How Many Stephen Colberts Are There?

January 5, 2012 6:21 PM

How Many Stephen Colberts Are There? There used to be just two Stephen Colberts, and they were hard enough to distinguish...

There used to be just two Stephen Colberts, and they were hard enough to distinguish. The main difference was that one thought the other was an idiot. The idiot Colbert was the one who made a nice paycheck by appearing four times a week on “The Colbert Report” (pronounced in the French fashion, with both t’s silent), the extremely popular fake news show on Comedy Central. The other Colbert, the non-idiot, was the 47-year-old South Carolinian, a practicing Catholic, who lives with his wife and three children in suburban Montclair, N.J., where, according to one of his neighbors, he is “extremely normal.” One of the pleasures of attending a live taping of “The Colbert Report” is watching this Colbert transform himself into a Republican superhero.

...

Lately, though, there has emerged a third Colbert. This one is a version of the TV-show Colbert, except he doesn’t exist just on screen anymore. He exists in the real world and has begun to meddle in it.

posted by modernnomad (84 comments total)

In June, after petitioning the Federal Election Commission, he started his own super PAC

I was kind of wondering what had happened to this story.

In August, during the run-up to the Ames straw poll, some Iowans were baffled to turn on their TVs and see a commercial that featured shots of ruddy-cheeked farm families, an astronaut on the moon and an ear of hot buttered corn. It urged viewers to cast write-in votes for Rick Perry by spelling his name with an “a” — “for America.”

That is so totally awesome.
posted by KokuRyu at 6:35 PM on January 5 [7 favorites]

A voice-over at the end announced that the commercial had been paid for by an organization called Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, which is the name of Colbert’s super PAC, an entity that, like any other super PAC, is entitled to raise and spend unlimited amounts of soft money in support of candidates as long as it doesn’t “coordinate” with them, whatever that means. Of such super-PAC efforts, Colbert said, “This is 100 percent legal and at least 10 percent ethical.”
posted by KokuRyu at 6:35 PM on January 5 [10 favorites]

Ha! Re: his SuperPAC name...

My 2012 presidential run slogan I've had for a few years now is "Symbioid 2012: Together, we can make history history." :)
posted by symbioid at 6:37 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]

I read this article earlier today and it's fantastic. Honestly, with a system so blatantly corrupt as we currently have in regards to campaign finance, it's about the cleverest way I can think of to really see the sausage being made. Even if that's not his intent.
posted by absalom at 6:51 PM on January 5 [5 favorites]

But how does this affect Super Pac-Man?
posted by GavinR at 7:05 PM on January 5 [4 favorites]

Ooh, flashbacks of eating wretchedly sweet Pac-Man cereal as a kid.
posted by KokuRyu at 7:09 PM on January 5

My 16 year old son fielded a call from a Boston Globe telemarketer by saying "I get all my news from Stephen Colbert". Max adores Stephen. Hopefully, he'll also read a newspaper at some point.
posted by Biblio at 7:15 PM on January 5 [11 favorites]

I liked his show a lot better when he was playing it straight; the constant winking he's doing now makes him much less effective, I think. But his SuperPAC and his 501(c)(4) are pure genius. It's hard to imagine better a satire of our dysfunctional system. "With an A," indeed.
posted by Slothrup at 7:18 PM on January 5 [2 favorites]

IT reminds me of nothing so much as the Yippies or deep Merry Pranksterism. He's worked himself into a really interesting position where people are no longer completely certain where he's coming from, and monkeywrenching like crazy from that pivot point.
posted by Miko at 7:24 PM on January 5 [18 favorites]

zomg the recent interview he did with the Repubican trope maker (the guy that coined "death tax" etc)...that was the funniest thing I've seen in ages.
posted by Chekhovian at 7:31 PM on January 5 [4 favorites]

I liked his show a lot better when he was playing it straight; the constant winking he's doing now makes him much less effective, I think.

