"The Colbert Report": Week of 6/24/14

[trow125]

6/23/14 JOHN GREEN - Author, “The Fault in our Stars”
6/24/14 EDIE FALCO - “Nurse Jackie” SHOWTIME
6/25/14 CONGRESSWOMAN ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON - District of Columbia
6/26/14 PAUL RUDD - Film, “They Came Together”

[Victor the Crab]

Oooooo yeah! "Stephen's" "Mortal Arch Enemy" Eleanor Holmes Norton will be face to face with him next Wednesday.

[Victor the Crab]

Nice to see Stephen getting interested in soccer. Part of me feels bad for the U.S. team for blowing the lead late in extra time against Portugal. But as a supporter of the Canadian national team, I'm feeling a little schadenfreude over the loss of our chief rivals, Heh-heh-hehhh.

 

Jesus fuck, I hate the internet. That people would swoon over a violent criminal because he's photogenetic proves we're doomed as a society. The internet is filled with stupid people (not you guys, you guys are awesome ;)).

[peeayebee]

The photo of Charles Manson in an Abercrombie and Fitch ad was perfect.

[attica]

One phenomenon I have never understood despite serious efforts to do so is the phenomenon of women's attraction to convicts. The pen pals, the marriages, the internet fandoms, I just. don't. get. it.  Meeks has a tear tattoo, ladies! Not a plus on the eligibility chart! ::shudder::

[A Boston Gal]

One phenomenon I have never understood despite serious efforts to do so is the phenomenon of women's attraction to convicts. The pen pals, the marriages, the internet fandoms, I just. don't. get. it.  Meeks has a tear tattoo, ladies! Not a plus on the eligibility chart! ::shudder::

Yeah, that was a deal breaker right there, felony-status nonwithstanding. 

Edited June 24, 2014 by A Boston Gal

[trow125]

I think the same women who are going nuts over the "handsome" convict are the same ones who were posting things like, "I would let Chris Brown beat me up any day!" during the whole Rihanna incident. 

 

There was a well-regarded book called Women Who Love Men Who Kill that came out a few years ago about why women fall for death row inmates. Scott Peterson, who killed his pregnant wife Laci, has reportedly gotten dozens of marriage proposals since he was incarcerated. It's a ghoulish phenomenon, but Stephen's bit was very funny.

[StatMom]

John Green was lovely. I assume he's been making the rounds, but this is the first interview I've seen with him. He seems like a stand up guy.

[attica]

The possibility of having to negotiate with a weeping, laptop wielding coffee drinker is why I avoid Starbucks shops. (Well, that and not enjoying coffee. But really it's the denizens, not the product.)

[Victor the Crab]

Woah! Stephen could see into the future! But what exactly are tiger selfies? They can't be real tigers these guys are taking selfies with?

 

I heard somewhere that the reason the screen went black on the Sopranos finale was that that was the moment Tony was gunned down.

[peeayebee]

I heard somewhere that the reason the screen went black on the Sopranos finale was that that was the moment Tony was gunned down.

That's one interpretation. You can find impassioned reasoning for both sides.

 

I think the way pharm companies will comply with having to include side effects in their tweets is to have a photo of the warning text. Who knows how readable it'll be.

[attica]

I'm having a hard time imagining the vast collective that follows the tweets of pharmas: 'Oh, look! Astra-Zeneca's posted a tiger selfie! Lemme retweet that, stat! Which reminds me, time for my statins!'

[Julia]

I think the way pharm companies will comply with having to include side effects in their tweets is to have a photo of the warning text. Who knows how readable it'll be.

 

I think they'll probably include a bit.ly address for a page with the Brief Summary and the full Important Safety Information. That's how they're handling it for a lot of ads.

[Victor the Crab]

Elanor Holmes Norton. It's been too long since we last saw you be a burr in Stephen's side.

[peeayebee]

Loved Chris McDaniel's campaign slogan: "You'll Get Nothing and You'll Like It." 

[walnutqueen]

I just watched the excellent PBS series American Experience on Freedom Summer; it was absolutely riveting. 

[Hanahope]

I thought Boehner and McConnell looked like they'd rather be anywhere else but on that stage.

[peeayebee]

So funny when EHN tried to defend them by saying they didn't know the words, and then Stephen was jumping out of his seat saying the words were on a teleprompter and they have it on tape.

[Julia]

Well, I can understand her trying to be circumspect. Both of those men have an awful lot of hostages.

[Victor the Crab]

Yes, the U.S. team is number two. And Stu Varney and Keith Ablow are both a number two.

 

So was there a special reason why Stephen gave Paul Rudd two segments? Jon never gave Rudd two segments on TDS before.

[Gilmel]

Maybe because Paul Rudd had been so nice to Stephen's daughter?

[peeayebee]

I love that Rudd got two segments. It surprised me, but I enjoy him so much. Obviously Stephen does too. One minor criticism of this interview is that Stephen spoke over Paul too much -- I figure he was excited to riff with Paul, but he stepped on too many of Paul's lines. Anyway, I now know what I'm doing this Saturday -- seeing They Came Together. Sounds like a hilariously vicious homage to rom-coms.

 

What is the point of the possum drop? 

