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

***

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Tony Snow Is a Liar

I usually don't just put up posts with Daily Show videos but I figure since I already made a road trip post, it's no big deal.

The reason I'm posting these vids is because for some reason I just thought last night's Daily Show was hilarious, even moreso than usual. Stewart continually proves that he can pull off not only political satire, but plain old screwball comedy. Watch, and be amazed.

Note: These vids (and this post) will be taken down when the vids expire.

CNN Wallows In Its Own Stupidity, Covers Paris Hilton Ad Nauseum

I love it when Jon Stewart takes the media to school on its own crapulence:


Jon, you are my hero. You say it much better than I ever could.

Jon Stewart Interviews Al Gore

Comedy Central: Why do you torture me (and everyone else) with time limits on your videos? By doing so, you have prevented thousands upon thousands of people from seeing your programs through sites like mine. Mini-rant over.

Anyway, I thought this was a great interview that had as much insight into Jon Stewart's work, as it did into Al Gore's:

Larry Wilmore

[Update: I've updated this post with recent Larry Wilmore videos. Also, Larry Wilmore recently gave a fantastic interview on Fresh Air. Listen to it at this link.]







I think Larry Wilmore started off weakly at the Daily Show, but since then his comedy has really improved to become more biting, more self-deprecating, and ultimately, much more hilarious.

Enjoy.

There Are More Important Things Than Anna Nicole Smith

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This year, Time Magazine's Person of the Year was...You. By tipping its hat to user-generated content, Time Magazine acknowledged the prevalence of Web 2.0 and decreed that bloggers, Youtubers, and Diggers would usher in the next generation of news, media, and insight into our world.

Jon Stewart responded to this by saying: "Yes, it's almost as though consumers have moved on because mainstream media has abdicated its responsibilities."

I couldn't agree more.

Children are maimed and dying in Iraq. Genocide continues unabated in Darfur. We have an Executive Branch currently in power that has been responsible for some of the following incidents (this is a partial list):

-Neglecting the dangers in New Orleans in the days leading up to and the years following Hurricane Katrina.
-Outing an FBI secret agent as a form of political payback.
-Spending billions of dollars per week on a war that they mislead the American people into.
-Potentially making overtures to take us to war with Iran.

But even today, Saturday, February 7th, at 2:10 pm, a glimpse over at CNN.com reveals what's really on mainstream media's minds:

Anna Nicole Smith.

"More tests needed for how Smith died."

"Three men say they could be Smith's baby's dad."

"Boy allegedly told by mom to kill gives in."

Wait, that last one doesn't have to do with Anna Nicole Smith. But this gives you a good idea...a few days ago, the media feeding frenzy was at even higher fevered pitch. Article after article after article about every minor detail in Smith's death (and many about her life).

When a national figure or icon dies, we should mourn. But given all the things that are happening in the world, and the commentary and criticism that should be taking place, and given that Anna Nicole Smith is completely inconsequential in all of that, I really don't care about Anna Nicole Smith. And neither should you, CNN.