Is it wrong to find Stephen Colbert completely unfunny?
Yes, I’m aware the egotistical behaviour is all part of his schtick. But there’s too much of it! Half the show is him crowing about his greatness - the overly long ‘thank you thank you too kind’ at the beginning, the constant self-plugs (my eagle, my presidential campaign, my animated superhero comic that makes no freaking sense and has nothing to do with the show’s theme).
Also, the way he treats his guests is downright ridiculous. I’m sure they’re in on the joke about his screen persona, BUT LET THEM GET A WORD IN! He shouts them down, interrupts them, insults them, then shouts them down and interrupts them again. Let your guests get one complete sentence in!
I think he’s obnoxious to the point it’s not remotely funny anymore. Too much schtick, too little substance.
You aren’t alone, but not everybody agrees. Some of his shows are better than others, but that is also true of TDS. Colbert and Colmes was great, and when he suprised Jane Fonda by making her bake an apple pie while explaining feminism too funny.
I think he’s very funny, but I do agree with you on your point about the way he interacts with his guests. The one thing I would change about his show would be to dial it down just a bit during those segments so that there could be more of an exchange between him and the guest.
I’ve found that when the guest is a performer or actor (and some of the politicians) those people tend to be a little better at getting a word in. What makes me cringe is when the guest is a person who isn’t so famous and obviously doesn’t do a lot of public speaking – Colbert can just steam roll right over them which seems awfully unfair of Colbert (the person, as opposed to Colbert the character).
I’m a big fan, but if you don’t find it funny, you don’t find it funny. He’s satirizing people who are egomaniacs, so he’s outdoing their egomania, which includes the way they treat their guests and the way they go on and on about themselves, references to them in other media, their stupid feuds, etc.
I don’t like Tek Jansen, though. I don’t think it’s funny or clever.
I love Tek Jansen. It’s such a nice skewer of all the sci-fi/fantasy nerds out there–and of the genres themselves. Also, it’s adorable and makes Colbert the character lovable.
That said, I really only watch The Word. The show is on too late for me anyway.
Tek Jansen is also a riff on conservative fiction authors like Tom Clancy and Bill O’Reilly (Tek Jansen started life as a parody of O’Reilly’s own novel).
I find the show hilarious. The over-the-top egotism got on my nerves at first, but I barely hear it any more. The jokes he buries within it are just killer.
I’m a big fan of TDS but only a mild fan of Colbert. I like his The Word segment and his threat downs but his interviews are rarely worth watching for me. Then other times his show is sublime.
Everyone has different choices in comedy. The thread on Samantha Bee show how varied even the opinions of the Daily Show fans are about the corespondents. I think Jon Oliver is the best they’ve had and others absolutely can’t stand him. Someone actually likes Jason Jones.
I never thought Colbert was all that funny on TDS. I actually thought he improved going to his own show.
I didn’t like Colbert until I read his book. I think reading his book helped me “get” him, or something? Maybe it’s reading his character in my own voice in my own head that helped.
I also think he’s better once you get to know some of the running gags - like his fear of bears, the “On Notice” board, his Peabody award, etc.
Regarding his interviews…I read somewhere recently where he said he doesn’t like having to do the interviews in character because most of the time he really wants to hear what the people have to say. I wonder if his interviews are so bad because he’s over-compensating?
i remember the first colbert report when he stood up and took an ovation when the guest was introduced,
instead of shaking their hand - as per all other talk shows up to that point
i knew it was something totally different than anyone else is doing
Same here. I still like The Daily Show but I love Colbert. He has the funniest throw-away lines and he still surprises me on where he takes his monologues sometimes. I tune out for The Daily Show interviews but I enjoy Colbert’s. He shouts the guests down the same way the pundits do.
He does that because that’s how guests are treated on Fox News Channel, and because the millions of people who watch Fox News Channel apparently think that’s the right way to have a discussion.
The first time I caught the Colbert Report, he was doing The Word. I was cracking up at the bullet points, much to the confusion of my wife who was in another room - she could only hear Colbert talking. The Word is still my favorite segment, even on nights when it’s not at its best.
That said, I do think his “interviews” are pretty crap. The exception being the Better Know a District bits; those are still enjoyable. I am always entertained by the questions he asks the congressmen and surprised at the things he can get them to say or do on tape.
A lot of the rest of the show has sunk from the original level of humor, I think. The Cheating Death bit was funny the first couple times, now it’s just a vehicle for dumb drug-warning jokes. Colbert Platinum is usually more miss than hit. The Threatdown used to be much funnier - especially when he was constantly working bears into the number one slot.
I sort of miss the On Notice Board. It was a nice gimmick. He practically didn’t use it last year, and just after the new year, he hauled it out to pull some things off it. Maybe it’s a prelude to featuring it a little more frequently this year.
Funny, because I find Colbert pretty consistently hilarious. Meanwhile, I’ve grown aggravated with Jon Stewart the past couple/few years and find him much less funny. I grow weary of his repeated mugging, smiling at his own “cleverness”, etc. Just keep going, goddammit!
Colbert’s schtick is a toned-down version of what Bill O’Reilly does on the O’Reilly factor. Except that Colbert asks interviewees at least one intelligent question and lets them answer. I don’t watch it anymore because it’s just too long for me. 10 minutes would be more than enough.
I love the Colbert show. I like the interviews. It is interesting how for some people whom he interviews, the combative format actually works well to get out the message that they want to convey. It is interesting the things he will not say even in character, and then there is the little breaks every once in a while to show mercy to a particularly confused guest.
I also love that his character is just as Catholic as he is and when the interviews turn to religious belief, I find it facinating to watch, especially the throw away lines and side trips about teachings of the church. He is actually one of the best role models for Christians that I see in the media. “I teach Sunday school, MotheBleep Bleeper!” is my absolute favorite.
And then there are the "Better know a . . . " segments. And short interviews with experts and politicians. I beamed with pride when my rep, Jan, was on and did well, and when she comes back to get tv time for some specific topic and does well. I miss her since I moved, and now I have to figure out who I want to replace Rahm.
He whipped it out again last night and put Limey Squirrel Eaters on notice. He railed against Britons who are eating gray (American) squirrels for quite a long time, and it was the craziest thing I’ve heard him do in a while.
