August 9, 2011 — The Cars
EPISODE NUMBER: 7103 (August 9, 2011)
GUESTS: The Cars
SEGMENTS: Heatsteria | The Word- Head in the Cloud | Lots of Ric Ocasek and The Cars
SUIT REPORT: Black Suit | White Shirt | Black Tie with Gray Spots
VIDEOS: Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Let’s sing a little song: Who is a pundit who works by the sea (well, the Hudson)? And clever and darling and dashing is he! Stephen Colbert!
Tonight’s episode nicely paid tribute to our Friendly (but not so Smartly) Friends over at Fox and Friends, who, as many here have noted, are giving the Report ample material these days. Is there anything that those folks can accept, other than their over-simplified worldviews, and occasional morning parades of Victoria Secret models? I guess for them objectification of women: good, oversimplification of complex, nuanced issues: better, verified scientific data: demon spawn.
The Word also provokes some interesting discussion about the nature of memory in our tech-heavy, digitized world of today. Do you think our memories are being affected by the onslaught of semi-convenient data receptacles constantly being marketed at us, or do you think one can still retain the ability to maintain a level of control with all of this technology around us? I certainly know that I have pretty encyclopedic memory of Report episodes, but the names of my co-workers cause me to draw a little bit of a blank, so I am not the greatest person to field that question.
It was great to see Ric Ocasek on the show. The interview sort of became a “music business in the eighties versus music business now” kind of a conversation. It’s sad to think that creativity has been in any way impacted in the music industry due to the current state of business affairs. Of course, it seemed appropriate that there were not one but two cameos from Supermodel and ardent Fangirl Ms. Paulina Porizkova. Hey Paulina-thanks for representin’! As a band though, The Cars were pretty great, huh? I particularly liked when the camera panned on the audience. It makes the Report feel less political and more fun, which are moments I relish.
What did y’all think of the episode? Don’t be in Follow Mode: comment up!
And don’t forget to check out the Web Exclusive on colbertnation.com, The Cars Performing “My Best Friend’s Girl” Rock on!
Quotabilia
-Big deal. Who cares what it feels like? I feel like I’m 18, but I still get kicked out of college dorms.
-Now fortunately, pundit and part weather balloon Rush Limbaugh….
-Just like their “time index” tells you how “sleepy” to feel. It’s midnight here but 9 in L.A.? Which is it, President Obama? I don’t have to go to bed.
-I don’t believe in thermodynamics. I believe water boils because it’s scared of fire, and trying to jump out of the pot.
-This is even worse than when they pushed alternative lifestyles with Dora the Explorer. It is a chilling endorsement of human-ape relations.
-Slow down, Nickelodeon. He’s a sponge, and he’s got pants? Are there some foot notes I can follow along with?
-This isn’t the only thing Spongebob pushes as fact. He lives in a pineapple under the sea? He’s a fry cook. The most he can afford is a studio grape.
-These days, we live in a 24/7 connected society that’s getting so busy it may soon upgrade to 25.8.
—-Nowadays I can chat online, listen to a podcast, and order groceries, all while looking at kitten war criminals.
-The human brain can only handle about 150 relationships, although other organs can handle more.
-Like when the husband remembers to pay the electric bill, and the wife remembers everything he’s done wrong for the past ten years. [Like criticizing her on TV.]
-An ostrich’s eye is bigger than it’s brain. [Research provided by Snapple caps.]
-As I explaining to my staff, I am constantly forgetting what naked women look like. [Short-term mammary loss.]
-Is Qwerty a city? [Capital of Qwebec.]
-I may just be an empty flesh terminal reliant on technology for all of my ideas, memories, and relationships, but I am confidant that everything that still makes me a unique human being is still out there, somewhere, safe in a theoretical storage space owned by giant multi-national corporations.
-I’m flattered that you would put a whole album, just to get back on my show.
-SC: See I didn’t care for that. See, the punks, and the new-wavers, they seemed related to an art movement, or a social movement. Ric Ocasek: That’s right. SC: But shouldn’t it just be about cash?
-Does that please you, or you disappointed that you haven’t achieved greater dorkdom in the past 24 years?
-(On the suggestion that one of Ocasek’s songs could be done on Glee) On a related topic, do you ever have thoughts of suicide?
"Yeah, make up your minds, scientists. Do you believe in the conclusions you’ve made from decades of peer-reviewed study, or, you know, the wavy-arm thing?"
I listen to Sirius XM 80s on 8 while driving (because I love 80s music, even though I was only around for the last three and a quarter years of the 80s decade), and this morning, while listening to it, “Magic” by The Cars came on! Talk about coincidence! I’m, like, so totally psyched for this show (sorry, couldn’t resist)!
TIP OF THE HAT!
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That was a great episode! I love The Cars and they sounded great. Only one thing… HANDS OFF, PAULINA!!!
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“Oh it’s midnight here but it’s nine in L.A.? Which is it, President Obama? I don’t have to go to bed!” *Stephen yawns*
And, at approximately 11:33 PM, every member of Colbert Nation yawned. At least I did. It really is contagious.
