You just can’t make crap like this up. Unless you’re Stephen Colbert.

This study investigated biased message processing of political satire in The Colbert Report and the influence of political ideology on perceptions of Stephen Colbert. Results indicate that political ideology influences biased processing of ambiguous political messages and source in late-night comedy. Using data from an experiment (N = 332), we found that individual-level political ideology significantly predicted perceptions of Colbert’s political ideology. Additionally, there was no significant difference between the groups in thinking Colbert was funny, but conservatives were more likely to report that Colbert only pretends to be joking and genuinely meant what he said while liberals were more likely to report that Colbert used satire and was not serious when offering political statements. Conservatism also significantly predicted perceptions that Colbert disliked liberalism. Finally, a post hoc analysis revealed that perceptions of Colbert’s political opinions fully mediated the relationship between political ideology and individual-level opinion.




  1. jammer4876 says:

    Sure, you can make up crap like that–and you did. Or at least you made up the inference that “conservatives” are mouth-breathing fools from this “study.”

    Humorous and/or satirical propaganda is nonetheless propaganda. My question is whether the foolish inference came from the desire to always portray “conservatives” badly and “liberals” of nuanced thought or from sheer ignorance.

  2. Personality says:

    I always wondered if conservatives would understand this show. They tend to see only the skin of the onion, not the layers underneath. Some of Colbert’s jokes require a little though, such as understanding what irony is.

  3. Dallas says:

    That’s because Conservatives think everyone’s out to get them !! Boo!!

    :-0

  4. Ubiquitous Talking Head says:

    Humorous and/or satirical propaganda is nonetheless propaganda. My question is whether the foolish inference came from the desire to always portray “conservatives” badly and “liberals” of nuanced thought or from sheer ignorance.

    I think a little drool got into your keyboard and caused you to lose a few words out of that paragraph, making it incomprehensible.

  5. Sea Lawyer says:

    The last regularly airing show with Stephen Colbert that I genuinely enjoyed watching was Strangers With Candy. Watching a pompous ass, for real or pretend, didn’t appeal to me beyond the first couple episodes.

  6. badtimes says:

    I’ve heard several interviews with Colbert- if you don’t think his show is satire, you should listen to him when he’s out of character.
    Interestingly, he won’t let his kids watch his show. He said he doesn’t want them to think that the character he portrays is really him.

  7. The Dingo says:

    Colbert is just another cog in the news cycle machine that is part of the problem.

  8. dogday says:

    Conservatives and Liberals need someone like Colbert to think for them.

    Think for yourself, you don’t have to be in the same camp on every issue as the party you identify with.

  9. Olo Baggins of Bywater says:

    His joke is apparently too deep for some.

  10. billabong says:

    I think Colbert has gotten it right by being entertaining to both groups.He makes fun of both Libs and Cons equally.He makes O’Reilly look like the ass he is while at the same time doing a better show than him.People who get upset by anything on Comedy Central really don’t get it.

  11. smartalix says:

    It’s easy to mock monolithic myopic thought, and both sides have it.

    But the right seems to encourage monorail thinking, hence they make themselves more of a target. Liberals by definition are more difficult to get to toe a certain party line.

  12. Thinker says:

    Just goes to show that Colbert is a good entertainer. The recent bit with NASA demonstrated things nicely. 🙂

  13. Paddy-O says:

    How’s Stephen Colbert?

  14. Ah_Yea says:

    He’s joking??

  15. Sea Lawyer says:

    What are you still ranting about Alfred?

  16. bobbo says:

    Alfie, criticizing loons while claiming conservatives aren’t idiots.

    The lady doth protest too much.

  17. Olo Baggins of Bywater says:

    Alfred: I can only guess what you’re trying to say, in any event the Rasmussen article says nothing about valid news sources.

    And nobody here but you thought Colbert was real. But don’t fret about it, a couple years ago the R’s in congress had to explain Colbert to their more naive members because some of them went on the show and made fools of themselves.

  18. smartalix says:

    Like the time the GOP embraced Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” without listening to the lyrics.

  19. mbpc2d.user says:

    Wasn’t it the democrats that thought Sarah Palin had actually said the things that Tina Fey said on SNL?

  20. Meathead says:

    Implication… conservatives can’t get/take a joke?

    I remember in the 70s stories about people who thought the same about the Archie character in All in the Family.

    from the wiki page on Archie Bunker

    “Norman Lear thought that the opinions of Bunker on race, sex, marriage, and religion were so wrong and incorrect as to represent a parody of right wing bigotry; instead, Bunker’s thoughts, broadly speaking, accurately reflected the mindset of some of the viewing audience.”

    The same must be true for the right wing bigotry crowd that watches Colbert.

    I admit some times I like to think O’Reilly/Rush can’t be serious they must be exaggerating no one could be so wrong. Think of the laughs if their shows were on a comedy network (is Fox a comedy network?) .

    Its hubris to think your own views are so correct that even those who mock you must think you are right. Getting this Alfred1 & Paddy?

  21. The Monster's Lawyer says:

    #16 Billy – Very well put.

  22. MrMiGu says:

    #29
    Fox isnt really a comedy network, its just a joke.

  23. BigBoyBC says:

    Stephen Who?

  24. OvenMaster says:

    #26: Oh, I dunno. The lyrics do have a whiff of McCain to ’em. I’d say they did listen to them!

  25. amodedoma says:

    Reasonably funny, OK, so he’s no George Carlin, but he’s ok. I don’t really get what this post is about. Comedians always dip into politics, I mean it’s the funniest thing going, ‘specially the titheads reacting to it as if it really means something. Imagine if all that intellectual potential were applied to practical pursuits.

  26. mentor972 says:

    I have a former co-worker who was hardcore conservative. He always talked about Colbert and how he thought Colbert was dead on. I commented to a friend that this guy didn’t realize he was joking. Now I’m positive of that fact.

  27. mprater says:

    I know a conservative who prays for more oil.

    No joke.

  28. Hugh Ripper says:

    #35 Alfred1

    You are the #1 loonbat on these forums at the moment. You make Paddy-O appear like the voice of sanity. Get a grip, boyo.

    As for calling liberals loonbats (which some are I suppose) – hello….pot calling kettle….you there kettle…?

  29. Breetai says:

    Well duh… Pot meet Kettle. Or as I prefer stupid (D)sheep meet more stupid (R)sheep.

  30. badtimes says:

    Good lord- Alfie’s a liberal.


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