Fantasy Colbert League: May 10-May 13

It’s a new week and new guests. This is actually my “Senior Week” of college, so I am heading down to Atlantic City for the night. Then I will just be enjoying the week before graduation this upcoming Saturday. It is kind of crazy to call my education over, for now. I have been watching Stephen throughout all my four years of college, so it has been a constant for me the whole time – and I am pretty happy about that.

Gary Johnson is the former Governor of New Mexico, who served in the position from 1995 until 2003. Governor Bill Richardson was his successor. Now, Gary Johnson is considered a possible Republican candidate for the 2012 Presidential race. He is known for his Libertarian platform, but he was also a successful businessman before becoming the New Mexican governor. After graduating from the University of New Mexco, he began his successful business, Big J Enterprises, a construction company. He sold the company in 1999. As a Libertarian, Johnson supports the legalization of marijuana and endorsed Ron Paul in the 2008 Presidential election. His current initiative is called, “Our America,” and according to his website, the mission of the initiative reads as follows: Our America Initiative seeks to broaden the parameters of the public policy debate of current topics in the national arena. We look to enlighten the population about civil liberties, free enterprise, limited government, and traditional American values. It is our aim to increase the amount of discussion and involvement regarding all-important issues. He currently resides in New Mexico, and has two children.

Follow Governor Johnson on Twitter here.

Fract: Multi-accomplished: In addition to being a tri-athlete, Johnson climbed Mount Everest in 2003.

Tuesday, May 11: Hampton Sides

Hampton Sides is the author of Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin, which came out in April and recounts the story of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. by looking at different alter egos of James Earl Ray, the most likely shooter. Sides has also written other books including: Americana: Dispatches from the New Frontier, Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West, and Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II’s Greatest Rescue Mission, which later served as the subject for the 2005 movie, The Great Raid. In addition to writing books, Hampton has written for various publications including: National Geographic, The New Yorker, and Esquire. He currently serves as the editor-at-large for Outside, a magazine that was originally co-founded by William Randolph Hearst. Receiving his Bachelor’s degree from Yale, Sides has gone on to give guest lectures at such schools as Columbia University, Stanford, and Colorado College, as well as making appearances on such shows as The Today Show and NPR’s All Things Considered.

Fract: Famous for what? Although Sides has written many well-received books, he has been nominated twice for the National Magazine Awards for Featured Writing.

Wednesday, May 12: Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra has been on The Colbert Report before in 2006 (Part 1 and Part 2). He is an Indian born doctor who practices alternative medicines, after switching from a focus in endocrinology. Chopra finished medical school in India, and then completed his residency training in New Jersey before moving onto such hospitals as the University of Virginia Hospital. In addition to practicing medicine, Deepak has taught at the medical schools at Tufts University and Boston University. He has faced criticism from physicists for linking quantum mechanics to healing processes, and for this he won the satirical Ig Nobel Prize in Physics. He stresses ridding oneself of negative emotions by listening to body signals. Chopra has written many books, including Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How to Create a New You, and his most recent release, The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Hidden Power of Your True Self.

Follow Deepak Chopra on Twitter here.

Fract: Talk the talk? It’s (a little) easier to keep up with Stephen when you know what to say – Deepak won the 1995 Toastmaster’s Award as one of the Top 5 International Outstanding Speakers.

Thursday, May 13: The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady is an alternative rock band with four members: Craig Finn on vocals and guitar, Tad Kubler, who plays lead guitar, Galen Polivka on bass, and Bobby Drake, who plays the drums. The band has a new album called, Heaven Is Whenever. Previously the band has released four other albums: Almost Killed Me, Separation Sunday, Boys and Girls in America, and Stay Positive. The band formed in 2003, and by 2006, they were named Blender magazine’s “Band of the Year.” The concept for the album Separation Sunday stemmed from a character named “Holly,” which was short for “Hallelujah,” so the album focuses on a balance between Catholicism and Rock and Roll. The Hold Steady has recorded a version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” which the Minnesota Twins use for homegames, and in 2009, the band released a documentary called, A Positive Rage. The new album breaks from a harder sound on previous records, using more elaborate arrangments, but has already received a 4-star review from Rolling Stone.

Follow the band on Twitter here.

Fract: Craig Finn and Tad Kubler came up with the idea for the band when they were watching the documentary The Last Waltz about the band, The Band.

Enjoy this week’s shows!