Hello, Hubsters—
How is everyone doing on this sixth anniversary of The Colbert Report? Let’s all raise a toast to the show’s past and continued success–and the fact that our week of waiting is about to end. Believe me, after the wonderfulness of Stephen’s pre-break shows, I’m eager to see what he’ll come up with when he returns, refreshed and ready to go. He’s always especially perky on that first day back; I guess he really, really does love his job!
The upcoming guests look great. Stephen’s got a lineup that includes a little music, a little science, and a little politics for a good mix. So here we go! Do note that Ali Soufan and Coldplay switched days; I’ve labeled it correctly, but they’ll appear in the original order because I didn’t want to mess up the links.
Monday, 10/17: Harry Belafonte
“Day-o! Day-ay-ay-o. Daylight coming…” (I hope Fozzie Bear doesn’t scare Stephen if he sees that link!) Long before anyone coined the term “world music,” singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte lived it. His repertoire ranged from Caribbean calypso to (believe it or not) “Hava Nagila” and others in a wide variety of languages. Before I go further and detail his many accomplishments and the celebrations swirling around the 84-year-old star, I would like to pay tribute to his role in my own life. My father was a great admirer of Belafonte, and owned every one of his records, so I grew up in a household filled with his music. I strongly believe it opened my ears and mind to everything the world had to offer. Additionally, Belafonte was always one of the fiercest fighters for equality: As a black man, he suffered many humiliations in segregated America, including being blacklisted during the McCarthy years for his outspoken views on civil rights. He never sat down and accepted it. I like to believe that even though I was still too young to understand his concerns fully, my views on justice were unconsciously shaped by him. I love listening to Belafonte still, whether he’s singing or speaking.
Belafonte has two pieces of news to discuss on the Report. First, there’s his autobiography, My Song: A Memoir, co-written with Michael Schnaverson, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. The book covers Belafonte’s impoverished, difficult childhood in Jamaica and Harlem; his stint with the Navy during World War II, where he encountered plenty of racism, even as he risked his life for our country; and his discovery of theater and music. It also details his friendships with some of the most notable figures of the 20th century, from the civil rights movement, politics, and entertainment. They include Eleanor Roosevelt (a mentor of his), Martin Luther King, Jr., President Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Paul Robson, Marlon Brando, and Sidney Poitier. Oh, and the first time Bob Dylan was heard on a recording? Belafonte’s Midnight Special, on which Dylan played harmonica.
The second newsflash concerns Sing Your Song, an HBO documentary about his life that is airing this very night, but will almost certainly receive several repeats, as is HBO’s wont. Like his book, it will review Belafonte’s lifetime of activism, music, and filmmaking. (His movies include Carmen Jones, Island in the Sun, The World, the Flesh and the Devil; Uptown Saturday Night, and Kansas City.)
Among his numerous honors, Belafonte received the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton. And by the way, anyone who calls Herman Cain “a bad apple” (bad pizza?) is cool with me!
Visit the HBO website for Sing Your Song, watch the trailer, and learn more about the documentary.
Listen to Belafonte’s music.
Go to NPR to hear or read an interview with Belafonte.
Belafonte has been a goodwill ambassador to UNICEF. Find out more about his work with that agency.
He recently had a conversation with the LA Times.
Sad to say, I’m on my way. Won’t be back for many a day: One of my favorite songs of his: the beautiful “Jamaica Farewell.”
Tuesday, 10/18: Steven Pinker
I love it when Stephen and a scientist come together. It almost always makes for a fascinating and educational discussion. So welcome back to the Report for the third time, Dr. Steven Pinker! Pinker is a cognitive scientist, linguist, and psychologist whose research focuses on how children acquire language and visual recognition. Having received his PhD from Harvard, he eventually returned to that university and held the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology, although he’s also taught at MIT. Additionally, this year he will be part of the faculty at London’s New College of the Humanities, an expensive and elite new institution.
