I AM AMERICA (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert

[Matt]

Anyone else read this? While not quite as clever as America: The Book, it is still quite the amusing read. Though the constant foot and side notes are a bit distracting. What are your thoughts?

 

[SuBe]

I Didn't read that one, but "An Inconvienient Book" by Glenn Beck is pretty good.

 

[StorminNorman]

I want to pick up both I AM AMERICA and AN INCONVENIENT BOOK

 

[Bubonic]

Anyone else read this? While not quite as clever as America: The Book, it is still quite the amusing read. Though the constant foot and side notes are a bit distracting. What are your thoughts?

Does Colbert use actual sources?
Thats pretty cool.

 

[Tally Man]

Does Colbert use actual sources?
Thats pretty cool.

Not quite sources more like amusing jokes in the margins. He'll do a joke and on the side or on the bottom there will be a little more to it.

All in all its a good book much like the daily show one which preceded it. I will say that it is slightly better than that book in the regards that there were no naked supreme court justices which ambushed me as I turned a page.

 

[DBella]

Anyone else read this? While not quite as clever as America: The Book, it is still quite the amusing read. Though the constant foot and side notes are a bit distracting. What are your thoughts?

I looked through it when I was at a bookstore last weekend and it is amusing and made me laugh. I thought the foot and side notes were funny for the first ...ohh... 3 or 4 pages, but after that it got on my nerves. Did you finish reading the whole book and would you recommend I buy it?

 

[Bubonic]

Amidst all the hilarity there most be a load of sharp, substantiated criticisms.
For the moments I've had time to watch his show there always was serious messages tagged onto the buffoonery.

 

[SuBe]

Amidst all the hilarity there most be a load of sharp, substantiated criticisms.
For the moments I've had time to watch his show there always was serious messages tagged onto the buffoonery.

That's pretty much the way Incoveinant Book is. The first few chapters are insightful, and amusing, but towards that end it still full of information, but a chore to read. And has no conclusion. I understand the book is Becks view of the world, but he could have put an afterthought to wrap it up and tie it all together.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

Amidst all the hilarity there most be a load of sharp, substantiated criticisms.
For the moments I've had time to watch his show there always was serious messages tagged onto the buffoonery.

That's the appeal of both the Daily Show and Colbert Report, sure it's silly and hilarious, but behing most of the jokes is a real criticism that makes sense. I've probably learned more about politics in this country for both shows than I ever could from any 24-hour news network. Hell I've learned just as much about the 24-hours news networks from the shows too.

On topic though, I really enjoyed the book, alot like the show.

 

[Matt]

I looked through it when I was at a bookstore last weekend and it is amusing and made me laugh. I thought the foot and side notes were funny for the first ...ohh... 3 or 4 pages, but after that it got on my nerves. Did you finish reading the whole book and would you recommend I buy it?

I would. You're right, the foot and side notes do tend to get on nerves, but after awhile you get used to them (and they become less frequent than in the first chapter)

 

[Bubonic]

Definitely feel like picking up the book now, except with all the reading I've got to do in school I hardly have time for recreational reading.

I seriously think that some people are so stupid as to watch Colbert and not think it is satire, but really think he's a right wing nutter.

 

[lemmasaurus]

Great book, or greatest book?

(I already own it and love it. Stephen is my hero.)

 

[jaguarr]

I seriously think that some people are so stupid as to watch Colbert and not think it is satire, but really think he's a right wing nutter.

I know that's the case. I work with some very stereotypical neo-cons and they don't get that he's satire. Even after I TOLD them he is. They think he is awesome and "tells it like it is". It's horribly frightening.

jag

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

They think he is awesome and "tells it like it is". It's horribly frightening.

jag

Holy God.

Reminds me of the guy that killed his girlfriend and said he didn't want to do it but he got possessed by the Blair Witch after watching "The Blair Witch Project".

 

[Figs]

Holy God.

Reminds me of the guy that killed his girlfriend and said he didn't want to do it but he got possessed by the Blair Witch after watching "The Blair Witch Project".

Please don't tell me that that actually happened!

 

[Bubonic]

I know that's the case. I work with some very stereotypical neo-cons and they don't get that he's satire. Even after I TOLD them he is. They think he is awesome and "tells it like it is". It's horribly frightening.

jag

Tell me about it.
Its almost enough to make you physically sick.
Must drive Colbert nuts!

 

[Untilteld]

I own it, haven't gotten around to reading it yet although.

 

[jaguarr]

Tell me about it.
Its almost enough to make you physically sick.
Must drive Colbert nuts!

Actually, I bet he thinks it's amusing as all hell.

jag

 

[ShadowBoxing]

I was disappointed. I was hoping for a book without all the footnotes, pictures and asides from Colbert, something a little more traditional. I have America: The Book, so I don't really have any desire to pick up this one.

 

[Shifty]

Not quite sources more like amusing jokes in the margins. He'll do a joke and on the side or on the bottom there will be a little more to it.

All in all its a good book much like the daily show one which preceded it. I will say that it is slightly better than that book in the regards that there were no naked supreme court justices which ambushed me as I turned a page.

What about the page of dog balls and it implying that one sack belongs to Bob Barker?

I got the book for Christmas, it has its laughs. I borrowed the audiobook from the library last week. That might be the best thing for people who haven't read the book.
Colbert reads it as it was intended but I knew most of the material so it wasn't that funny but it was nice to have the music, sound effects and different actors (Jon Stewart voicing a blacklisted Jewish TV writer from the 50s, Colbert as Oldest Man). Most of the sidenotes are not mentioned. I guess one would actually have to read O'Reilly, Hannity's etc. books to appreciate it more, as I Am America lampooned those.

Has anyone used their stickers yet?

 

[DBella]

Actually, I bet he thinks it's amusing as all hell.

jag

That is true. He once, well... more than once actually, told me:

"Bella, it is amusing as hell. Hell yes, it is, missy! You betcha, it is!"

 

[amazingfantasy15]

Definitely feel like picking up the book now, except with all the reading I've got to do in school I hardly have time for recreational reading.

I seriously think that some people are so stupid as to watch Colbert and not think it is satire, but really think he's a right wing nutter.

It's a very light read, I read it on the el to and from work in just 4-5 days, most books take me a lot longer to read.

 

[Tally Man]

What about the page of dog balls and it implying that one sack belongs to Bob Barker?

Bad but not quite as bad as seeing naked supreme court justices.

 

[Bubonic]

It's a very light read, I read it on the el to and from work in just 4-5 days, most books take me a lot longer to read.

Might give it a try, although I'm certainly not going to rot my brain reading something by o'reilly or the rest of the fox muck.

 

[Matt]

"How to ask out a woman:
98 % of the confusion in modern relationships starts right here. Be direct about your intentions like this, "Good evening (insert girl's name here), would you like to go on a date with me and potentially bear my children and quit your job to raise them?" They'll appreciate your candor. Don't fall into the trap of saying "Hey, would you like to hang out sometime?" Then the girl doesn't know if its a date or not. One thing leads to another and the next thing you know you're living with a woman who might just be your friend. The flipside, she'll go halfsies."