Colbert reports at Penn

Students and other comedy fans gather for a filming of The Colbert Report at Zellerbach Theatre yesterday. About 900 people packed into the studio for the filming.

The Colbert Nation has become the Colbert Campus, as Stephen Colbert, the Emmy award-winning comedy host, has descended upon Penn's Zellerbach Theatre for the week.

Colbert arrived at Penn last weekend to begin a special filming of his show, The Colbert Report, in anticipation of the April 22 Pennsylvania primary.

Through his satirical news show, which appears on Comedy Central, Colbert has transformed the way students learn about the news - an effect noticeable at Penn.

"The show certainly helps bring people into the process," said College freshman Aaron Ross, who was in the studio audience last night.

Colbert has a "really effective" use of satire, Ross said, which enables him to "be more effective at exposing the fallacies" of the political pundits and politicians than the news media.

One news host did appear on the show last night: Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews and a native-Philadelphian.

Matthews, when questioned by Colbert on whether he would run for the U.S. Senate in 2010, said that being a senator was a life-long ambition, but did not say for sure whether he would run.

Matthews also inadvertently revealed that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) would be on the show later this week.

Additionally, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and John Legend made their way on to the show, with Legend performing the Star Spangled Banner as Colbert sang at his side.

"It was hilarious" that Colbert sang with Legend, said College freshman Fernando Duran, who said the show was very entertaining.

But the enthusiasm for Colbert's show transcended the studio audience of 900.

His trip to Penn is the first time the show has ever been filmed outside of his New York City studio, and students across campus are thrilled to host the star.

"In one respect, [the show] is bringing students together," said College freshman Sabrina Benun, who attended the show's rehearsal and Q&A; session earlier in the afternoon.

Duran agreed, saying that "the show [being at Penn] is something we can be proud of."

Before the actual filming, the Penn Democrats organized a special, Penn-exclusive rehearsal with Colbert, where students' applause was used for the sound check, and Colbert welcomed questions from the audience.

"It was great to see his personality," Benun said, referring to his "out-of-character" responses to the questions.

About 700 Penn students attended the rehearsal.

Lauren Burdette, the president for the Penn Dems and a College sophomore, said having Colbert on campus "feeds into the excitement of the election and hopes to get students out to vote."

Perhaps as an acknowledgement of that power, Colbert asked his audience during the show's filming who would turn out to vote if he told them to.

The crowd erupted in applause.

Comments (17)

please do not call the annenberg center inquiring about tickets for colbert; they were never sold there and never will be. comedy central is in control of ticketing and thus all attempts via annenberg to get tickets will ultimately fail.

Most college liberals get all of their "news" from Colbert and Jon Stewart, which is why they're all foaming over Obama. Keep watching this junk...the rest of America is sticking to the real news.

What sources do you like for real news?

And you're the type of person that just reinforces the negative and stereotypical "conservative" and "liberal" labels which have been bastardized here in the United States. It's asinine of you to assume that most so-called "college liberals" are "foaming over Obama" and "[getting] all of their "news" from Colbert and Jon Stewart." Also, do you honestly believe that "the rest of America is sticking to real news?" -- Most of the dribble that is published/"reported" can barely pass for news and many people hide under a facade which only makes them look like they care.

I listen to NPR whenever I can. They provide legitimate news stories and I feel they present the facts objectively.

Be a conservative and conserve your breath, we'll tell you when to let it out. [QUOTE id="5eb6352b-246a-4053-b5ab-0a73fbfa6045"]Most college liberals get all of their "news" from Colbert and Jon Stewart, which is why they're all foaming over Obama. Keep watching this junk...the rest of America is sticking to the real news.[/QUOTE]

...Colbert asked his audience during the show's filming who would turn out to vote if he told them to. // The crowd erupted in applause. (Original "article") There is a glaring and frighteningly hilarious error with the last lines (posted above) of the article: Colbert actually asked (to what I believe was primarily a Penn audience), �?Would you vote the way I told you?�? A piercing �?YES!�? reverberated throughout Zellerbach Theatre as the crowd erupted in applause. Like I said, frighteningly hilarious.