Dr. Pinker is a New York Times bestselling author and has written many books for both specialists and for the general reader. His most recent publication is The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, released earlier this month. And it offers us some hope in these troubled times, because Pinker argues that the world has never been as peaceful as it is now. Though that may seem hard to believe, if we take a look through history, we’ll see that the concept of human rights never really existed until relatively recently—even if it is a goal we too often fail to reach.
Philosophically, Pinker defends free speech emphatically (not surprising given his area of study) and supports several atheistic groups–again a logical extension of his beliefs in evolution and scientific logic. His work has earned numerous honors: aside from being one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most influential Persons, and holding six honorary doctorates, Pinker has won the Los Angeles Times Science Book Prize, the William James Book Prize (three times), a research prize from the National Academy of Sciences, and many, many more accolades.
Watch his earlier appearances on The Colbert Report, one in 2009 and an earlier visit in 2007. They’re both fabulous.
Visit his website where you’ll find more information about his teaching, publications, and other activities.
Watch him at the TED conference discussing languge and thought.
Pinker writes articles for several publications, and here’s one he wrote for The New York Times on new media.
Read a review of The Better Angels of Our Nature in The Guardian.
THURSDAY, 10/20: Coldplay
Okay, with apologies to all fans of the band, I call them “Coldplague.” But I am also in the vast minority, as Coldplay is one of the few groups to bring hope to the beleaguered recording industry. That’s because their CDs actually sell, just the way they used in the old days when people went out and bought records. In fact, altogether, they’ve sold 50 million records so far. So there’s great delight in the land as Coldplay releases its newest work, the strangely named Mylo Xyloto. It’s not quite out yet: October 24th is premiere day. They’re on tour now, having recently appeared in Brazil’s big music fest, Rock in Rio.
The band—lead singer Chris Martin, guitarist Johnny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion—had its origins in a group formed by Martin and Buckland in 1994; the other members joined later. (The name Coldplay was coined in 1998.) Their first big hit came in 2000 with the song “Yellow,” followed by the album Parachutes, which is really lightning-fast success. Since then, they’ve released another three albums; A Rush of Blood to the Head, X&Y, and Viva la Vida. Mylo Xyloto will be their fifth.
Because Stephen’s already had fun with Radiohead’s refusal to deal with corporate sponsorships, I don’t know whether he’ll do anything with the fact that Coldplay won’t endorse anything or allow their songs to be used for ads. They save their clout for social causes, such as Oxfam, which has a prominent link on their website. (Martin wears a “Fair Trade” wristband from the organization; maybe he and Stephen can do their own fair trade of wristwear?)
The group has won dozens of awards, including a passel of Grammy®’s. And if you love them, savor their newest work—because Martin is hinting it could be their last.
Go to the official website to hear “Paradise,” pre-order the CD, and learn more about the band.
Like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
Come take a peek inside the band’s recording studio, via CBS News.
This Sunday’s New York Times Arts & Leisure section had a long chat with Chris Martin. They also dedicated a Popcast to the band.
Want to watch more of the band? There will be a live web performance on the 26th. Until then, here’s their video of “Viva la Vida.”
WEDNESDAY, 10/19: Ali Soufan
Since the Twin Towers fell on September 11th, stopping al-Qaeda has become a priority for the government; for Americans, they’re Public Enemy #1. Now, we have reached a point where many of the major figures of the organization—those who played a leading role a decade ago—have been taken out. Ali Soufan has written a book about the effort to curtail their power, The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War against al-Qaeda. It came out only a day after the 10th anniversary of the attacks.
Soufan, who was born in Lebanon, is a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent who investigated cases of terrorism across the globe–among them the infamous bombing of the USS Cole, a suicide attack that occurred in 2000 and killed 17 Americans. While working on the events of 9/11, he grew furious when he learned that the CIA had withheld information from the FBI that might have helped him stop the plot and capture the perpetrators before they hijacked those planes. Soufan has also participated in interrogations at the notorious Guantanamo prison, but has firmly stated that he does NOT support waterboarding and other forms of torture. During his time with the FBI, Soufan received many commendations and honors, including the Director of the FBI’s Award for Excellence in Investigation.