 

 

Fortifying children's cereal with adult daily requirements was a bone-headed move. Also, children often eat multiple bowls of these cereals at one sitting, so they're eating much more than one serving size.

 

The less said about Ablow the better.

[M. Darcy]

They never talked about Paul's most important performance ever - he was in the very last episode of Strangers with Candy. 

[alexvillage]

This will sound silly but who is Paul Rudd and what is the big deal about him? I have not watched the show yet

[Julia]

Paul Rudd was the Mr. Knightley character in Clueless. 

[Gilmel]

Paul Rudd was the Mr. Knightley character in Clueless.

First thing I ever saw him in. I've had a teeny crush on him since.

 

In general, he's an actor who's been in just about everything. Clueless, as mentioned. He was Phoebe's boyfriend then husband on Friends. He played Leslie's opponent for city council on Parks and Rec recently. He's been in a lot of other movies and shows.

 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748620/

Edited June 27, 2014 by Gilmel

[alexvillage]

Thanks. I still have no idea of who he is. I must be really old for the kind of movies he makes. I went back all the way to 2000 in the IMDB and I only watched "the 40 year old virgin" and do not remember him. And the show Friends, but I can't remember much of that show either.

[Hanahope]

So huge quantities of sugar is now not the only reason to keep one's kids from eating those junky cereals.  Good to know!

[peeayebee]

Rats. I was going to see They Came Together tomorrow, but it's not playing close by. I just assumed it was a wide release.

 

Paul Rudd was also in both Anchorman movies. 

[ABay]

More important, I think, than what he's been in is that he seems like a nice guy, he's funny, self-effacing, cute, and likeable.

[attica]

Rudd's done stage as well. You can probably find a utube of him as Count Orsino in 12th Night (the Helen Hunt PBS one). He opens the show with the 'if music be the food of love, play on' speech, and? It is Hawttt.

 

I think Stephen missed playing improv with his friends, and that's why Rudd got two segments.

[walnutqueen]

What is the point of the possum drop?

 

 

You mean, besides torturing an animal for sport?  I don't know - fuck North Carolina anyways. 

[Catherinewriter]

Thank you, Eleanor Holmes Norton and the thousands of students and local activists who worked, sweated, experienced beatings, jailings, and in several cases death in the summer of 1964 to begin to change Mississippi. Thank you.  Wonderful documentary, "Freedom Summer." If you didn't see it this week, look for it online. 

[Wax Lion]

I'm guessing the Possum Drop is like the various "drop" of things on New Year's Eve (a crystal ball in NYC, a drag queen in a shoe in Key West) but in this case its a possum in a cage?

 

I er... I, uh... don't see why they can't substitute it for some other object.

[ABay]

Thank you, Eleanor Holmes Norton and the thousands of students and local activists who worked, sweated, experienced beatings, jailings, and in several cases death in the summer of 1964 to begin to change Mississippi. Thank you.  Wonderful documentary, "Freedom Summer." If you didn't see it this week, look for it online. 

I'm glad Freedom Summer gave more airtime to the courage of the African Americans, especially the ones who lived in Mississippi, than some documentaries on the subject. Not to downplay the amazing courage of all of the organizers and participants of both races who went there to register voters and teach in the schools, etc.. I'm watching this week's episode of CNN's The Sixties, which is also about the civil rights movement and uses some of the same clips and interviewees.

 

How anyone can listen to the "I have a dream" speech and not get chills, I don't know. Even on the 1,000th hearing.

[Captanne]

I think Colbert really enjoyed talking to Rudd but maybe he's taking a little time to hone his OOC interviewing techniques.

 

(I got the same feeling from the interview with Delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton.)

 

PS:  Shout out to DEH-N.  I'm a native Washingtonian -- yes, we exist -- and I lurve her.  

 

ETA:  Oh, and a little "fuck you" to Newt "Contract with America" Gingrich.  The only thing you accomplished with that Dead on Arrival piece of shit "contract" was taking away Delegate Norton's vote.  You can't stop her voice, my man.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Captanne

[snorca]

I loved how animated Stephen got when arguing about whether the lyrics were "right there" with EHN and then when he leaned across the table and said, "I shit you not!" I lost it.

[A Boston Gal]

I loved how animated Stephen got when arguing about whether the lyrics were "right there" with EHN and then when he leaned across the table and said, "I shit you not!" I lost it.

snorca and peeaybee, this was one of the funniest, finest examples of Stephen Colbert breaking the "Stephen Colbert' character, and jumping feet first into his real opinion, eager to show up those hypocritical jerks. "Didn't know the words?? They were right there! I don't care how long it take to find that clip!"  It was a joy to watch. And you know ENH was trying mightily not to laugh or admit Stephen was right. "What do you want me to say?" Hee!

[Latverian Diplomat]

John Green was lovely. I assume he's been making the rounds, but this is the first interview I've seen with him. He seems like a stand up guy.

John Green is terrific. He does a lot of great web video work too. His Crash Course World History video series is a rare combination of entertainment and insight.

 

I don't know that he's done a lot of interviews because the runaway success of The Fault in are Stars caught the media by surprise; they are oblivious to such things until they make money. 

 

I loved the exchange where Stephen said "Young Adult fiction seems to mean fiction that people actually read." and John replied that he was fine with being a "pop" writer, that's what he wanted to be.