I loved the point they made with The Word. I do think there is some truth to the idea that people remember less because they know they can just look it up online if they forget, although I would argue that it’s not true if you look up and read about something and genuinely find it interesting - it’s much easier to remember and hold a memory of something if you enjoy learning about it. And, as someone who watched Spongebob as a young’in, I appreciated the opening segment. Gretchen Carlson: Spongebob’s a talking sponge who wears pants and works for a penny-pinching crab voiced by Clancy Brown. Oh, and his best friend is a starfish and his pet is a snail. It’s a kid’s show (and a cleverly-written one, if I might add). What’s not to get?
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susan209 Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 12:25 AM
Ha, ha, ha… I think that Gretchen Carlson was having trouble understanding “Sponge Bob” because the description you gave: “Spongebob’s a talking sponge who wears pants and works for a penny-pinching crab voiced by Clancy Brown” is also the perfect description of her male colleagues at Fox and Friends… that is, if you substitute Rupert Murdoch for Clancy Brown.
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lockhart43 Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Haha! You are absolutely right; they are talking sponges. And yes, let’s make sure we substitute Rupert Murdoch for Clancy Brown. Rupert Murdoch: despicable creature whose face is sliding off of his head. Clancy Brown: wonderful character actor with distinguishable voice.
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Oh Fox and Friends, you endless bounty of comedic material. May the ratings gods continue to lay their blessings upon you so that Stephen may sip of your sweet nectar for many moons to come.
“And in a related topic, do you ever have thoughts of suicide?” Bwahaha! Loved The Cars. But sweet Jesus, how tall is Paulina?
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Katt Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 2:17 AM
She’s actually only 5’11, she was standing on a box for the segment.
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My Best Friend’s Girl! How fantastic! Hooray for web exclusives.
Oh, that terrible hilarious call to Nana - beautifully done, I might have missed a little of what followed because I was laughing too hard. I love the moments when you gasp and think “oh no he didn’t, that’s AWFUL”.
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CN Helper Reply:
August 10th, 2011 at 11:38 PM
Thanks Anna for reminding me about the Web Exclusive. I’ve added that to my post…*wags finger at bad blogger self*
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I am definitely going to get that album. I will be so happy to finally have new music to play in my car, and what could be more appropriate than The Cars? Seriously, my inner 70s teenager just rocks out to that music. Watching The Cars last night, I was thinking how great the music was at that time in history when The Cars were at their peak. I’m so glad they’re back, and you could tell that Stephen (a fellow 70s teenager) was genuinely thrilled to have them there.
(One personal shout out to any British Hubsters. I’m traveling to London on Saturday with my 8 year old son, meeting up with my husband after we arrive. I know things are calming down, but I have to admit to slight nerves. I’m staying at a hotel in Bankside, on Southwark Street near the Thames River. I know we don’t usually use this space for personal notes, but if any London fangirls know whether that’s currently a safe area, I’d be reassured to know! Thanks! If personal messages aren’t allowed and this has to be edited out, I understand.)
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colbaby Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 8:16 AM
You guys shouldn’t have any trouble there. Bankside’s a bustling touristy area. It’s the poorer residential areas like Croydon that are getting hit hard. Things seem to have died down though and the clean up effort has been really impressive.
Hmm, how to keep this on topic….ooh I know… Stephen’s HOT! M’right ladies?
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susan209 Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 9:27 AM
Thanks, Colbaby. And yes, YES and YEEEESSSSS to your ancillary statement. Y’right!
(So glad to hear that things are calming down from someone who actually knows these areas. Thanks again.)
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susan209 Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 9:38 AM
Oh! How could I forget to ask! How does one get TCR in London?!? I’ll be taking my laptop, but do they show it on TV?
And once again, to keep it on topic, I’ll have to make a CD of The Cars to bring along as well…
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colbaby Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 5:23 PM
Ah. Well, it doesn’t air here. Nor are the videos on the website accessible from here. But if you have Firefox on your laptop, there is a simple and perfectly legal way to get aroud this. Go here: http://www.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/9sfen/colbert_skewers_beck_for_constant_tears/c0e8jfp
Follow the instructions in the first post. It’ll allow you to view the website just as you would from home. You may want to wait and do it when you get here just so you’ll know straight away whether it worked. Let me know if you have any problems.
Yes yes, The Cars will make for excellent travel music!
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susan209 Reply:
August 11th, 2011 at 9:08 PM
Thanks again, Colbaby. I’ve burned The Cars to a new CD so I’m all set to go to work this morning. I appreciate the link you posted… I have a Macbook, so I’m not sure it will work, but I’ll do some investigating. Thanks again!
TIP OF THE HAT!
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The Cars sounded great. I really liked their new song and “Best Friend’s Girl” is an eighties classic. Took me back.
The whole show was excellent. I am always happy when Stephen has musical guests on, cause he’s got such good taste. If you go to a taping, you can see how much Stephen loves music. He’s often singing and miming songs during the commercial breaks.
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