Now that he’s left the FBI, he started his own company, the Soufan Group, an “international strategic consultancy group,” to use their own definition. They provide a number of services to governments and other clients, including security, intelligence analysis, risk assessment, and much more.
See the website of the Soufan Group, his new agency.
Here’s an NPR interview with Soufan.
Soufan told the BBC he had been “gagged” and prevented from telling the whole story about 9/11. This is an amazing and powerful article that gives a taste of what the book contains.
The New York Times covered the CIA’s attempt to censor the book.
Soufan, who regularly writes for many journals, wrote an op-ed for The New York Times in 2009.
Here’s an article on him in The New Yorker.
Like his page on Facebook.
This is the publisher’s page for his book.
Watch him on 60 Minutes.
And now, lets check in with our good friend, Jon Stewart!
Monday, 10/17: Ellen Schultz
Ellen Schultz is the author of Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers, which came out this past September. She is editor of the Health and Science section of The Wall Street Journal, and among her many honors was the Pulitzer Prize for an article on how companies keep the truth about executive compensation from public knowledge. She also teaches writing and journalism courses.
Learn more about her here.
Read a commentary on her new book by the AARP.
Here is another commentary on this book by The New York Times.
USA TODAY covered the book too.
Tuesday, 10/18: Calvin Trillin
Humorist Calvin Trillin’s newest book features some his finest writing: Forty Years of Calvin Trillin: A Compilation of Funny Stuff. Trillin has written for numerous publications, but principally for The New Yorker, where his “U.S. Journal” series appeared for years. He’s also well known for his articles and books on food, including The Tummy Trilogy. In addition, he has appeared in one-man shows and lectures frequently.
Here is a longer biography of Trillin, if you want to know more.
Want some witty Trillin quotations? Check this out! (I like “I don’t care where I sit, as long as I get fed.”)
Here’s his New Yorker page, where you can access some of his articles.
He’s been on The Daily Show before.
In this touching article, Trillin talks about his wife—who died, in a sad coincidence, on September 11, 2001.
Trillin talks with NPR about his new anthology.
Wednesday, 10/19: Reverend. Al Sharpton
Reverend Al Sharpton is an activist who sometimes riles people up, but always stays in the fray. I guess you can say that he really likes the spotlight, and he’s certainly a colorful character who knows how to get attention. Sharpton hosts a radio show, appears regularly on others’ programs, and usually is marching somewhere in support or protest of something. I’m not criticizing that—there are good reasons to march, especially these days, and he’s been down to Occupy Wall Street. Sharpton has also made a run for president, needless to say, unsuccessfully. In August, he premiered as the host of a new show on MSNBC, PoliticsNation.
Just a few days ago, he marched to demand action on Obama’s jobs legislation.
Sharpton’s received criticism on his new MSNBC gig—and has fought back.
NPR also spoke with him about the MSNBC program.
Thursday, 10/20: Richard Brookhiser
Another new book! Richard Brookhiser has a new biography of founding father James Madison, which came out at the end of September. It has received accolades from industry journals such as Booklist, Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews, as well as from several conservative publications like the National Review (for which he used to write full time). Karl Rove likes it too! Uh-oh…. For journalist and author Brookhiser, who has written books like What Would the Founders Do?, Madison is a natural subject. He’s hosted PBS specials on George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, and his articles have appeared in The New Yorker.
Visit his official website, which also has information on James Madison.
He’s visited The Colbert Report.
Read the Kirkus Reviews article on James Madison.
Brookhiser discusses divisions in the Republican Party.
That’s it everyone! Enjoy the shows, and let me know who you’re most looking forward to! And remember…make that toast, celebrate, and rejoice in a fabulous six years…with many more to come.
