Goodbye Stephen, Hello Stephen

On October 17, 2005, I celebrated my tenth birthday.
But more importantly, on October 17, 2005, I learned about truthiness. That’s when, according to Stephen Colbert, you just feel what’s true “in your gut.” It’s stronger than the truth. Truthiness was the first feature in Colbert’s “The Word” segment, which became and remains The Colbert Report’s staple segment. And that brings me to tonight’s word: Goodbye.
On December 18, 2014, Stephen Colbert will say goodbye.
The faux conservative pundit will head for television’s scrapheap, and the true Stephen Colbert will take over the Late Show desk currently occupied by David Letterman.
I grew up with Colbert, like so many in my generation. Despite his partisanship, he introduced me to American politics through satire. Moments like Colbert’s “Who Made Huckabee?” feud with Conan O’Brien and Jon Stewart, his 2008 presidential bid (not to mention his 2012 exploration of a “President of the United States of South Carolina” bid), and his creating the Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow PAC all marked important moments in the formation of my own political opinions. I remember how excited I was just last year when Colbert interviewed my congressman, Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.), for Colbert’s “Better Know a District” segment. Colbert’s acknowledgement of my home district was a source of enormous personal pride.
For many on the left, The Colbert Report mocked right-wing pundits like Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity. But for me, Colbert satirized the concept of a media pundit in general. Jon Stewart’s version of The Daily Show debuted in 1998, only two years after The O’Reilly Factor’s debut (under a different name). The Colbert Report’s concept was borne out of an era more critical of the hour-long editorial cable news program, which it deliberately satirized. Where Stewart mocked Fox News’s coverage of a story, Colbert showed you hypocrisy through his character’s personality and the show’s setup. And that’s why I love Colbert. That’s why I will miss his character’s voice in American political discourse.

All the accolades, comedic stunts, and critiquing aside, Colbert forged a unique position in television satire. And as his show has drawn to an end, viewers have glimpsed the true Colbert more often than usual. He has broken character more than ever, showing his hand to an audience who has grown to love the man behind the facade. CBS has shown its love in the form of a five year contract to host its Late Show, starting in May 2015. Although his salary is undisclosed, it will be more than the $10 to $15 million per year he made at Comedy Central. The real Stephen Colbert will remain on air, but surely the post of network TV late night talk show host will dull his political edge.
I do not lament for political satire in television. The genre has found a new master in John Oliver, and its cultivator Jon Stewart will remain on air. And I have high hopes for Larry Wilmore, who will fill Colbert’s time slot with The Nightly Show. I lament only for Colbert’s unique voice, and for how Colbert’s cultural image will change in the next generation. I will greet the real Stephen and watch Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but I might have to eat an entire pint of AmeriCone Dream to survive the sorrow. Until then, I will dust off my old “The Best of The Colbert Report” DVD, slap on my WristStrong bracelet, and prepare for the character’s December 18 demise. Now, all that’s left to say is: Goodbye.
And that’s the word.
Image Credits: BloombergBusinessweek, Wikimedia.org