Finally a book by Steven Colbert, I can’t believe it. Well, that’s not true, I can. After reading I Am America (And So Can You!), I ask is this too much Steven Colbert, and I think it is. The book is funny, and I imagine the audio book is funnier. You have to get Colbert's voice in your head to truly get it, or, at least, it helps. What I found most note-worthy is that you get a taste of reading right-wing propaganda books like those of Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, and Bill O’Reilly. It gets into your head until you are completely brain-washed.
Colbert does a very good job at satirizing most of the right-wing agenda’s talking points. He speaks of immigration, Hollywood, gays, religion, the media and all other themes which are have been so apart of the political landscape of the United States in the past few years. I suppose what Colbert does best is to take the themes and hidden messages within the News Corporations’ media outlets, for example, and shout them in plain English. This is really all Colbert does. So, why is he so successful? In many ways it has little to with him, but rather on how ridiculous these talking points really are.
The best and worst thing about such an effort is the complete lack of context and explanation given. After reading so much extreme takes on American life, the reader wants an explanation on how those opinions came to be. By the reader, of course, I mean me. Especially in this faith-based American culture, rarely do I hear anyone asking someone how they got to that conclusion, especially of someone on television or radio.
I think if Colbert gave a reason for things he says, he would be out of a job. I am not sure that America can handle an explanation of the events of the world around them. I don’t think they want one. I am sure they feel something is wrong, but they are listening to the loudest voice instead of thinking. It is hard to say how you got lost when you don’t know where you are.
If you take Steve Colbert greatest moment, which is the White House correspondence dinner speech where Colbert lampooned the administration, he doesn’t say you’re bad to the President for this or that rather he comically states that there is something wrong here; really wrong. Just when all opinion opposite to the Administration was being suppressed, Colbert speach was a message that needed a voice. The response to it especially by people 16- 35 years old showed that there was a silent opposition by the American people to the course of direction that the country is going in. The entire speech is at the back of the book.
In many ways, reading the Colbert book is like watching the Colbert show. There are little margin comments like the segment of “The Word,” and there can be some refreshing randomness that accompanies any good comedy show.
In Summary, it hard to know how to feel about it, because, if you are reading this book, you can appreciate and laugh at the absurdity of these talk radio points defined, but you still are uncomfortable with them. Colbert is sometimes best in small doses. If you are dumb enough not get the joke, and many people are, then you might feel that he go far enough. On the other, hand the book is almost like an educational tool, and maybe defense against the millions of listeners and viewers to these opinionists who, like Colbert, speak in absolute truths. Luckily the book is just under 300 pages and there are plenty of pictures, cut outs and stickers. Die hard fans will be overjoyed. Anyone with a mind to question will be intrigued, and fair weather fans will be overwhelmed. Finally I suspect foes will be confused. I liked this book, but it certainly not for everyone. Hell, it’s funny!
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