In Honor of Colbert '08: Stephen Colbert's Top 10 Funniest Correspondent Pieces (From the Daily Show)

[You can digg this post by clicking here]

Ostensibly launched as part of a marketing campaign for his new book, "I Am America (And So Can You!)" Stephen Colbert's presidential campaign is making a lot of waves, both on the internet and even in traditional news outlets. Shockingly, he has reached double digits in some polls, and his Facebook group shows no signs of slowing down, fueling speculation that he might run for real (although I highly doubt that will happen; in this interview, he stated emphatically that he doesn't want to be "part of the debate" that comprises our political discourse)

Comedy Central recently did the right thing by their viewers and their stars by making thousands of Daily Show clips available at a brand spanking new site. With this archive now open to the public, it's possible to look at the vast work of Colbert throughout the past 8 years and view and enjoy some of his best works. Here are the top 10 I think merit attention, in no particular order. If the response to this post is good, I'll do more of these for Ed Helms, Steve Carrell, and Mo Rocca:

[One word about the selection process: I have been watching the Daily Show consistently since 2000. This video is not just "The Top 10 Clips I Could Find In 15 Minutes" but rather a product of having watched and re-watched pretty much all of his reports and correspondent bits. I have given preference to making the clips as diverse as possible, so that should also help explain the selection, but I think they are his best. If you have more that you think deserve to be here, please comment and/or shoot me an e-mail. Thanks for reading!]

1. Colbert breaks character while reporting on gay scandal - In this classic clip, Colbert layers on the sexual innuendo until it's so thick and tumescent, it explodes onto the screen:

click here for the clip

2. Even Stevphen: Halloween - All of the Even Stevphens are amazing, but this one is particularly poignant, as Colbert stages a mock breakdown over a lost childhood:

click here for the clip

3. Abu Cribz - How do you make the discovery of an Iraqi bunker into comedic gold? Watch and learn:

click here for the clip

4. Red, Yellow, Blue, and Black Like Me - In this clip, Colbert both reveals the self-righteousness of the "colored" people and makes light of the situation by disrobing violently at the end. Clips like these show Colbert at his most audacious, and most willing to humiliate himself for a laugh. And for that, we can all be grateful.

click here for the clip

5. "My dad was a turd miner." - In this classic clip from the DNC episodes, Colbert is so funny he gets Stewart to almost break character:

click here for the clip

6. Drug-Testing Bridge players - One of the first clips I'd ever seen by Colbert, this Bridge clip has been held up as one of Colbert's quintessential pieces, a model for all the Daily Show pieces that came after it:

click here for the clip

7. George Bush jacks off a horse - Colbert and Stewart keep it real and show they're not serious about being a news show with this lowest-common-denominator and devastating clip:

click here for the clip

8. The most discriminated people in America - Masturbation. Hitler. Amusingly deluded interviewees. This clip has all the hallmarks of Classic Colbert:

click here for the clip

9. "Whatever happened to condemning the Jews?" - I'll admit it, this clip isn't necessarily the best, but it's one of the best "This Week in God" clips, which Colbert helped to pioneer. This clip is bursting with great lines, while still containing biting satire. Enjoy:

click here for the clip

10. Colbert visits an invention conference - This one's from the olden days, but it shows Colbert as his best, playing a doofus while questioning a plethora of "inventors":

click here for the clip

BONUS CLIPS I also love:

Colbert enjoys drugs and wife-swapping- In an amazing exercise of subtext and insinuation, Carrell and Colbert paint a sad picture of two buttoned-up guys gone out of control:

click here for the clip


"The joker in the race card deck" - For some reason I just really think this clip is genius, as Colbert ridicules CA's judicial system during the Michael Jackson trials:

click here for the clip

Why assault weapons are good for the economy - This clip shows Colbert most clearly preparing for his persona on "The Colbert Report," portraying the unflappable conservative against big government, despite his ridiculous ideas:

click here for the clip

***

Related Articles:

Demetri Martin: Spiritual Successor to Mitch Hedberg

The Top 5 Bourne-Improvised Weapons

Why Do DVD Covers Suck?