Ian+Ferrari

​ Ian Ferrari Kingsley Eng101 sec08 October 14, 2009 “Anyone can read the news to you, what I plan to do is feel the news at you.” -Stephen Colbert

Thousands of years ago there were artists around that showcased social issues through creative paintings on buildings, works in the theater, or comedic shows. Throughout the years leading to today, new kinds of art have been introduced into the world, such as literature, television, movies, and with those come even more art forms. Stephen Colbert is a comedic news anchor on his own television show, The Colbert Report, on Comedy Central, which he uses to showcase current social issues on a daily basis.

Colbert started his career in comedy doing small television roles, among them were Exit 57 and The Dana Carvey Show, during the late 90s, which lead him to his first major role on The Daily Show. He began working with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, which is a sketch comedy news show that has been around for over a decade. On the show, Colbert was a cast member who would appear from time to time doing in the field news reports and segments like “This week in God.” Also being a writer for the show, which brought him 3 Emmy awards in ‘04, ‘05 ,and ’06. (imdb.com) After his success, he was given the opportunity to have his own show which took off. Since then he has had many successes with numerous awards, and even a run at president(although it was mainly for comedy).

The Colbert Show focuses on social issues that are occurring at that moment and each segment reflects those issues. What is unique about Colbert is that most of his material is written by himself, because he is such a good comedic writer. On top of his show, he has written for The Daily Show, Strangers with Candy, The Dana Carvey Show, and Saturday Night Live. Focusing the show around comedy around the issues he can report what the event is an give it a spin that makes it both funny and understandable. Running for president was a way in which he wanted to show the people that anyone can do it, but its about picking a candidate who is capable of leading. The reasons for his comedic segments, Tip of the Hat Wag of the Finger, The Word, or Better Know a District, is to bring to the for front the issues affecting not just Americans, but everyone and what they are all about.

Colbert has had a routine for most of his shows for the past 4 years since he has been on the air. He comes out and introduces what he will be examining in his show tonight. Then the intro plays where there are many scenes of patriotic symbols with himself at the end in front of an American Flag. he then begins with the first issue and begins to discuss it and what its effects are with pictures that show up in the corner like any news show. After that happens and they go to commercial he picks up from there and begins to discuss another issue by using one of his segments that he made up. On the issue of gun laws that is discussed, he presents it using Tip of the Hat Wag of the Finger. After that he comes to an end every episode with an interview with some person who wrote a book on the subject or is an expert in the field. This is where he shines showing how he isn’t only a comedian but he really knows his politics and uses that to pick apart his guests.

A global social issue that Colbert has been addressing for a few years now since the term was coined is Global warming. The issue itself has become a huge problem and is focused on by many activists and groups throughout the world. The idea of a greener earth and finding reusable energy has all come about due to this problem. What Colbert focuses on isn’t the pressing issue so much as the political issues that come about from that social issue. Given that global warming is becoming more and more severe each year, he looks beyond what is causing it and the people trying to fix it, but the people that are trying to benefit from this. The focus of his argument is on Canada, Russia, and America and how they are disputing the opening of the northwest passage.(episode 03109)

Comedy is an art that is as difficult to decipher as many paintings are because its more than words, you have to look into the message behind the humor. Colbert isn’t on any side in this debate, but he is thinking about what is happening now. In his newscast he talks about how Canada is claiming the newly opened shipping lane through the northwest passage and what the rest of the world views of that. The nature of the debate goes back hundreds of years to when people were using this lane to get from Europe and over to Asia as a quicker way than going around South America or Africa. The fact that today we have the Panama canal and the Suez canal, as well as airplanes that can carry cargo, the debate seems almost irrelevant.

Canada feels as though they should have the rights to the passage and be able to charge a fee to use it or some sort of value for that. However, Bush argues that the passage is in international waters and should remain open for everyone to use. Russia also agrees with Bush on the matter and the fact that Canada shouldn’t hold the sole property of the passage way or the water.

Colbert talks about global warming in the sense that it isn’t something that is going to be a worry for him. He mock the idea of it with silly jokes and funny pictures of icebergs in strange shapes. The feeling that there is going to be something solved for or against the issue on the show isn’t going to occur, but her does make the issue present to the viewers to know about.

On another episode, Colbert talks about how gun laws are becoming more lenient in some areas. In his most recent episode on the issue on September 29, 2009, he states that it is now legal to carry a gun no the Amtrak. This has followed the idea that it is also legal to carry guns into a bar in Tennessee and into all national parks it is also now legal. The second amendment is being put to the test and more and more it is winning across the nation. The right to bear arms shouldn’t be something that is questioned, but something that is accepted. Colbert feels that it is another victory for the gun laws that is one step further in the right direction.

On the episode he uses Tip of the Hat Wag of the Finger to demonstrate how he feels about the recent activity in gun laws. On this segment he presents an idea, such as this one, and then gives it a “Tip of the Hat” for good, or a “Wag of the Finger” for bad. Guns being allowed on Amtrak is a big “Tip of the Hat” from Colbert. “In the past year, we’ve got the right to bring guns into National Parks, and into bars. Sadly, I still get arrested when I bring my gun into the ladies room.” (episode 05120) Stephen Colbert demonstrates that we are given the right to bear arms in any form, but is it actually worth all of the fuss about where we can bring it. It is either that we can or cannot have our guns where we want. Many people have them anyway, but just don’t showcase it to the world. The topic touches on the specifics of the new gun law privilege to have guns on the Amtrak trains. The Senate stated that the passage would have to let the Amtrak officials know that they are carrying a gun onto the train before they actually went onto the train. (episode 05120) This doesn’t seem much different from where before someone could just bring it on the train without notifying anyone tat they were concealing a weapon at all. These new gun laws allow people to carry their own “Sweetness” and feel protected when they need it the most.

Comedy is an art form that has taken on numerous forms from, comedic theater back in the times of the Romans, to literary comedy, until more recent with stand-up comedy. Colbert uses comedy and television to create a show that binds together social commentary and comedy to broadcast one of the best news shows that has been created. Pushing the envelope even further, who knows what other forms of art will come out of the next generations to come, we can only wait.

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Works Cited “Colbert Nation.” The Colbert Report. 10/09/2009. 

“Stephen Colbert.” The Internet Movie Database. 10/14/2009. 

“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” The Daily Show. 10/24/2009. 