[QUOTE id="8d293ef4-703d-4e32-a1ea-59242c05988e"]I listen to NPR whenever I can. They provide legitimate news stories and I feel they present the facts objectively.[/QUOTE] please, National Palestinian Radio is far from objective

Hey, book called Webster's, words listed as "comedy" and "irony", look 'em up. [QUOTE id="72f3f87f-5f5d-41e0-a09d-8d9c07c72330"]"...Colbert asked his audience during the show's filming who would turn out to vote if he told them to. // The crowd erupted in applause." (Original "article") There is a glaring and frighteningly hilarious error with the last lines (posted above) of the article: Colbert actually asked (to what I believe was primarily a Penn audience), �?Would you vote the way I told you?�? A piercing �?YES!�? reverberated throughout Zellerbach Theatre as the crowd erupted in applause. Like I said, frighteningly hilarious.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE id="72f3f87f-5f5d-41e0-a09d-8d9c07c72330"]"...Colbert asked his audience during the show's filming who would turn out to vote if he told them to. // The crowd erupted in applause." (Original "article") There is a glaring and frighteningly hilarious error with the last lines (posted above) of the article: Colbert actually asked (to what I believe was primarily a Penn audience), �?Would you vote the way I told you?�? A piercing �?YES!�? reverberated throughout Zellerbach Theatre as the crowd erupted in applause. Like I said, frighteningly hilarious.[/QUOTE] they said there was an error in the article, genius. i'm sure they realize what comedy and irony are.

[QUOTE id="f968d3d9-027d-4adb-80d2-ccfb117af1b2"]Did I miss something, or has Colbert failed to mention at any time during the first two shows that he's on the PENN CAMPUS??? Seems to me that this should have been a requirement of the show's using Zellerbach. If Penn can't exploit this opportunity to get some great PR with Colbert's audience, then what's the point? I bet that if this had been at Harvard, it would have been mentioned. Seems like Penn's allowing itself to be USED.[/QUOTE] maybe you need to learn how to listen better. i didn't see his show last night, but he definitely said he was on penn's campus within the first 5 minutes of his show monday night.

Did I miss something, or has Colbert failed to mention at any time during the first two shows that he's on the PENN CAMPUS??? Seems to me that this should have been a requirement of the show's using Zellerbach. If Penn can't exploit this opportunity to get some great PR with Colbert's audience, then what's the point? I bet that if this had been at Harvard, it would have been mentioned. Seems like Penn's allowing itself to be USED.

Chalk another one up for civil discourse, you make us so proud. [QUOTE id="72f3f87f-5f5d-41e0-a09d-8d9c07c72330"]"...Colbert asked his audience during the show's filming who would turn out to vote if he told them to. // The crowd erupted in applause." (Original "article") There is a glaring and frighteningly hilarious error with the last lines (posted above) of the article: Colbert actually asked (to what I believe was primarily a Penn audience), �?Would you vote the way I told you?�? A piercing �?YES!�? reverberated throughout Zellerbach Theatre as the crowd erupted in applause. Like I said, frighteningly hilarious.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE id="72f3f87f-5f5d-41e0-a09d-8d9c07c72330"]"...Colbert asked his audience during the show's filming who would turn out to vote if he told them to. // The crowd erupted in applause." (Original "article") There is a glaring and frighteningly hilarious error with the last lines (posted above) of the article: Colbert actually asked (to what I believe was primarily a Penn audience), �?Would you vote the way I told you?�? A piercing �?YES!�? reverberated throughout Zellerbach Theatre as the crowd erupted in applause. Like I said, frighteningly hilarious.[/QUOTE] There's nothing civil about civil discourse. That's just a weak concept hiding under a veil of political correctness. Usually one person is right (or more right) than the other. And if the other decides to make a snide remark about checking a dictionary, they should expect judicious reciprocity.

[QUOTE id="72f3f87f-5f5d-41e0-a09d-8d9c07c72330"]"...Colbert asked his audience during the show's filming who would turn out to vote if he told them to. // The crowd erupted in applause." (Original "article") There is a glaring and frighteningly hilarious error with the last lines (posted above) of the article: Colbert actually asked (to what I believe was primarily a Penn audience), �?Would you vote the way I told you?�? A piercing �?YES!�? reverberated throughout Zellerbach Theatre as the crowd erupted in applause. Like I said, frighteningly hilarious.[/QUOTE] @Oh, now I get it: Why don't you actually read the contents of the article and the original post before making yourself look like an asshole.

maybe you need to learn how to listen better. i didn't see his show last night, but he definitely said he was on penn's campus within the first 5 minutes of his show monday night. Well, then he should have been required to mention it all 4 nights! :o)

[QUOTE id="86fc362f-7501-40aa-ab76-220238eb9f76"]What sources do you like for real news?[/QUOTE] No, they don't. Anyone with a brain knows it's just the news with a twist of ironic, sarcastic truth. There's a reason it's painful for you. The truth hurts, poking fun at the truth hurts even more.

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