Today’s Video: The duality of Colbert

There are occasions when Stephen Colbert emphasizes his quasi-conservative shtick like his appearance at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner or when he gave testimony at a Congressional hearing two weeks ago. Yet there are also times when his commentary can be thought-provoking and profound such as his explanation of why he defended migrant rights during the aforementioned hearing.

These two sides of Colbert's persona were manifested on Tuesday's episode of "The Colbert Report". The first part of the feature discusses violence against Mexican journalists though not without some jokes and quips. Starting at the 3:00 minute mark, however, Colbert takes on a more serious tone while interviewing NPR correspondent John Burnett. While some of his remarks are still humorous Colbert helps to bring out Burnett's expertise on threats against the media and how the drug trade could be changed. It's a very revealing and informed exchange that is well worth watching:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Gang Busters - John Burnett
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

Online Sources - ABC News, YouTube, Colbert Nation

Venezuelan beetle named after Stephen Colbert

Some stories speak for themselves:

“What has six legs and is way cooler than a spider?” asks a riddle on the cover of a birthday card recently sent to Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central.

The answer - Agaporomorphus colberti - a diving beetle from Venezuela that was recently identified by entomologists Quentin Wheeler of Arizona State University and Kelly Miller of the University of New Mexico.

“Last year, Stephen shamelessly asked the science community to name something cooler than a spider to honor him,” Wheeler said. “His top choices were a giant ant or a laser lion. While those would be cool species to discover, our research involves beetles, and they are way cooler than a spider any day.

Image- physorg.com
Online Sources- ecospeak

Today’s Video: Grumbling over Guantanamo

Last week we featured Benicio Del Toro’s appearance on “The Colbert Report” where he discussed communism and Ché Guevara.

On Monday night’s edition of the program American Civil Liberties Union head Anthony Romero sat on the hot seat opposite Stephen Colbert. The interview is well worth watching due to their discussion on the future of the Guantánamo Bay prison and president-elect Barack Obama's mixed signals on when to close it.

(Video link):

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Anthony Romero

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Sources- The Latin Americanist, Colbert Nation, Times Online

Today’s Video: Junot Diaz humbles Stephen Colbert

We’ll continue posting a few items this weekend. Why? Because we care! (The real reason: I have no life).

In the meantime, the below video is of author Junot Diaz’s appearance on “The Colbert Report” earlier this week. In the interview, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Diaz explains his family roots, looks at immigration, and “outgeeks” Colbert by mentioning about triffids.

(Video link):

According to Wikipedia, triffids are “a highly venomous plant species” first mentioned in the fictional 1951 novel “The Day of the Triffids.”

Sources- The Latin Americanist, Comedy Central, YouTube

Video of the Day: "El Chupacabra" is Ron Paul's Uncle?

A segment of Tuesday night's edition of The Colbert Report examined the importance of the Latino vote and included an insightful interview with the director of the National Institute for Latino Politics, Angelo Falcon.

Host Stephen Colbert also looked at how the candidates' Spanish-language ads emphasized family, and decided to create a silly hypothetical commercial for Ron Paul.

(Video link):


Sources- Comedy Central, Columbia University

Video of the Day: From gaucho pants to a "presidenta"?

Last night's The Colbert Report touched briefly on the election of Cristina Kirchner on Sunday as Argentina's first female elected president. Colbert did not drag out his Latino alter ego "Esteban Colberto" for the segment though he naturally expressed worry over the Kirchner-Clinton similarities.

Did I mention that "Dirty War" ex-dictator Jorge Videla may have been a hermaphrodite according to Colbert?

(Video link):

Video of the Day: "Southsourcing"

Satirist/comedian Stephen Colbert gives his two cents on a story we linked to yesterday: the outsourcing of U.S. farm jobs to Mexico. Colbert advocates for increased "southsourcing" of labor to Mexico with the hope that "they don't put up a border fence":