Better Know a Guest: October 17th – 20th, 2011
Hello, Hubsters—
How is everyone doing on this sixth anniversary of The Colbert Report? Let’s all raise a toast to the show’s past and continued success–and the fact that our week of waiting is about to end. Believe me, after the wonderfulness of Stephen’s pre-break shows, I’m eager to see what he’ll come up with when he returns, refreshed and ready to go. He’s always especially perky on that first day back; I guess he really, really does love his job!
The upcoming guests look great. Stephen’s got a lineup that includes a little music, a little science, and a little politics for a good mix. So here we go! Do note that Ali Soufan and Coldplay switched days; I’ve labeled it correctly, but they’ll appear in the original order because I didn’t want to mess up the links.
Monday, 10/17: Harry Belafonte
“Day-o! Day-ay-ay-o. Daylight coming…” (I hope Fozzie Bear doesn’t scare Stephen if he sees that link!) Long before anyone coined the term “world music,” singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte lived it. His repertoire ranged from Caribbean calypso to (believe it or not) “Hava Nagila” and others in a wide variety of languages. Before I go further and detail his many accomplishments and the celebrations swirling around the 84-year-old star, I would like to pay tribute to his role in my own life. My father was a great admirer of Belafonte, and owned every one of his records, so I grew up in a household filled with his music. I strongly believe it opened my ears and mind to everything the world had to offer. Additionally, Belafonte was always one of the fiercest fighters for equality: As a black man, he suffered many humiliations in segregated America, including being blacklisted during the McCarthy years for his outspoken views on civil rights. He never sat down and accepted it. I like to believe that even though I was still too young to understand his concerns fully, my views on justice were unconsciously shaped by him. I love listening to Belafonte still, whether he’s singing or speaking.
Belafonte has two pieces of news to discuss on the Report. First, there’s his autobiography, My Song: A Memoir, co-written with Michael Schnaverson, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. The book covers Belafonte’s impoverished, difficult childhood in Jamaica and Harlem; his stint with the Navy during World War II, where he encountered plenty of racism, even as he risked his life for our country; and his discovery of theater and music. It also details his friendships with some of the most notable figures of the 20th century, from the civil rights movement, politics, and entertainment. They include Eleanor Roosevelt (a mentor of his), Martin Luther King, Jr., President Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Paul Robson, Marlon Brando, and Sidney Poitier. Oh, and the first time Bob Dylan was heard on a recording? Belafonte’s Midnight Special, on which Dylan played harmonica.
The second newsflash concerns Sing Your Song, an HBO documentary about his life that is airing this very night, but will almost certainly receive several repeats, as is HBO’s wont. Like his book, it will review Belafonte’s lifetime of activism, music, and filmmaking. (His movies include Carmen Jones, Island in the Sun, The World, the Flesh and the Devil; Uptown Saturday Night, and Kansas City.)
Among his numerous honors, Belafonte received the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton. And by the way, anyone who calls Herman Cain “a bad apple” (bad pizza?) is cool with me!
Visit the HBO website for Sing Your Song, watch the trailer, and learn more about the documentary.
Listen to Belafonte’s music.
Go to NPR to hear or read an interview with Belafonte.
Belafonte has been a goodwill ambassador to UNICEF. Find out more about his work with that agency.
He recently had a conversation with the LA Times.
Sad to say, I’m on my way. Won’t be back for many a day: One of my favorite songs of his: the beautiful “Jamaica Farewell.”
Tuesday, 10/18: Steven Pinker
I love it when Stephen and a scientist come together. It almost always makes for a fascinating and educational discussion. So welcome back to the Report for the third time, Dr. Steven Pinker! Pinker is a cognitive scientist, linguist, and psychologist whose research focuses on how children acquire language and visual recognition. Having received his PhD from Harvard, he eventually returned to that university and held the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology, although he’s also taught at MIT. Additionally, this year he will be part of the faculty at London’s New College of the Humanities, an expensive and elite new institution.
