NationStates Jolt Archive

No, not the TV show...

I recently found out that I might be able to go to a taping of the Colbert Report in New York this summer -- and in researching this possibility, I also found out that if you wait around outside of the studio for awhile after taping ends, there's a fairly good chance you can meet Sir Truthiness himself on his way home, get an autograph, photos, etc.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/152532721_e1de3cadb9.jpg

This could be me (without the Asian-ness)! :cool:

I'm not ashamed to admit that I idolize the man -- hell, it's practically a mancrush. :p But I'm of a shyer disposition IRL, especially around people who I consider funnier or cooler than myself, so I fear that I'll turn into a gibbering moron upon meeting one of my comedic heroes.

So, to ameliorate this a tad, I ask you: do you have heroes? Have you ever met any? And if you ever have/could meet them, what would you say or do -- if you could say or do anything at all? Be honest, people -- misery loves company, after all.

used to have

All my heroes are dead, fictional, or mythological.

Heroes (http://www.britannia-shop.de/media/CadburysHeroes.JPG)? I've eaten loads, but I don't have any at the moment.

I have Mighty Heroes (http://melaman2.com/cartoons/singles/mp3/m-heroes.mp3)!

http://melaman2.com/cartoons/singles/stills/M/m-heroes1.jpg

Very few people here are going to remember them.

I'd really like to meet J. K. Rowling. Provided I ever do, believe me, I have the same fears you do.

Colbert's overrated. He's funny, but he occasionally uses other people's material. Of course, that could be one of his writers stealing material fore him, but that's almost as bad.

Any honest person could tell you that his delivery is a bit off and not just occasionally. He's not a good enough showman to warrant having independent writers.

Either Colbert's a thief or a hack.

I have no heroes. Everyone is human.

Colbert's overrated. He's funny, but he occasionally uses other people's material. Of course, that could be one of his writers stealing material fore him, but that's almost as bad.
Stealing material? Such as what?

Any honest person could tell you that his delivery is a bit off and not just occasionally. He's not a good enough showman to warrant having independent writers.
Ah, but that's part of the appeal. Some of his funniest moments are when he can't keep a straight face -- the Filliam H. Muffman sketch, the Ted Hitler piece, the banana sketch on the Daily Show, etc.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/152532721_e1de3cadb9.jpg


Okay, where's that kid's other hand? Judging by the expression on Colbert's face, I think the kid's goosing him.

My top three heroes:
Bernhard Riemann. Devised the geometry that inspired Einstein.
James Dean. Showed me it's possible to be manly and still have feelings.
PeeWee Herman. Showed me it's possible to be childlike without being childish.

As far as meeting "heroes," over my years as a stagehand, I got used to meeting people whose work I've greatly admired. Jimmy Buffett is probably the most fun. Mikhail Baryshnikov, the most surprising, both in his physical stature and ease to be around. Sting, I learned the most, over the years, about the phases celebrities go through. And Robert Plant took me the longest to be comfortable around.

And Robert Plant took me the longest to be comfortable around.

God, yeah, I saw Plant in a small venue in '02 and he just has this really daunting aura about him. Arthur Brown, the God of Hellfire himself, was supporting... what an awesome night.

My heroes: well Bob Dylan I guess. Not sure what the hell I'd say to him... "like the music, Bob, can we have a couple more before you pop your clogs please" perhaps.

not really, although i thought richard burns was pretty cool. but then he went and died so he no longer wins rallies. i always like carlos sainz too, mainly cuz he isn't colin mcrae who is a dick.

the guy who invented the plymouth-dakar rally is a bit of a legend too.

that motorbike trip that ewan macgregor and chalie thingamybob did inspired me quite a bit although i wouldn't call them heroes.

oh, and i've met one of my favourite writer's, jasper fforde, but i got a bit star struck made a bit of a fool of myself.

PeeWee Herman. Showed me it's possible to be childlike without being childish.

That's odd. He showed me it's possible to get arrested for wanking in a porn theater.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a153/wellxquzme/postings/41-pee-wee-herman-mug-shot.jpg

:p

I met a lot of musicians when I worked for a radio station, and a few politicians just because I have been in the right place at the right time. I have met some actors that are pretty popular (or have been in the past) due to my husband's acting. I haven't ever tripped up once........but, then, none of them were my "heroes", so it wasn't a big deal.

I did trip up twice when meeting people that I do consider hero-ish, like Gary Gygax, and Jonathan Frakes........but I figure that's normal-ish, and shouldn't be held against me.

That's odd. He showed me it's possible to get arrested for wanking in a porn theater.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a153/wellxquzme/postings/41-pee-wee-herman-mug-shot.jpg

:p

You're confusing the actor with the character ;)

Stealing material? Such as what?
Such as Ze Frank's physicist donut joke and his poetry nerd moth eating the tears from sleeping birds joke.
Ah, but that's part of the appeal. Some of his funniest moments are when he can't keep a straight face -- the Filliam H. Muffman sketch, the Ted Hitler piece, the banana sketch on the Daily Show, etc.
I think Stewart does the same thing better.

not really, although i thought richard burns was pretty cool. but then he went and died so he no longer wins rallies. i always like carlos sainz too, mainly cuz he isn't colin mcrae who is a dick.

the guy who invented the plymouth-dakar rally is a bit of a legend too.

that motorbike trip that ewan macgregor and chalie thingamybob did inspired me quite a bit although i wouldn't call them heroes.

oh, and i've met one of my favourite writer's, jasper fforde, but i got a bit star struck made a bit of a fool of myself.

Oh, man! Writers! I saw Kurt Vonnegut lecture, before I was a stagehand. Meeting him would be sweet!

Such as Ze Frank's physicist donut joke
I don't recall that one, but then again, I've never watched Ze Frank. Although I do StumbleUpon his pages pretty often... I should check out his show sometime.


and his poetry nerd moth eating the tears from sleeping birds joke.
To be fair, that was a "wacky news"-type current events story, so you can't really blame him for riffing on it, especially considering the nature of the show.

I think Stewart does the same thing better.
I disagree -- the "I'm fallible, I laugh at myself" aura is pretty much part of his persona. Self-deprecation is his thing, and he does it pretty much on a nightly basis. Colbert's character, OTOH, is much more serious and self-assured, and his "straight-faced-ness" is so good that he rarely breaks character... making it all the more funny when it does happen.