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Hey I love the guy, but a blanket statement like this is uncalled for. This is not the type of humor that is going to tickle everybody.
It is true though, i don’t think that he is quite as typically liberal as TDS.
Well it’s nice to know that we have the Arbiter of All Things Humorous here on the SDMB.
I’m trying to figure if this poster has some special definition of what constitutes “a developed sense of humor” or something along those lines, or if this is just an incrediibly stupid statement.
(Of course, the possibility exists that the statement is simply very funny, and lacking a developed sense of humor I am unable to appreciate it!)
Spent much time on other Message Boards? Even the people over at TWoP – a TV site, fer chrissakes – are more anal than most Dopers. Also, nice to see so many correctly spelled words (I probably bring the rate down).
But yes, Colbert is beyond genius. And the man has balls of steel.
I love the Daily Show and I like Steven Colbert. I am not quite the demographic for either, as I am a Republican, but a liberal (Green) Republican.
I do not think TDS is actually a liberal show, I think it is just biting satire of news and politics and we happen to have too much right wing stupidity at the moment. TDS is probably my favorite show currently.
Colbert Report is very liberal and as I have never watched the shows he primarily parody’s I think some of the humor does not quite work for me. I like his more surreal stuff. The Word, The Threat Down and Know your congressman. I enjoy the running bear joke. His interviews pale greatly to when Jon gets a politician or non-fiction author on. Stewart is one of the best interviewers on TV. Maybe the best since Dick Cavett*.
Jim
- There, I really aged myself.
I don’t watch either as much as I wish I could, but I think I like Colbert more than TDS. Stewart makes me laugh, but Colbert just kills me.
Interesting. I would definitely say Colbert is the more moderate show of the two.
And you couldn’t say that about him as recently as three or four years ago, in fact, even he said exactly the opposite at the time. Used to be the interview was a good time to hit the john. I think he’s really been focusing on improving his technique.
Couldn’t agree more that Stewart is a great interviewer. His technique really has improved and he knows how to inject the funny into the Q&A process, but if you’re actually going to compare Colbert’s interviews to Stewart’s, then I’m at a loss for words. They are two completely different things. Colbert isn’t going to switch out of character to have a “serious” interview, and this makes the interviews even harder for him because he has to frame his responses with his unique Colbert spin on them. That, to me, makes him just as good an interviewer as Stewart, if not better, because his shoot-from-the-hip answers are genius, and this is where his improv roots really shine. He gets an ovation at the beginning of every show and interacts with his fanbase through various online community projects that are sponsored through the show’s own segments. I also think Colbert’s guests are more diverse and often more well-spoken than the big-ticket guests on TDS … mostly celebrities plugging new films, authors plugging new books, or political figures plugging their favorite talking points. Not that that’s bad or anything, but Colbert’s guests tend to be lesser known, more diverse, and will play into the improv nature of the interviews without being too straightlaced. Stewart is funny but he just doesn’t have the sass, wit, charm and relentless pace that make Colbert an icon. Different styles, neither bad … but while Stewart makes me laugh, Colbert makes me laugh 'til I cry.
The segment tonight with footage of Steagle the Saginaw Spirit mascot getting beaten up on the ice by the Oshawa Generals mascot was one such example. “GET YOUR FASCIST HANDS OFF MY BOY! JIMMY, TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF!” Also can’t wait to see the results of the fan edits of Gwen Eiffel’s Colbert interview, deliberately ripe with juicy bits of self-condemning slander. Classic. He even answered the accusation that’s essentially being levelled at him in this very thread during tonight’s guest interview when John Barlow suggested that so much of what he does is “parody without meaning” … to which Colbert flatly responded “I have no idea what you’re talking about, sir.” 
I like the idea of Steven Colbert, but his delivery tends to irritate me and so I find that I don’t have it in me to watch an entire episode of his show at one sitting. Something about the cadence in the way he speaks, or something. I think if a different actor were doing the exact same character, I’d like it more.
I guess I don’t have a developed sense of humor.
I feel his routine is just one long Strawman argument, much like Mallard Filmore. So, no.
You know, I’m way more conservative than the target audience, but I really enjoy Colbert. I’m not sure I can explain why, other than his inverted, almost self-deprecating humour.
Actually, I consider this whorish self-promotion rather than comedic genius, but what do I know. All those years wasted on Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, the Marx Bros., Monty Python, etc., and my sense of humor still hasn’t developed.
The only accusation I thought I was levelling was that I personally do not consider the majority of what he does funny or entertaining. But what do I know? I guess my sense of knowing what I mean when I post new topics must be similarly undeveloped.
Well…
Everyone reacted negatively to Anamnesis’ comment, and probably rightly so, I guess, but I’ll confess to the following:
It does seem to me that some people who are saying they don’t like Colbert are, as well, giving evidence they simply don’t get Colbert. And the above comment is an example of such.
Your comment presumes something cannot be both "whorish self-promotion"and “comic genius.” And for you to presume this is, quite simply, for you not to get the joke.
Which, maybe, means, well… I’ll say it… that you’ve got a less developed sense of humor than me… 
-FrL-
Just a thought…
If it’s rude for people to jump into a “Who loves Stephen Colbert?” thread and say “I don’t know what you people are talking about, I think the man is atrocious,” isn’t it equally as rude to do the reverse? Just saying, is all.
I like the guy, but I can understand that some people may not enjoy that style of humor. Plus, at times the show does get tedious for me, and I don’t consider it as much of a must-watch show as I do TDS.
I guess I may have been insuffiently precise, but I was not jotting off that post with the idea that I was making a categorical statement defining all comedy.
Yes, an instance of whorish self promotion could certainly be comedic (tho the “genius” involved might be debatable.) My point instead was simply that I personally do not consider this particular instance humorous or entertaining.
I’m pretty confident that I “get” what the joke is intended to be - I just don’t find it funny. And I have watched it enough to be comfortable in my assessment that the vast majority of his humor is single faceted - it all concerns his adopted personality. So I have little reason to continue watching to see if he does something different that I might consider funny or otherwise worth watching.
I must admit that I was unaware that comedy was such that differences of opinion are not permitted as to what a particular individual finds funny. Thanks for clearing that up.
**anamnesis **, you have shown a tendency to make decrees that are extremely dismissive of other posters opinions. You know, about Cafe type subjects that are mostly opinion. In your decrees you are rather incredibly rude.
Do you realize you are doing this? The same thing happened over in the 300 thread.
Jim
if you want an example of “get it” vs “dont get it” then Southpark is deffinitly the show. anyone can “get” the humor without really “getting” the show. I know it took a few episodes before I really got past the whole 4th graders part and completely saw the show for what it was, pure adult humor and satire. the crappy art and cartoon children are just the medium, nothing to do with children on the show at all.
for me Colbert is some seriously funny stuff.
Absolutey. There are objective standards when it comes to comedy. Differences of opinion are beside the point. I am glad to see we have come to an understanding on that point. It was especially relevant and important for you to mention this fact here, for I myself have (as you know) failed to say anything about anyone’s opinions, whatsoever. This stands to reason, as I would never do such a thing, being, as I’ve said, a Comic Absolutist.
-FrL-