Stephen Colbert dictates social commentary
With what seems like the release of a book coveted by our generation, Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!) made its way to bookshelves this past Tuesday morning.
Comedy Central
Comedian Stephen T. Colbert, grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, which is the cultural center of the South. He is the last of 11 kids in his family. He went into journalism. Colbert won four Emmys, two Peabodys, two Television Critics Association nods. In addition to his televised work, Stephen has penned three best-selling books.
The statement that it is a coveted book comes from the concept that in the past two days since its release, there have been six attempts of theft on this particular copy since it's purchase.
To begin the discussion, the marketing of this book is not just based on the success of John Stewart's book, America (the Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction or the success of Colbert's program. It can also be attributed to the very effective and cheap advertisement of shamelessly plugging the book on both, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Colbert's method of just basically saying: "buy my book, or your not American" is a good way of judging the books satirical nature.
Nothing in it should be taken seriously as Colbert addresses concerns that seem either trivial or extremist in an extremely ridiculous way.
For example, he addresses the issue of gay marriage with the age-old concept of the Nuclear Family: a mother, a father and 2.3 kids. By bringing up the principle that the "ideal American family" is a mother, two kids, and an all mighty father, Colbert builds on the concept that anything else cannot be a family.
Colbert builds on the satire with a series of references and allusions that can be learned in modern high school curriculum. To continue on the homosexual example, Colbert denounces homosexuality in several ways in his book, however he uses quotes from Song of Myself, a poem by nineteenth century naturalist Walt Whitman. The comedy is addressed in the fact that Walt Whitman was himself a homosexual who wrote about many sexual ideas between two men.
The reality is the book is a quick read and has an "immediate entertainment" feel to it through the off the wall responses to issues. What the book really seems to be is not just a funny book written by an American funny man, but a spoof on American extremist beliefs and practices. Then again, I could be wrong. Either way, I Am America (And So Can You!) is entertaining.
