A favorite parody of mine has to be Stephen Colbert’s run in the 2008 presidential election. The Colbert Report is a parody political commentary show aired on Comedy Central (http://www.colbertnation.com/home). Presidential candidates provide ample material for Stephen Colbert who “emulates” a conservative host. Colbert has openly credited Bill O’Reilly, an actual talk show host, with the inspiration for The Colbert Report. In order to understand the humor of The Colbert Report an individual must be familiar with political commentary especially on cable television. One also must be aware of political platforms. During the 2008 election Stephen Colbert stole focus from the media with his announced presidential candidacy in which he brought his talk show character into “reality.” The Daily Show is also aired on Comedy Central. Stephen Colbert had been a commentator on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show and often makes appearances since the establishment of his own show The Colbert Report. In the following clip from the Daily Show Stephen Colbert announces his decision to run for the office of the president. What I find hilarious is Stephen Colbert’s obviated self-centered behavior (mocking candidate behavior in general) and attempts at hokey “down- home” tendencies (mocking candidates who try to appeal to the average person).
1 comments:
I think political candidates are so easy to make fun of and lend themselves to parodies. Late night show hosts have made fun of political candidates for years. They all mostly seem to put on such a false front that it's hard not to want to mimic and make fun of them.
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