MY response to that is, Republicans continue to watch the show and think he's playing it straight, so obviously he's not winking enough.
posted by JHarris at 7:36 PM on January 5 [5 favorites]

The best part of him is when he gets really into a bit and looks like the kid in school that can't believe he's getting away with this.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 7:40 PM on January 5 [10 favorites]

Wasn't the show originally called The Colbert Rapport, and not just The Colbert Report with an accent on that "e"? And didn't even the Rapport have an accent?
posted by anothermug at 7:41 PM on January 5

The article is a nice overview of Colbert, but it doesn't take long to totally undercut its own thesis: the idea that there were once two distinct Colberts and now it's more complicated. He's blurred the line between fiction and reality since long before the show started. It's not really more complicated now, just more famous.
posted by scottreynen at 7:45 PM on January 5 [4 favorites]

anothermug: "Wasn't the show originally called The Colbert Rapport, and not just The Colbert Report with an accent on that "e"? And didn't even the Rapport have an accent?"

No.
posted by Hargrimm at 8:12 PM on January 5 [15 favorites]

God, this brings up memories of when I had to explain to a friend that The Colbert Report was not a right-wing show that had somehow made it onto Comedy Central, and in fact the man he loved was mocking everything he held dear.

Good times, good times.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:14 PM on January 5 [22 favorites]

He's been in the 'real' world since he broke the ice at the White House Correspondent's dinner back in 06.

Remember when, if someone said something bad about Bush, it was quietly, with a disclaiming titter about being sent to Guantanamo? Remember? Good. Never Forget.
posted by clarknova at 8:19 PM on January 5 [18 favorites]

Still really bummed that he never finished his 436 part series "Better Know a District". The two with the Georgia congressmen where one couldn't name all 10 commandments despite sponsoring a 10 commandments in schools bill and the other one who let Steven comb his mustache were hilarious.

Also his WH correspondence dinner speech was courageous. The only other time you saw that look on Bush's dull, smug face was when the Iraqi reporter nearly got him with his shoe.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:43 PM on January 5 [34 favorites]

Still really bummed that he never finished his 436 part series "Better Know a District". The two with the Georgia congressmen where one couldn't name all 10 commandments despite sponsoring a 10 commandments in schools bill and the other one who let Steven comb his mustache were hilarious.

He could really only do so many districts before someone, somewhere, finally caught on and refused the interview.
posted by asnider at 8:47 PM on January 5

Still really bummed that he never finished his 436 part series "Better Know a District".

It isn't that he didn't finish it, per se. It's that once he got rolling on it, the schtick became apparent and nobody would agree to be part of it.

He still does a segment if/when he can get someone to agree to do it. It's just that finding someone to do it has become impossible.
posted by hippybear at 8:48 PM on January 5

Is it even possible to have too many Stephen Colberts?

We should have at least be entitled to one per household.
posted by NailsTheCat at 8:51 PM on January 5 [9 favorites]

I know why he didn't finish, it would be political malpractice today to allow the candidate/congressman to be made a fool of like that.

Maybe his SuperPAC should offer them some money, they'll come running.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:52 PM on January 5

His Superpac work has become my favourite part of his show. The last Karl Rove baiting segment was particularly delicious. I really want to see that bit again for laugh.
posted by vicx at 9:05 PM on January 5

Super Pac-Man
posted by furiousxgeorge at 9:25 PM on January 5

His writers are great. "I Am America and So Can You" is just full of really good jokes. One after another. They're super deft with language. They really know how to jack with your expectations of how a sentence is going to play out. And Colbert performs them so well in that he never tips his hand as to the absurdity that's coming.

And I'll always, always love him for the White House Dinner. That was heroic.

I think he's the best thing going.
posted by Trochanter at 9:30 PM on January 5 [7 favorites]

He could really only do so many districts before someone, somewhere, finally caught on and refused the interview.

I used to work in a congressional office and sat in the cubicle next to the press secretary. Overhearing her on the phone turning down the Colbert Report was one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever endured, although I had to admit it was probably a smart decision.
posted by naoko at 9:47 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]

Colbert, not Obama, is playing 11-dimensional chess.
posted by Mental Wimp at 10:19 PM on January 5 [16 favorites]

Stephen Colbert: In Good 'Company' On Broadway

posted by gen at 10:36 PM on January 5

I have a framed Rolling Stone cover (seen in the stairwell photo in the slide show) in my office. It's a reminder to keep hope alive as long as Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are around.

