The political acumen and zaniness that is Stephen Colbert meets the great New Testament scholar and Anglican Bishop N.T. Wright on The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. I would have loved to known what Bishop Wright expected from Colbert when he agreed to do the show – there’s no way he could have taken himself too seriously. Normally, I find Bishop Wright quite animated when talking and though he did well, no one can help but look a little stiff compared to the unpredictable Colbert.
My favourite exchange:
WRIGHT: I don’t know if you have kids…
COLBERT: I have three.
WRIGHT: Well, I have four and two grandchildren…
COLBERT: It’s not a contest!
more about “Bishop N.T. Wright | The Colbert Repo…“, posted with vodpod
I love this.
Wright’s not a comedian, but I think it works. He’s clearly enjoying the conversation and I think he got his point across reasonably well. I think the humour probably helped.
I really enjoyed the fact that he was enjoying himself.
By: PamBG on 20 June 2008
at 4:21 pm
I agree! I think he enjoying himself, too! It is just so hard to take Colbert seriously. I remember a special report he did on this movement of Christians who were all going to have some sort of Exodus to South Carolina and set up a Christian state. He went out of his way to sound like he was sympathetic to the movement, which only increased the hilarity.
So watching Colbert in one context and reading Wright in biblical studies context, it was a clash of worlds for me. I didn’t mean to sound as if I was saying the Bishop didn’t do well. I just wonder what he might have thought about the show, given that the Colbert Report isn’t shown over here.
You’re right, he got his point across, and I hope it opens theological discussion to a whole new audience that resurrection is about social justice issues.
Also, the audience liked his joke about the title of Hilary Clinton’s book, “Hoping for a Surprise”.
By: Will on 20 June 2008
at 5:18 pm
I thought he did great. My favorite line was his little jab about you chaps look up stuff in these big books.
Don’t know anything about Colbert, never seen him before, but didn’t expect him to be so genial. Great clip. Thanks.
By: Michael on 24 June 2008
at 12:30 am
Will – I was so glad to come across this interview when I checked my reader this weekend. Thanks for making me aware of this. My first thought was that Colbert seemed more into what N.T. Wright was saying than he often does… and the interview was much in depth than the ones I have seen normally are.
By: Kevin Watson on 25 June 2008
at 3:55 am
[...] solid grasp of what the Bible teaches about the resurrection, death, and heaven. (Thanks to Will at Ramblings from Red Rose for making me aware of this interview.) Posted in Book Review. Tags: Colbert Report, N.T. [...]
By: N.T. Wright on the Colbert Report « deeply committed on 25 June 2008
at 12:10 pm