So what do you all think of Colbert's pledge?

[Toots]

If Krugman's book outsells Colbert's then Colbert will give up his TV show..I would say he is a bit over confident and somewhat arrogant. We know he won't actually give up his show no matter what the results of the book sales are but why would he make such a statement?

[mmonk]

1. To generate sales and viewership numbers?

[MonkeyFunk]

2. Because he's confident

his book will outsell Krugman's.

And it will - Colbert is a national media celebrity. Krugman is a policy wonk.

[KharmaTrain]

6. This Book Is Best Seller Stuff

Most people have no clue who Krugman is, but Colbert has a large and growing following. I say it's not just a safe bet, but I suspect Stephen is doing it to give Paul a boost...some nice PR.

I'm looking for one of the orange bracelets...I've seen several people wearing them.

[Lisa]

36. I ended up buying a bunch of the bracelets, to hand out at work ...

My boss and his son are huge CR fans (yes, I'm going to suck up big-time!). And the woman who teaches in the classroom just before me is a distinguished philosophy/ethics prof, and she absolutely adores Colbert.

[still_one]

3. He's joking. It is part of role /nt

[Botany]

4. Ah, he is joking .... that is what he does

Just like he hurt himself and had to find a "stand in" for his
guitar hero show.

"Oww I hurt myself ... now I can not play ... is there anybody who can stand in
for me? Oh, look there is Peter Frampton."

[fasttense]

5. Everything Colbert does on his show has to be viewed as

comedy and satire. He made the statement to shows how arrogant the character he is playing really is. Taken another way, it shows how O'Reilly would act in a similar situation.

[muffin1]

7. Or F*cker Carlson

Remember when he promised to eat a shoe if Hillary Clinton's book sold a million copies? Well, it sold over that amount, and she had the grace to appear on Crossfire with a "shoe cake".

[fasttense]

11. Oh, yeah, I didn't see that stunt by Carlson.

I guess any wannabe RW idiot talking head would say something like that.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

8. I can't believe that you're taking this seriously. nt

[FormerDittoHead]

9. I'm sure it will be funny, running gag, whatever happens. n/t

[Bennyboy]

10. Mocking the 50 Cnet/Kanye West showdown....

Where Fitty said he would quit the biz if Kanye outsold him in regards to their latest recordings. BTW. Kanye outsold him 2 to 1.

[fasttense]

12. Or anyone who is arrogant.

Did Fitty quit?

I seem to recall hearing about him recently, so I suspect he's still around.

[AlCzervik]

13. i pre ordered 2 copies of each, one set for sister, it's her birthday today and one set for me.

i love Colbert and Krugman.

[Ian David]

15. You should have pre-ordered two copies of Krugman's book and 3 of Colberts...

and donated the third copy to your local library.

[AlCzervik]

32. i'll donate mine after i read it, my money tree has died.

[Toots]

16. Colbert also made the offer , buy two get one free

Let us know if he stands true to this and I wonder if that third free book he will count toward sales..

[Ian David]

14. Maybe Viacom will buy-up the unsold copies to boost his numbers? n/t

[Cleita]

17. It's a joke.

Colbert's humor is very subtle and satirical.

[fishwax]

18. it's a great way to promote his book, and krugman's as well

I've loved seeing krugman's book getting so much "face time" on his show. Krugman definitely deserves the attention.

[Toots]

19. Maybe it is his way of getting right wingers to buy Krugman's book

Right wingers are learning to despise Colbert and would love having him off the air..

[annabanana]

22. Hey! good thought!

(plus.. one or two of them might OPEN it)

[applegrove]

20. I love the way such a statement will promote both books. Which was

the whole point - don't ya think?

[etherealtruth]

24. Why is this lost on so many?

:shrug:

[tom_paine]

28. Why do you think? The human species is notoriously stupid and shortsighted.

(and just in case anyone thinks I am not including myself is mistaken, we are ALL humans, and therefore all in our own ways stupid and shortsighted...yes, even DUers)

And when we drill for all that oil and gas beneath the Arctic, we will have failed the last test, and be the instruments of our own demise.

[stanwyck]

34. Remember when he started his show

the freepers thought he was for real. Someone hijacked their Colbert threads and posted them here. Unbelievable. They were ecstatic that finally, finally! Comedy Central had "one of them" to balance ultra-liberal (?) Jon Stewart. The right accepted him completely as "one of us."
Well, except for one lone poster who kept moaning "he's mocking us.!"
He was rebutted by a poster who steadfastly maintained: "No, I've known him for a long time and he's very conservative. He's a conservative guy."

[Lisa]

35. yes! I laughed when I saw him setting it up as a big showdown ...

Paul Krugman's been on the Report before (multiple times, I think?) -- and of course every time they mention his name, that's more publicity! Looking forward to what they've got planned, for when Krugman eventually shows up ... it promises to be every bit as fun as the guitar battle with the Novemberists, and the debate with Sean Penn!

[Az]

21. There are people that really do not seem to get what his show is about

He plays an arrogant ignorant blowhard mimicking other arrogant ignorant blowhards on tv. When he says things in character he is typically exaggerating. Its humor. Its a joke. Most of what he says is wrong, and typically ironically wrong. That would be the source of humor. Get it?

[etherealtruth]

23. I'm not surprised that the Freepers don't get it ...

I'm astounded by the number of DUer's that don't get it, though.

[JitterbugPerfume]

25. it's satire

and if you don't get it , lighten up. Paul Krugman is no doubt thanking god in his prayers for Colbert!

[L. Coyote]

26. Maybe his mentor is Sen. Larry Craig!

[tom_paine]

27. Duh! He's not a Bushie Moron, but he plays one on TV.

Does there need to be any other discussion of the matter? I mean, come on!

Of course he would disgracefully renig on his pledge, if he loses. It's what Poppa Bear would do, wouldn't he?

we need a :duh: smiley. But this :silly: will have to do.

[blondeatlast]

29. Somedays, I gotta think my sense of humor is the most precious thing I have. Yikes. nt

[blondeatlast]

30. Colebrt is SCARY good at what he does and never breaks character.

If it weren't for his brilliant writers, I couldn't watch it.

But if you've never actually experienced the RW blowhards he's satirizing, you wouldn't get it. The show is utterly, consistently brilliant.

[Lisa]

37. I find myself watching his eyes very carefully -- he sometimes signals that he's on the verge ...

.... of breaking character, but given how hilarious his material is, I am constantly amazed at how he manages to stay in control. A truly impressive performance. (I believe that the time when he defended Robert Wexler was one of the very rare occasions when he deliberately appeared as himself.)

[mondo joe]

31. I think Colbert is doing comedy/satire. I also think it's scary when DUers have zero sense

of humor.

[Bucky]

33. I assume a mainstream comedy book is going to outsell a wonky opinion book

This is a cute joke, not even a sales pitch.

[UTUSN]

38. Since he's a satire of O'LOOFAH, it's a satire. Recently, O'LOOFAH told Tony SNOWjob,

"You won't make as much as me." SNOWjob said he needed to quit the Shrub job in order to make money.