Add me to the list of people who consider the WHCD speech to be historic. I'm one of the people who signed Thank You Stephen Colbert.
posted by luminarias at 10:48 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]

6
posted by joelf at 11:59 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]

For completely different reasons even though they both make me actually laugh out loud, Colbert and Craig Ferguson are two of my favorite television people, pretty much ever.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:58 AM on January 6 [5 favorites]

Anyone who wants to do a callback to an earlier Colbert-like individual would do good to read up on Pat Paulsen.
posted by jscott at 1:39 AM on January 6

Nitpick: the correct plural should be "Stephens Colbert", like "attorneys general".
posted by ubernostrum at 1:50 AM on January 6 [31 favorites]

From the article:

Other promising bits abandoned recently were one about a porn bunker developed by some adult filmmakers in anticipation of the Mayan doomsday prophecy; one examining the possible Nazi past of the clothing company Hugo Boss; a piece about how it’s legal in 36 states for prisons to shackle pregnant inmates while they’re giving birth...

W!

T!

F!?
posted by Ritchie at 3:31 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]

He's been in the 'real' world since he broke the ice at the White House Correspondent's dinner back in 06.

He instantly went into my Hall of Fame for that one. As an american, meeting Presidents is a little nerve-racking. They aren't exactly what you expect in the flesh. Elder Bush is tall and quite funny; George W. disarmingly likable and I've been told Clinton's charisma is palpable. I can't imagine what it took physically for him to lampoon a sitting president from a few feet away. Top shelf.
posted by acheekymonkey at 5:26 AM on January 6 [4 favorites]

MetaFilter: monkeywrenching like crazy from that pivot point.
posted by Splunge at 5:59 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]

Yes, Bill Clinton's charisma is palpable, even at a distance. The man was always "on", the time I observed him. Of course, charisma gets amplified with people's focus and center shifting to the charismatic figure. So yes, Colbert was amazing at the WHC dinner. It was worth it to see the discomfiture of the press corps. Truth to power.
posted by jadepearl at 6:11 AM on January 6

Palp is an exciting backformation.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:26 AM on January 6

Every time I make something concrete, some asshole comes along and palps it before it's ready.
posted by COBRA! at 7:03 AM on January 6

He instantly went into my Hall of Fame for that one. As an american, meeting Presidents is a little nerve-racking. They aren't exactly what you expect in the flesh. Elder Bush is tall and quite funny; George W. disarmingly likable and I've been told Clinton's charisma is palpable. I can't imagine what it took physically for him to lampoon a sitting president from a few feet away. Top shelf.

I agree with this completely. There was a Mythbusters where they did a Presidential Myth, and the stoic and in-control-at-all-times Jamie was reduced to tears when the president started complimenting them.
posted by gjc at 7:06 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]

It seems like Colbert is eventually going to spin himself in to real politician. The show itself seems very demading, and I can't imagine him wanting to do it forever. And he definitely seems tied to South Carolina. How crazy would it be if he ended up governor of SC?
posted by rosswald at 7:12 AM on January 6

It seems like Colbert is eventually going to spin himself in to real politician.

Our political system is a joke, why not a comedian/politician? But only if he stays both, unlike Al Franken, who got all serious and stuff (not that it's a bad thing, but there are lots of serious politicians).
posted by tommasz at 7:40 AM on January 6

Imagine Colbert in the Republican presidential primaries. He's got at least as much chance of being elected as Herman Cain did.

I'm picturing him at one of those eight-fold debates, struggling to come up with something more outrageous to say than Michelle Bachman. I'm not sure he could do it.
posted by straight at 7:40 AM on January 6

I believe that in the coming years Colbert will be viewed as a (the?) classic satirist of this age.
posted by incandissonance at 7:45 AM on January 6 [5 favorites]

They're super deft with language. They really know how to jack with your expectations of how a sentence is going to play out. And Colbert performs them so well in that he never tips his hand as to the absurdity that's coming.

Seconded.

Every time I think the Colbert blowhard persona's tapped out, he finds another dimension for it. I was particularly delighted by the series of pre-Xmas segments in which he embodied Donald Trump, barking out self-aggrandisements as he hunted for sponsors for his "Stephen Colbert's South Carolina Serious, Classy Primary." The first one - which I'd link to if I weren't in Canada and unable to actually see the US version - is one of the finest two-minute chunks of satire I've seen in a long while.
posted by gompa at 8:01 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]

Colbert, not Obama, is playing 11-dimensional chess.

