be fan-freaking-tastic if they added some extra footage!
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The Scots-Irish thing was pretty hilarious! He was just so vehement about it! It was a weird interview though…she really didn’t give us much info, I can see why he was getting frustrated.
And also – this man needs a break.
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“And also – this man needs a break.”
As much as it pains me to say this, I totally second that. I hate going any period of time without TCR (or TDS), but ten weeks is crazy. Here’s hoping he gets a chance to rest. :)
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Yeah, I hate to not have the shows to look forward to, but..jeez, he needs some time off!
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That screencap literally made me laugh out loud. Kudos.
I can’t blame him for getting irritated with Painter. She did a lot of talking but didn’t have a lot to say.
I had to vote for the toss, because well, it’s the toss. The all too rare and elusive toss. It’s like when you reach into your coat pocket and find money there: it doesn’t happen often but when it does, it’s exciting.
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Hahahaha! That is the *perfect* metaphor for the Toss. =)
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The discussion/arguments about what constitutes “Irish” make me laugh. I grew up in south side Chicago, one of the few children who wasn’t Irish in my grammar school , and I learned different “types” of Irish. When Stephen asked Nell Irvin Painter if he was white, I thought no, he’s “Black Irish” — dark hair and eyes, fabled descendants of the wreck of the Spanish Armada off the coast of Ireland. Black Irish were also rumored to believe they were “better” than other Irish. Not that any of this is actually true, but it was a way of thought.
Looking back, the history of white people can be pretty funny.
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I am not Irish, but I am from the South Side too, (I am a McAuley girl:), so I feel Irish by virtue of geography. There were like 7 girls named Siobhan in my school.
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I went to “Snob Hill” McAuley too (first two years, then I transferred) and my sisters graduated from McAuley! Hey! :)
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Well, I definitely am not a snob, I was one of the less cooler people there. Theatre nerd. But I still liked it there. At least we all have love of Stephen in common!
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I didn’t mean to imply you were a snob; it was just the reputation of the school. I transferred because I moved — a semester taking two city buses each way was enough!
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McAuley! Wow! I went to your rival school. ;D
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small world. i wonder how many native south siders are it-getters here.
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Oh, I almost forgot! I want to vote for “Favorite Tie”. Don’t know why I love it so, but I do :D
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First off, I love when he wears that tie! Definitely one of my favorites :). And yay for a Toss!
Loved the Sport Report! It’s easily become one of my favorite segments. That basketball/scissors graphic was absolutely hilarious! Here’s hoping someone can give some insight to the Raisinets bit, which was amazing by the way. It seems like he’s had a lot of interaction with the audience this week, which has been great. Though you can definitely tell he’s anxious for a break – poor guy must be exhausted!
I liked how the interview last night. Was it a bit awkward in parts? Yes. But was it hilarious? Totally. I was happy that Stephen took over, because Painter wasn’t giving anything to the interview. And yes, sometimes I do really just want to hear what the guest has to say, but the thing is that she wasn’t saying anything. So when Stephen started in on his Scotch-Irish rant, I just started cracking up. I liked that he saw an opening to let the character take over and he just ran with it.
And I am seriously LOVING that flying camera shot of Stephen that they’ve been doing lately at the top of the show – it’s fantastic. :D
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I loved the interview. It was wild, funky, & weird & just perfect! I’m a little taken aback that it’s been so “controversial.” I thought it was a real hoot!
I’m all for Stephen getting a well deserved rest too. However,
I just looked at the calender if their break encompasses Easter they won’t be back till April 5th! :(
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Two weeks off instead of one? :(
I guess it’s a good thing – Stephen deserves the time off. I won’t know what to do with myself haha, but he’ll get some rest nonetheless.
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It’s only a one week break. Sen. Claire McCaskill is the scheduled guest for the first show after the break, on 3/29.
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*breathes sigh of relief*
Thank you! I need all the Stephen I can get to help get me through the rest of this semester.
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Oh. Sorry. Thanks for the correction Ms. I!
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I have to say that usually the interview, for me, is the weakest part of the show, and I say that about any show. Unless it’s someone I am really interested in, I find it hard to stay interested in it. So the interview with Painter was great. It got my attention and kept it. Maybe Stephen decided he could dial up his character a few notches and I liked it.
Did anyone know about the audience reaction to the raisinets line? I got the feeling he messed up the line a few times. I know someone already said something about the toss but I didn’t quite understand.
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I really enjoyed Stephen playing up his Irish ancestry this year. (I am Irish Catholic also although like Stephen we don’t know our ancestors that far back, only to the 19th century in our case, too bad the records aren’t better known apparently.) I loved the shamrock shortage story. And the guest was confusing, though it seemed she was happy to give Stephen a chance to go on a rant. Stephen tearing up his cards was funny though.
I guess they normally would have had a break in Feb, but that was the Olympic week, so the upcoming week will be a good time off for everyone.
I voted for the toss though because it was such a great one! I wasn’t able to DVR it though – malfunctioning machine!
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I thought the interview was hysterical — and as far as him going into a rant about the Scotch-Irish, my Irish friend went into a rant even before he did! She was applauding Stephen all the way because she just felt Painter’s comment was very ignorant.
Loved the toss, too. And it’s always fun to see him crack up!
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I was there march 17th and it was such a good time! His family was there and he was very interactive.
What happened with the raisinetes joke was that the warm up guy (who is a writer for the show) told us the raisenetes joke and we loved it so much that they put it back in!!! Even Jon Stewart loved it haha. :)
such a good taping!
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Thanks for letting us know about the Raisinets joke! I’m glad they put it back in, I laughed really hard after he said it.
And that’s awesome that his family was there for the St. Patrick’s Day show, especially to see his rant against the Scotch-Irish haha. :]
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What I meant is they cut it for time and with our positive reaction they just knew it would be great. He didn’t mess up at all on that joke :)
also, painter was very difficult to follow. It was funny for a while, but she was kind of irritating haha.
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