Comments on: Colbert in Marvel Comics & at The New Yorker Festival

By: timr

timr — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:04:13 +0000

The brits have always been way ahead of the US in satire. I always thought that the show Yes, Minister which then morphed into Yes, Prime Minister was one of the funniest programs going. It seems that we here in the US lack imagineation as we continue to copy british comedy TV programs.
As a near 60 year old I never miss either TDS or The Colbert Report, after only finding TDS in 2003. I have watched Colbert from the begining and have truely enjoyed the evolving of his character. It has been a lot of fun watching him finally-mostly-conquer his early tendency to laugh along with his audience on the really funny bits. His performance at the WaDC dinner in front of all of the bushies was a masterpiece of satire. To bad those in the village panned it, but then they failed to note that his speech was also about them. I have wondered if the person responsible for hiring Colbert actually knew what he was doing-call it subversive anarchy-or if he thought that the character was the person.

By: Marlowecan

Marlowecan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:55:25 +0000

"He said that he tries to focus exclusively on the jokes, because if he focuses on pursuing an agenda, his show would suck."

That is an excellent quote, Joe. . . showing how Colbert is anything but heavy-handed in his approach to comedy.

I believe Colbert is right. It is interesting how, if one has an "agenda" in political comedy . . . even if an audience is of a similar political bent . . . it weighs down the comedy.

In contrast, there is something anarchic about really good comedy. . . even political comedy.

I remember the hit British show "Spitting Image" from the late 80s/90s . . . with its mad puppets mocking everyone in British political and cultural life. Seeing once a week Margaret Thatcher beating her Cabinet Ministers' heads with a baseball bat and grinding their fingers with a blender. . .or Prince Charles as a mad Vegan who preferred to talk to his plants than his wife and family. . .or the beloved Queen Mum as a half-mad old lady on the booze, who nonetheless was the most sane person in her dysfunctional family.

Somehow its anarchic, take-no-prisoners comedy (the Labour Party came in for equally brutal treatment btw) got the heart of reality through surreal comedy.

By: JWindish

JWindish — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:29:08 +0000

I will rent Harvey Birdman. Thanks for the pointer! As to Colbert's politics, I agree they sure look like they lean left, but from the Jane Fonda link in the post there's this:

At one point, Ariel Levy asked him about what it was like to speak truth to power, and Colbert disagreed with the premise of the question. He said that he tries to focus exclusively on the jokes, because if he focuses on pursuing an agenda, his show would suck.

Colbert said that he views his show as constructing a false reality to highlight the absurdity of reality, in opposition to the Daily Show, which he says he views as deconstructing reality. By the end of the night, he agreed that he didn't speak truth to power, but instead spoke 'truthiness to power'. I thought that was a good line.

By: Marlowecan

Marlowecan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:53:34 +0000

Lotusflwr…

Thanks for the heads-up re: Colbert in Venture Bros. Another Colbert work out of left field (political pun unintended Must check it out.

Colbert's multi-dimensional range of comedic interests is invariably surprising.

Cheers.

By: lotusflwr

lotusflwr — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:37:33 +0000

I adore Steven Colbert's brand of humor. He's hilarious in Harvey Birdman Attorney-At-Law and he also did a few episodes of The Venture Bros. as Dr. Impossible (Venture Bros. is a hilarious spoof on Johnny Quest-type shows brought into the current day, and Dr. Impossible is a character based off of Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic Four comics.)

Hearing Colbert reminisce about Rusty Venture's behavior in his college physics course as "a bit of a gigglepuss" always cracks me up.

I'm not at all into comics but I'm tempted to get this one just because I love Steven Colbert so much. I wish the REAL Colbert would run for President, he's a very sharp guy.

By: Marlowecan

Marlowecan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:15:27 +0000

Alas, Marvel Comics has a history of such stunts, going back to their SNL crossover with Spider-man and John Belushi & Co.

That said, even if one doesn't share Colbert's liberal politics, one must admire his talent. He has long had an interest in comic superheroes in this regard.

I would encourage anyone to rent "Harvey Birdman, Attorney-at-Law" to see Colbert in full Surrealistic Comedy mode as crazed Phil Sebben and even more crazed Myron Reducto. "Booty Noir" was a classic. Seeing Shaggy and Scooby-Doo dragged into court on drug possession charges . . . and the Flintstones meeting the Sopranos . . . the list goes on . . .

Great stuff. A very talented man.