I'm pretty sure the game Colbert is playing involves 20-sided dice.
posted by rokusan at 8:19 AM on January 6 [14 favorites]

Our political system is a joke, why not a comedian/politician?

I'm pretty sure there was a movie about that. It wasn't very good.
posted by scalefree at 8:21 AM on January 6

Clinton is the only person to have ever rendered me speechless in person, much to my husband's amusement. (He's known my mouthy self for 20+ years, it was a first). I only wish Stephen Colbert could have that kind of distortion-field effect on Republicans and gently twist them towards the good.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 8:25 AM on January 6

I only wish Stephen Colbert could have that kind of distortion-field effect on Republicans and gently twist them towards the good.

Or at least gently twist them until they're no longer in a functional form.
posted by FatherDagon at 9:11 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]

So what are the physics involved in taking a photo of a reflection in a mirror? Will the entire depth of the reflection be in focus? This seems like it shouldn't be.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 9:32 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]

I was at the Colbert Report as the body man to a guest one time. We were back stage in the green room, and Stephen walked in and introduced himself ("Hi, I'm Stephen Colbert, and I'm not in character"). I work with astronauts, and he was like a little kid- it was hilarious. He asked all the questions kids do ("how do you really go to the bathroom?"), and was totally sincere. Then it started getting closer to showtime, and he did exactly what the article said- basically listen, I'm going to be a jerk, treat me like a total idiot. Of course, like he seems to be with people he genuinely respects, he was funny but quite kind on the show (and the filming happens pretty much like you see it on TV- I think the only bit they repeated that night was the opening "TONIGHT!").

Best part was after the show, when we were all relieved that it was over. He was telling the astronaut how he was going to be flying with the Blue Angels, and was there was anything he could do to keep from getting sick during the flight.

"Sure," she said, "tomato soup."
"Tomato soup will keep me from getting sick?" he asked.
"Oh no, you're going to get sick. It's just easier coming up."

(I have a picture of the two of them at my desk- he said "pretend to be weightless!" right before I took it. He's doing it better than she is in the photo.)
posted by zap rowsdower at 10:09 AM on January 6 [20 favorites]

ubernostrum:
re: Nitpick: the correct plural should be "Stephens Colbert", like "attorneys general".

This, too, is really a nitpick for your nitpick! Isn't the rule for compound nouns that the most significant word is give the modification for plurals? Probably an institutional or personal style issue, but I think
AP and NYPL would use "Stephen Colberts," and use a an identifier on second reference; perhaps: "the character, Stephen Colbert vs. the activist, Stephen Colbert."

It is tricky. Problem is if the first word is an attributive noun. Example might be, "Project Managers."
posted by Duck_Lips at 10:29 AM on January 6

I can assure you Stephens Colbert is correct, it's just one of those weird exceptions to the rule you get in English sometimes.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 10:34 AM on January 6

I take exception too. You assure us based on what style guide?
posted by Miko at 10:41 AM on January 6

heh, how about ”Colberts (Stephen)”? :-)
posted by -harlequin- at 10:45 AM on January 6

I prefer Colberati, gives its a nice classical feel.
posted by Panjandrum at 11:00 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]

I take exception too. You assure us based on what style guide?

The one in my GUT.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 11:03 AM on January 6 [5 favorites]

Yeah, intestinal style sheets are notoriously hard to reference.
posted by Miko at 11:29 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]

T.D. Strange: "Still really bummed that he never finished his 436 part series "Better Know a District". The two with the Georgia congressmen where one couldn't name all 10 commandments despite sponsoring a 10 commandments in schools bill and the other one who let Steven comb his mustache were hilarious. "

Lynn "I Can't Name 'Em All" Westmoreland (alt)

Phil "Indeed, I Am A Georgia Peach" Gingrey

(You can thank Rahm Emanuel for killing the 435-part dream, btw.)
posted by Rhaomi at 11:57 AM on January 6

I liked his show a lot better when he was playing it straight; the constant winking he's doing now makes him much less effective, I think.

Any chance you could point to some of those classic clips? Because I remember dismissing the show initially after its first week or so on the air as not being straight-faced enough for my tastes (and my expectations). It was only much later that someone pointed out to me that he'd reached his stride.
posted by nobody at 12:16 PM on January 6

Palp is an exciting backformation.

