When the term "American hero" comes to mind, people tend to think of Stephen Colbert. Colbert is a media figure who has become synonymous with patriotism in the United States. His new DVD, "The Best of The Colbert Report," hits stores tomorrow.
Colbert first came to national fame on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" as a popular correspondent who delivered a segment on the show. In 2005, Colbert left the show and created his pundit-parody spin-off, "The Colbert Report."
The DVD allows fans to look back and see the greatest moments of the show. Colbert hosts a number of original segments, including Green Screen Challenge, the best moments of which have been compiled onto this two-hour satire on U.S. media and politics.
Colbert's character (a lampooned version of right-wing talking heads like Bill O'Reilly) has visibly developed over the years, and Colbert has become much more confident in delivering his routine about freedom. It is somewhat strange to look back and see him as slightly nervous when performing his iconic segment on "Truthiness." Looking back, the differences in his character are noticeable, and it's satisfying to see how Colbert has developed into one of the most celebrated media figures in the United States.
Regardless, Colbert pulls no punches, delivering the routines he has become so popular for. Whether he invents new words - some of which have been inducted into formal dictionaries - or makes fun of elected officials in "Better Know a District," the comedy of "The Colbert Report" continues to be delivered in a humorous and entertaining way without coming off as too heavy-handed or biased.
A few small criticisms make this DVD release less than perfect, however. The problem with some of Colbert's jokes is that they run over a period of days or even weeks, making them difficult to compile into a DVD. Frequently, "The Colbert Report" includes references to jokes made in previous episodes or foreshadows what may happen in future episodes. Subsequently, some of the gags seem a little too esoteric to the uninitiated "Colbert Report" watcher.
Additionally, "The Best of The Colbert Report" is all the DVD is - the best scenes from the show, or at least the ones that attracted the most media attention. There are no special features of which to speak, and the absence of an interview with Colbert, a "making of" feature, or any gag reels or bloopers makes the DVD feel incomplete. "The Best of the Colbert Report" is certainly a testament to the massive impact that Stephen Colbert has had on the United States and how he has managed to make millions of Americans laugh every week. There is no doubt that Colbert's segments are all well-written and that Colbert delivers his jokes in a cheeky way that endears him to his audiences. But a DVD about a comedian should include more than just his finest moments. Perhaps more content would have made this best-of compilation a more fitting tribute to Stephen Colbert.
