TOW #21 - Stephen Colbert (Written)

Stephen Colbert is most widely known for his  satire TV show The Colbert Report in which he plays an ultra-conservative TV host and mocks American politics. Colbert tends to stay in character while he is in the public eye, and, as such it can be hard for viewers to glean his actual political views. They understand that he is mocking right-wing politicians, but where do his views truly lie on the spectrum? Colbert delivers a fairly moderate message in a special article for Glamour magazine, in which he uses both humor and serious rhetorical questioning to advocate for a greater number of women in the public sphere.

Colbert's message is, although by no means radical or even groundbreaking, clearly intended to be feminist. It is well-known that Colbert is a white man, which could hurt his ethos to some readers. As a white man, it may be more difficult for Colbert to understand the complicated dynamics of sexism in the United States--and perhaps more difficult for him to address these issues without sounding condescending. Colbert uses self-deprecating humor to convey to his audience that he is aware of his privilege. He opens his piece by writing, "I want to thank the staff of Glamour for asking me to contribute. It's a nice consolation prize for being passed over for their Woman of the Year Award. Not that I wanted it anyway. I believe that honor should go to a woman. I'm a bit of a feminist that way." The sarcastic pat-on-the-back proves to readers that Colbert knows when he is overstepping. It is reassuring to readers that this will not be an article from a self-acclaimed mansplainer, but a genuine, honest feminist piece.

Aside from Colbert's humorous asides, he injects his piece with serious rhetorical questioning to address the issue at hand. He asks, "Where are all the lady blacksmiths? What about the bait-and-tackle shopkeepers, pool maintenance professionals, building superintendents, or CEOs of Fortune 500 companies? Why are all those minions shaped like tiny phalluses? Why did Mad Max get top billing in Fury Road when he was essentially just a grunting tripod for Charlize Theron's rifle?" Although some of the subject matter is silly (blacksmiths, pool maintenance professionals, etc.), Colbert manages to hit the pressing questions of the day. Where exactly are all the women? Even when they do get starring roles and high accomplishments, why are they pushed aside to make room for the men? Because Colbert is Colbert, he can't just ask these questions without injecting a little humor. But the thoughts the questions provoke are serious, and he implies the idea that women should be better represented and celebrated.

Colbert's message doesn't quite disturb the status quo to be revolutionary. Then again, it isn't intended to be revolutionary. Colbert is sharing a palatable message appealing to a broad audience, who can then go on and write their own revolutionary pieces. Colbert is just getting the ball rolling.