It's not a backformation.
posted by kenko at 12:50 PM on January 6

My last pick of the nits. Word use can certainly be a moving target, particularly in light of prescriptivism versus descriptivism and styles for various media and professional associations. After a quick search of edited sources, I have only found the plural modifier add to the surname. Many examples came from staries about a television show that swapped the lives of same namers including the David Hasselhoffs, the Kathy Griffins and even the Reggie Bushes.
I am not sure the world can handle more than one Hoff.
There can only be one.
posted by Duck_Lips at 12:59 PM on January 6 [1 favorite]

You see, there's Stephen Carell, the character Stephen Colbert, and the actor Stephen Colbert. The latter two Stephens, the Stephens Colbert, are the subject of this article.

Wikipedia will prove that I'm right in a minute or two.
posted by straight at 1:13 PM on January 6 [2 favorites]

And indeed the original NYT article plumps for Stephen Colberts. Attourneys General makes sense. Stephens Colbert does not.
posted by NailsTheCat at 1:19 PM on January 6

I never got the hang of pluralizing compounds noun.
posted by Zozo at 1:19 PM on January 6 [2 favorites]

(Duck_Lips, I'm pretty sure the "Stephens Colbert" proponents were joking.)
posted by nobody at 1:21 PM on January 6 [1 favorite]

His bit on the NDAA last night was great: The Word - Catch 2012
posted by homunculus at 1:32 PM on January 6

You see, there's Stephen Carell, the character Stephen Colbert, and the actor Stephen Colbert. The latter two Stephens, the Stephens Colbert, are the subject of this article.

I see your point, but that is a different usage - one of distinction from another kind of Stephen, not referencing multiple versions of a single kind of Stephen, the Colbert kind.
posted by Miko at 1:36 PM on January 6

(Duck_Lips, I'm pretty sure the "Stephens Colbert" proponents were joking.)

AS if that were a reason for nits to go unpicked!
posted by Miko at 1:37 PM on January 6

Holy shit, is EVERY thread about grammar / spelling today?
posted by Dark Messiah at 3:59 PM on January 6 [1 favorite]

It's not a backformation.

You're not a backformation. But you're right, of course. I blame the beer.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:51 PM on January 6

Stephen Colbert is the Jester-Davinci of our age. We never know where he is going next, but whatever he chooses, we know it will be brilliant. No iconic idea will go unmocked.

As some people remember where they were during an historic event, I remember watching CSPAN - stunned - as Colbert addressed White House Correspondents Dinner. I immediately posted to metafilter (it was one of my first posts!); I was holding my breath as Colbert's name started flying across every online blog/space/link ... it was on.



and, yes, there was a problem with my SPELLING ... it should have been 'Stephen'- not 'Steven' .... metafilter is nothing if not consistent.
posted by Surfurrus at 5:01 PM on January 6 [1 favorite]

Metafilter: Wikipedia will prove that I'm right in a minute or two.
posted by jscott at 2:32 PM on January 7

You see, there's Stephen Carell, the character Stephen Colbert, and the actor Stephen Colbert. The latter two Stephens, the Stephens Colbert, are the subject of this article.

I've had many breaksthrough in my thinking, but his one is the bestest.
posted by Mental Wimp at 4:41 PM on January 7

PPP South Carolina Poll

7 If the Republican candidates for President
were Stephen Colbert, Newt Gingrich, Jon
Huntsman, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney,
Rick Santorum, and Buddy Roemer who would
you vote for?

Stephen Colbert 5%

Newt Gingrich 23%

Jon Huntsman 4%

Ron Paul 8%

Rick Perry 7%

Mitt Romney 27%

Rick Santorum 18%

Buddy Roemer 1%

Someone else/Not sure 8%

Not bad for someone not in the race, if he entered and did some campaigning he could probably pass Paul and Perry too.

9 Do you think that corporations are people or
that only people are people?

Corporations are people 33%

Only people are people 67%
posted by furiousxgeorge at 5:44 PM on January 7 [1 favorite]

Stephen Colbert Leads Jon Huntsman In South Carolina Poll
posted by homunculus at 10:23 AM on January 11

BREAKING: In Colbert taping, @StephenAtHome announces he is exploring run for president of the "United States of America of South Carolina"

Mike Allen @mikeallen Close
in Colbert taping @StephenAtHome hands control of super PAC to Jon Stewart, making it street legal for him to explore run, per Trevor Potter

posted by furiousxgeorge at 7:56 PM on January 12

FOR REALLY IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Under New Management!

