I’ve been paying attention to the
Republican primaries and I have a concern that, for me, trumps politics. I’m
worried that I’m losing my grip on reality. The man pictured below is
responsible.
Stephen Colbert, along with Jon Stewart,
are the brilliant stars at Comedy Central,
a wildly popular TV Network. Comedy Central prides itself on being the world leader in “Fake
News,” and they’re so successful at what they do that a ridiculously high
percentage of young people get their news exclusively from these two guys.
So when Colbert decided to aim his pointy
finger at the Super PACs that are destroying our democracy, with the
approval of our Supreme Court, I watched attentively. Colbert cleverly attacked
Super PACs by pretending to embrace them. He created one, turned it over to Jon
Stewart and dove into the race for the nomination to become the Republican
candidate for President of the United States of South Carolina.
Colbert is so smart that his antics have landed him on the evening news
every day for a week. So here’s the basis for my confusion: If a comedian, a
fake politician on a channel that labels itself the world’s largest distributor
of fake news, makes real news that is
included on evening broadcasts of CNN, ABC and CBS, then how can it be fake?
Aren’t these other newscasts supposed to be the real ones? Isn’t this to news
what money-laundering is to crime? Doesn’t this process render Colbert a
legitimate news-maker rather than a mere comedian?
Isn’t there an inherent probability that
many of Colbert’s viewers won’t understand his tongue and cheek comedy and take
him for real? How is someone with a brainpan as shallow as mine suppose to know the
difference?
Colbert is genius! And I would vote for him if he ran for president in a heartbeat!
ReplyDeleteI would like to believe that no person would lose the message of Colbert's words by taking them seriously. However, seeing how many people continuously mistake theonion.com as a serious news source, it is completely possible.
ReplyDeleteI love Stephen Colbert! It infuriates me that I cannot watch any of his antics from the UK -- apparently it has something to do with Fox owning the program. When I go to France, however, I can watch!
ReplyDeleteAs to your question -- I suppose that is Colbert's point!
He's as "genuine" as the Republican candidates are. Everything that spews from their mouths is a lie. They are as fake as they come.
ReplyDeleteHe can't be any worse than any of the competition.
ReplyDeleteI love your analogy - and I think it's true! Colbert IS real news now since the "legitimate" networks have washed it.
ReplyDeleteI hate to sound like an old codger, but this is nothing new. Don't you remember Pat Paulsen who ran for president in 1968? Now THERE was some great comedy! (But Colbert is good too.)
ReplyDeleteI love your posts and I think you're versatile.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.genepooldiva.com/2012/01/from-rob-over-at-httprwwgreene.html
I think people are smart enough to understand the difference between real, depressing news and the light hearted tongue-in-cheeck stuff Colbert does. But our choices are so horrid this year we NEED something light hearted. And now that we don't have Rick "Did he really say that?" Perry to entertain us any longer, Colbert is absolutely indespensable for our sanity. :)
ReplyDeleteS
What he's done is prove the mainstream media doesn't know real news when they see it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not fake. It's not real. It's just Truthiness. ;)
ReplyDeleteI think anyone smart enough to get the laughs inspired by Colbert will be smart enough to know if its real or an alternate reality, but I've been mistaken before. You need only look at the people we've elected to office to doubt the average intelligence of our species.
ReplyDeleteGood questions. I'm at a loss, and I believe most people are stupid. Did you mention Colbert's running for President? Thanks for the news. =)
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
...of the United States of South Carolina, Robyn. I don't think anyone has told Carolina yet. So there's been no response as yet
DeleteWow! Lots of strange people out there, Stephen. Maybe you should have a show. You seem to have the ability to inspire them.
ReplyDeletePeople should remember what Stewart has told them many times: we. are. comedians!!!
I've been a fan of Colbert since he was on Strangers With Candy, with Amy Sedaris as Jerri Blank. He never fails to crack me up.
ReplyDeleteThere was a TV presenter here in the UK called Bob Holness that died recently and there are two urban myths about him
ReplyDelete1) That he was the first man to play James Bond
2) That he played the infamous saxophone solo on "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty - possibly the most famous saxophone solo of all time
The first is, at least, based in fact: Holness did play Bond in a radio production of Casino Royal in 1965 - however just prior to this an american TV network did an adaptation of the same book with an american actor playing Jimmy Bond - so you decide if Holness was truly first or not
The second, the Baker Street Myth - was entirely spurious. It was started as a joke by a radio presenter and has somehow escalated to the point where it has become commonly accepted as fact.
So - in answer to your question if enough people believe something to be factual - does that make it true?