On DVD: The Best of the Colbert Report

Directed By Jim Hoskinson

Starring: Stephen Colbert

We met him first on The Daily Show, and then he began his own self-named news parody show: The Colbert Report. This seems to be the age of “Best of” compilations, which I usually pass over in favor of a full season box set. However, for a comedy series, a Best of series works like magic because it gives us clips of the funniest and most ludicrous moments on a show.

The Best of the Colbert Report shows some of the best laugh-out-loud antics of this parodying king from the time the show began in 2005. You will see him feel the truth, discuss Wikiality, and meet with the Papa Bear himself, Bill O’Reilly.

The Show

Colbert’s shtick is genious. Stephen created a character who is an ignorant, unscientific, and conservative, idiot news anchor who shares some similarities with the real Colbert. Colbert, the character, has an uncanny phobia of bears, is Roman Catholic, is right-wing, and sells himself as a product. It is said that his character is based on the likes of Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Geraldo Rivera.[i] Colbert’s acting is superb. He acts as though his journalism is sound, though it pushes the envelope in every way. That’s what makes the show the funniest.

One of the highlighted moments of this DVD compilation of The Best include several of the “Better Know a District” routines. Colbert makes it his goal to meet every congressperson in the 435 congressional districts in the 435-part series. The funniest show down occurs between Colbert and Congresswoman Eleanor Norton, who represents the District of Columbia. Colbert asserts that D.C. is not in the United States since it is not a state, to which Norton rebuts until she gets flustered. You gotta love the showing of Florida’s 19^th, where Colbert gets Robert Wexler to say something that would damage his election in his disctrict if he were contested. Wexler says zany things like, “I enjoy cocaine and the company of prostitutes because they are a fun thing to do.”

In “Cooking with the Feminists,” Colbert has Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem visit the show and talk about feminism as he directs them to bake an apple pie. One of my favorite moments, though, is when he has Bill O’Reilly, who Colbert calls Papa Bear (a reference to gay bears), visit the show. There is a portrait of O’Reilly on the wall, which prompts Colbert to tell O’Reilly, “You’re a handsome man,” a comment that makes O’Reilly clearly uncomfortable.

Colbert shows a bit of a nerdy side when he challenges viewers to a green screen challenge, where Colbert does a light saber routine in front of a green screen. George Lucas creates one and comes on the show, only to lose the challenge to an amateur.

Comedy news routines, though hailing back to Saturday Night Live, are great medium for taking a lighter look at the news media, which sometimes takes itself too seriously in a polarized nation like ours. Colbert, to me, is funnier than The Daily Show. This Best Of is a good compilation of a rocking show.

9/10

The Video

The video is presented in full-screen format. The quality is of normal TV production with slight graininess, but an ok quality for what it is.

6/10

The Audio

.The audio is in stereo and the sound is of good quality throughout. There are no major balance issues.

6/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features

The Best of the Colbert Report comes in a standard aramay case with a picture of Colbert on the front cover standing in front of the flag.

There are no bonus features available on this DVD release. A shame, really, but I guess not expected as much in a Best Of compilation.

1/10

Overall (Not an Average) 7/10