BASIC CABLE, USA – Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, an FEC registered Super PAC, today announced the addition of Jon Stewart to its executive board (along with the subtraction of Stephen Colbert).

With this change the group, which had been known colloquially as Colbert Super PAC, can now be referred to as The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC. They have already begun updating all of their letterhead with sharpie.

"I am excited to take the reins of this completely independent organization, and begin to air ads in South Carolina," said New President and Noncommunication Director Jon Stewart. "But I want to be clear: Stephen and I have in no way have worked out a series of morse-code blinks to convey information with each other on our respective shows."

Colbert is currently exploring a run for President of the United States of South Carolina. Because of this, he cannot be associated with any Super PACs, although he has asked Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow to forward any periodicals of an "adult nature." *

Americans A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow is an independent, expenditure-only committee founded by Stephen Colbert in the wake of the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, then handed down to Jon Stewart like a pair of old dungarees.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 9:20 PM on January 12 [1 favorite]

I can't believe Stephen Colbert would hand the reins of his SuperPAC over to a New York media liberal (of a certain ethnicity) like Jon Stewart. I donated money to Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow to support real American patriots like Rick Parry, not to finance Jon Stewart's liberal shenanigans.
posted by straight at 11:01 PM on January 12 [1 favorite]

Colbert Super PAC: Coordination Problem - Coordination Resolution with Jon Stewart
posted by homunculus at 1:16 PM on January 13

A young Jon Stewart in mosh pit at Dead Kennedys show
posted by homunculus at 9:48 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]

Colbert’s Super PAC Raises More Than $1 Million
posted by homunculus at 7:58 PM on January 31

Some small observations from the filing (pdf link):

• As of January 1st, the amount raised was around $825k, so we can assume $175k was raised in the last month alone.
• Apart from the $500 donation from Gavin Newsom (mentioned in the NYT article above), another notable donor is Alex Rigopulos, CEO of Harmonix, who gave $9600.00.
• A company called "Campaign Solutions" was paid a total of $54,445 for ""Finance Consulting and Contribution Processing Fee[s]." (plus around $6,200 for "web services")
• No expenditures are listed for either Frank Luntz or Luntz Global, LLC, so unless he was paid under a different name/business, it looks like those consultancies were either paid for by the TV show or unpaid in exchange for the promotion (or not yet paid/invoiced as of Jan 1st, I suppose).
• It looks like the ad buys (in Iowa only, since, again, this filing only includes expenditures up until Jan 1st) added up to only $13,280.
• Over $30,000 was spent on making T-shirts.
• Two t-shirt designers were paid only $30 and $40 each for their designs.
• MTV was paid $236.82 for "Email Communications."
• The fake names mentioned on Monday's show donated well below the minimum that would require their inclusion on the form, but they were nonetheless really added to the form. (One used a P.O. box, but the other looks like a legitimate address.)
• Multiple people gave series of donations in which at least one was exactly 31.49. Is that just a coincidence or does the number mean something in Colbert-land?
• It doesn't look like any of the disbursements marked as for "writing" went to Jon Stewart's staff, but the key weeks when control/work was supposedly passed along to Stewart aren't included in this filing period, so their absence is inconclusive.

posted by nobody at 9:59 PM on January 31 [2 favorites]

From the NYTimes, Who’s Financing the ‘Super PACs’, with links to all the FCC filings. I considered making an FPP based on this, but I'm not sure there's really that much of interest to note, besides the fact that -- with the exception of Colbert's and Herman Cain's -- no Super PAC received less than 84% of its donations from donors giving in excess of $25,000. Romney's and Gingrich's received 98% from large donors. Obama's received 99% from large donors.

But that's sort of the point of Super PACs, right?. Anyone wanting to donate less might as well give to the candidate directly.

Footnote: Colbert's (and Herman Cain's) each received only one donation of 5,000 or more. Colbert's received $9600 from the CEO of Harmonix, mentioned above, and Cain's received $5000 from a retiree in Miami Beach.
posted by nobody at 7:29 AM on February 1