Today I'm off to New York City to give a conference paper on Stephen Colbert. I live a rough life, I know.
Here's the abstract:
‘Tip of the Hat, Wag of the Finger’: Stephen Colbert and the Value of Performance
One of Comedy Central's flagship programs is The Colbert Report, a late night television program that combines comedy, political satire, parody, and variety. The personality of Stephen Colbert is one of an extreme satirization of conservative pundits, with much of his program highlighting extreme hyperbole to the point of utter absurdity. The premise of the show is ultimately performance, however, with Colbert himself playing the part of a “well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot” that shares his name. His penchant for showmanship transcends his jokes behind the desk; Colbert the performer often sings and dances with (or in spite of) his guests, and selects musical guests that range from rock groups like Cheap Trick to viral Internet sensations discovered on Reddit (e.g., Movits!).
Performance—particularly musical performance—is central to Stephen Colbert’s masterfully crafted faux-pundit persona. From breaking character to show and reinforce the farce, to singing with musical guests like John Legend, Elvis Costello, Michael Stipe, Dolly Parton, and Neil Young, Stephen Colbert positions himself as a proprietor of popular culture and “quality” music. This premise of performance is the focus of this article, in particular the importance of Colberts’s musical performances and choices in musical guests in reinforcing his own showmanship and awareness of popular musical and artistic trends. Over the course of the show’s eight-year history, Colbert has placed himself in the position of a proprietor of “quality” music, and has used both performance and performers to legitimize himself as a performer, musician, and master of popular culture.
Come on down to NYU-Steinhardt this weekend to hear my paper! Sunday, June 2, 11am. You can find out more about the conference here.
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