Dr. Pinker is a New York Times bestselling author and has written many books for both specialists and for the general reader. His most recent publication is The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, released earlier this month. And it offers us some hope in these troubled times, because Pinker argues that the world has never been as peaceful as it is now. Though that may seem hard to believe, if we take a look through history, we’ll see that the concept of human rights never really existed until relatively recently—even if it is a goal we too often fail to reach.
Philosophically, Pinker defends free speech emphatically (not surprising given his area of study) and supports several atheistic groups–again a logical extension of his beliefs in evolution and scientific logic. His work has earned numerous honors: aside from being one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most influential Persons, and holding six honorary doctorates, Pinker has won the Los Angeles Times Science Book Prize, the William James Book Prize (three times), a research prize from the National Academy of Sciences, and many, many more accolades.
Watch his earlier appearances on The Colbert Report, one in 2009 and an earlier visit in 2007. They’re both fabulous.
Visit his website where you’ll find more information about his teaching, publications, and other activities.
Watch him at the TED conference discussing languge and thought.
Pinker writes articles for several publications, and here’s one he wrote for The New York Times on new media.
Read a review of The Better Angels of Our Nature in The Guardian.
THURSDAY, 10/20: Coldplay
Okay, with apologies to all fans of the band, I call them “Coldplague.” But I am also in the vast minority, as Coldplay is one of the few groups to bring hope to the beleaguered recording industry. That’s because their CDs actually sell, just the way they used in the old days when people went out and bought records. In fact, altogether, they’ve sold 50 million records so far. So there’s great delight in the land as Coldplay releases its newest work, the strangely named Mylo Xyloto. It’s not quite out yet: October 24th is premiere day. They’re on tour now, having recently appeared in Brazil’s big music fest, Rock in Rio.
The band—lead singer Chris Martin, guitarist Johnny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion—had its origins in a group formed by Martin and Buckland in 1994; the other members joined later. (The name Coldplay was coined in 1998.) Their first big hit came in 2000 with the song “Yellow,” followed by the album Parachutes, which is really lightning-fast success. Since then, they’ve released another three albums; A Rush of Blood to the Head, X&Y, and Viva la Vida. Mylo Xyloto will be their fifth.
Because Stephen’s already had fun with Radiohead’s refusal to deal with corporate sponsorships, I don’t know whether he’ll do anything with the fact that Coldplay won’t endorse anything or allow their songs to be used for ads. They save their clout for social causes, such as Oxfam, which has a prominent link on their website. (Martin wears a “Fair Trade” wristband from the organization; maybe he and Stephen can do their own fair trade of wristwear?)
The group has won dozens of awards, including a passel of Grammy®’s. And if you love them, savor their newest work—because Martin is hinting it could be their last.
Go to the official website to hear “Paradise,” pre-order the CD, and learn more about the band.
Like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
Come take a peek inside the band’s recording studio, via CBS News.
This Sunday’s New York Times Arts & Leisure section had a long chat with Chris Martin. They also dedicated a Popcast to the band.
Want to watch more of the band? There will be a live web performance on the 26th. Until then, here’s their video of “Viva la Vida.”
WEDNESDAY, 10/19: Ali Soufan
Since the Twin Towers fell on September 11th, stopping al-Qaeda has become a priority for the government; for Americans, they’re Public Enemy #1. Now, we have reached a point where many of the major figures of the organization—those who played a leading role a decade ago—have been taken out. Ali Soufan has written a book about the effort to curtail their power, The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War against al-Qaeda. It came out only a day after the 10th anniversary of the attacks.
Soufan, who was born in Lebanon, is a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent who investigated cases of terrorism across the globe–among them the infamous bombing of the USS Cole, a suicide attack that occurred in 2000 and killed 17 Americans. While working on the events of 9/11, he grew furious when he learned that the CIA had withheld information from the FBI that might have helped him stop the plot and capture the perpetrators before they hijacked those planes. Soufan has also participated in interrogations at the notorious Guantanamo prison, but has firmly stated that he does NOT support waterboarding and other forms of torture. During his time with the FBI, Soufan received many commendations and honors, including the Director of the FBI’s Award for Excellence in Investigation.
