Stephen Colbert Challenges You to an Ocean Race.
Stephen Colbert’s first offshore racing experience, the 2005 Charleston to Bermuda Race, couldn’t have gone any worse. The 45-foot cat ketch on which he sailed finished dead last. In fact, it took his crew so long to reach Bermuda, they arrived two days after the awards ceremony. But as unequivocally bad as it was from a racing perspective, as an experience, it was equally as profound. In fact, the normally glib 46-year-old, who hosts the satirical news show “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central, says he has trouble finding the words to accurately explain why he enjoyed the 777-mile race so much, and why, come May 21, he’ll do it again.
What’s your sailing background?
I grew up right on Charleston Harbor, right across from the Carolina YC. The regattas were right outside my window. I wasn’t allowed to go sailing because I don’t have an eardrum in one ear and I couldn’t get water in my ear. It just drove me crazy. My mom felt so badly for me, that when I was 20, my doctor said, it’s healed enough—the thing that was wrong was still wrong, but it was better—he said, “You can go out there now.” My mom said, “OK, I’ll get you sailing lessons.” I said, “I don’t really want to now.” Which, of course, really upset her, because to her I was still a little boy. But, I said, to hell with it. I’d moved on.
So I kind of just left it behind. I’d done a little sailing, I’d snuck behind her back, and capsized, and got in trouble. But I hadn’t really done that much sailing, but the little I’d done I had enjoyed.
Then [in 2005] when I was 41, a friend called up and said, “The C2B [Charleston to Bermuda] is this year. I know somebody who’s got a boat, and you know almost all the guys on it. Do you want one of the berths on the boat? I asked my wife, and she said, “Yes. Go.” She shocked me. That was my introduction to serious sailing. I just loved it.
This past summer when we were down in Charleston—I hadn’t decided to do the C2B this year, the Charleston to Bermuda that OnDeck is doing. One day I was looking out, it was a beautiful day; I was down there for a couple of weeks. I actually called up OnDeck, not knowing I was calling up OnDeck, because they took over the maritime center in Charleston, and rented a Beneteau to take it out. Then I found out they were running the race and that’s how the whole thing started with me back involved with them again.
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Stephen sent this email to race headquarters Sunday night:
“Dear land-based life forms,”
“Fantastic day. We started with windless bobbing from 4:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. We punctuated this inertia by catching, on a hand line, two mahi-mahi, a very beautiful fish-fish! They both were laid to rest in a small Tupperware coffin surrounded by lime juice and chopped onions.
“Spent the afternoon dodging wind holes and watching dolphins play in our bow wake. We’ve also been introducing our English crew to the joys of grits. They are dubious, but too polite to admit they tossed it overboard.
“We are on four hour watches and lucky to get three hours’ sleep at a time. Those of you familiar with totalitarian regimes will remember that sleep deprivation is one way that dictators break their enemies.
“We are in good position thanks to our skipper, Tim Scarisbrick, first mate Bertie Whitley and second mate Chris Miller.
“We all smell wonderful. See you in Bermuda!”
Source: Charleston Bermuda Race.
CharlestonBermudaRace.com have regular updates on the race and the predicted weather forecast.
“Spirit of Juno” is making good progress on Day 1:
“Stephen Colbert and his Team Audi crewmates on board the Spirit of Juno were making the best speeds in the fleet as of 0730 today (5.3 knots) just slightly north of the rhumbline. At roughly that time, Juno’s strategists called for an abrupt change of course, and headed almost due north. It’s apparent the leader of the Colbert Nation will find his comedic skills in high demand today as the crew deals with the very challenging situation of keeping a 60,000-pound boat moving in zephyrous conditions.”
Stephen Colbert talks to “The Car Show” host Adam Carolla at the New York Auto Show. (2:32)
The Charleston to Bermuda Facebook Page has a pre-race interview with Stephen in which he discusses his philosophy on sailboat racing.
There is also a clip featuring the “Spirit of Juno’s” 12 Man Crew.
Before we get into some serious blogging, I thought I would give you all an overview of what we here at “Colbert News Hub” hope to achieve with the site and what you can expect from us.
Our main aim is to bring all the latest news and events relating to Stephen Colbert and “The Colbert Report” in a family friendly and creeper free environment, that respects the rights and privacy of Stephen his family and friends, and the staff of The Report.
We will do our best to bring you all of the latest breaking news as soon it hits the press, but please remember that we are a volunteer staff and some time real life gets in the way and there may be a delay in getting information out to you.
While Stephen and The Report are our main focus, we will also keep you updated as to the happening’s over a “The Daily Show”, with our main focus being on Jon Stewart.
The site will feature posts of a similar nature to those at “No Fact Zone”, but we will also be introducing some new features to site as we begin to grow over the coming weeks and months.
One of our main new features will be the introduction of a “Media Archive”, an ongoing project that will include a filmography, literary profile and links to print and media interviews, as well as other memorable content such as quotes on Stephen from friends and colleges.
I know put the question out to you – What would you like to see featured here the site? What do you not want to see on the site? Are there some essential fan elements that we have missed? What can we do to make this the best blogging experience on the web?
We here at “Colbert News Hub” aim to bring you the all the latest breaking news on Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Report, as well as episode guides, guest information, media mentions, interviews, appearances, eye candy, event coverage, six degrees, fan updates, and more!!.
Feel free to drop in and say “Hi!” while we get the blog set up over the next few days.
Colbert News Hub – Part 271
Stephen sent this email to race headquarters Sunday night:
Source: Charleston Bermuda Race.
CharlestonBermudaRace.com have regular updates on the race and the predicted weather forecast.
“Spirit of Juno” is making good progress on Day 1:
Stephen Colbert talks to “The Car Show” host Adam Carolla at the New York Auto Show. (2:32)
The Charleston to Bermuda Facebook Page has a pre-race interview with Stephen in which he discusses his philosophy on sailboat racing.
There is also a clip featuring the “Spirit of Juno’s” 12 Man Crew.
Before we get into some serious blogging, I thought I would give you all an overview of what we here at “Colbert News Hub” hope to achieve with the site and what you can expect from us.
Our main aim is to bring all the latest news and events relating to Stephen Colbert and “The Colbert Report” in a family friendly and creeper free environment, that respects the rights and privacy of Stephen his family and friends, and the staff of The Report.
We will do our best to bring you all of the latest breaking news as soon it hits the press, but please remember that we are a volunteer staff and some time real life gets in the way and there may be a delay in getting information out to you.
While Stephen and The Report are our main focus, we will also keep you updated as to the happening’s over a “The Daily Show”, with our main focus being on Jon Stewart.
The site will feature posts of a similar nature to those at “No Fact Zone”, but we will also be introducing some new features to site as we begin to grow over the coming weeks and months.
One of our main new features will be the introduction of a “Media Archive”, an ongoing project that will include a filmography, literary profile and links to print and media interviews, as well as other memorable content such as quotes on Stephen from friends and colleges.
I know put the question out to you – What would you like to see featured here the site? What do you not want to see on the site? Are there some essential fan elements that we have missed? What can we do to make this the best blogging experience on the web?
We here at “Colbert News Hub” aim to bring you the all the latest breaking news on Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Report, as well as episode guides, guest information, media mentions, interviews, appearances, eye candy, event coverage, six degrees, fan updates, and more!!.
Feel free to drop in and say “Hi!” while we get the blog set up over the next few days.