Now that he’s left the FBI, he started his own company, the Soufan Group, an “international strategic consultancy group,” to use their own definition. They provide a number of services to governments and other clients, including security, intelligence analysis, risk assessment, and much more.
See the website of the Soufan Group, his new agency.
Here’s an NPR interview with Soufan.
Soufan told the BBC he had been “gagged” and prevented from telling the whole story about 9/11. This is an amazing and powerful article that gives a taste of what the book contains.
The New York Times covered the CIA’s attempt to censor the book.
Soufan, who regularly writes for many journals, wrote an op-ed for The New York Times in 2009.
Here’s an article on him in The New Yorker.
Like his page on Facebook.
This is the publisher’s page for his book.
Watch him on 60 Minutes.
And now, lets check in with our good friend, Jon Stewart!
Monday, 10/17: Ellen Schultz
Ellen Schultz is the author of Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers, which came out this past September. She is editor of the Health and Science section of The Wall Street Journal, and among her many honors was the Pulitzer Prize for an article on how companies keep the truth about executive compensation from public knowledge. She also teaches writing and journalism courses.
Learn more about her here.
Read a commentary on her new book by the AARP.
Here is another commentary on this book by The New York Times.
USA TODAY covered the book too.
Tuesday, 10/18: Calvin Trillin
Humorist Calvin Trillin’s newest book features some his finest writing: Forty Years of Calvin Trillin: A Compilation of Funny Stuff. Trillin has written for numerous publications, but principally for The New Yorker, where his “U.S. Journal” series appeared for years. He’s also well known for his articles and books on food, including The Tummy Trilogy. In addition, he has appeared in one-man shows and lectures frequently.
Here is a longer biography of Trillin, if you want to know more.
Want some witty Trillin quotations? Check this out! (I like “I don’t care where I sit, as long as I get fed.”)
Here’s his New Yorker page, where you can access some of his articles.
He’s been on The Daily Show before.
In this touching article, Trillin talks about his wife—who died, in a sad coincidence, on September 11, 2001.
Trillin talks with NPR about his new anthology.
Wednesday, 10/19: Reverend. Al Sharpton
Reverend Al Sharpton is an activist who sometimes riles people up, but always stays in the fray. I guess you can say that he really likes the spotlight, and he’s certainly a colorful character who knows how to get attention. Sharpton hosts a radio show, appears regularly on others’ programs, and usually is marching somewhere in support or protest of something. I’m not criticizing that—there are good reasons to march, especially these days, and he’s been down to Occupy Wall Street. Sharpton has also made a run for president, needless to say, unsuccessfully. In August, he premiered as the host of a new show on MSNBC, PoliticsNation.
Just a few days ago, he marched to demand action on Obama’s jobs legislation.
Sharpton’s received criticism on his new MSNBC gig—and has fought back.
NPR also spoke with him about the MSNBC program.
Thursday, 10/20: Richard Brookhiser
Another new book! Richard Brookhiser has a new biography of founding father James Madison, which came out at the end of September. It has received accolades from industry journals such as Booklist, Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews, as well as from several conservative publications like the National Review (for which he used to write full time). Karl Rove likes it too! Uh-oh…. For journalist and author Brookhiser, who has written books like What Would the Founders Do?, Madison is a natural subject. He’s hosted PBS specials on George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, and his articles have appeared in The New Yorker.
Visit his official website, which also has information on James Madison.
He’s visited The Colbert Report.
Read the Kirkus Reviews article on James Madison.
Brookhiser discusses divisions in the Republican Party.
That’s it everyone! Enjoy the shows, and let me know who you’re most looking forward to! And remember…make that toast, celebrate, and rejoice in a fabulous six years…with many more to come.