Comics on The Huffington Post

Jonathan Leigh Solomon: 12 Comics Who Aren't Funny? Or, Let Us Now Bash Robin Williams Part. 1

2009-11-23T09:29:00Z

Who is Sarah Ball and why is she saying awful things about Emo Phillips? And, why is she not saying awful things about Robin Williams? I.E., if she is going to bash those twelve, she ought to also be brave enough, and have the critical eye required, to take on sacred cow comedians like Williams and George Carlin.

Okay, first, let's run down the twelve she does go after:

1) Larry the Cable Guy: Is funny to the type of people who think Larry the Cable Guy is funny. And, he's likable, likable, likable. That's how he Git(s) Er Done.

2) Carlos Mencia: Ms. Ball got this one right. (If Carlos Mencia didn't steal jokes he'd be the unfunny-ist comedian since ... Carlos Mencia.)

3) Howie Mandel: Is not doing stand-up when he's hosting Deal or No Deal - he's a game show host. To say that he is not funny based on the venue? Howie Long is retired from the NFL and is now a studio analyst with FOX Sports. Does that mean he currently sucks as a defensive end?

4) Dane Cook: The super finger won't get Dane into the Hook Hall of Fame alongside "I don't get no respect" and "take my wife, please," but it will get votes - and, Rodney and Henny never had a Garden full of fans doing it with him unison.

5) Gallagher: For a prop bit, early Sledge-O-Matic demonstrations were funny. Second point in his favor: a pretty good definition of decent funny is when people will pay to your brother do your act. But, if you want to see the prop act who really brings the fun, check out the Legendary Wid.

6)Andrew "Dice" Clay: With him, funny/not funny, is besides the point. What's important is Dice confused making jokes about getting an anvil dropped on your head, with dropping anvils on heads. And, whatever happened on CNN, on Dice Undisputed he revealed himself to be quite a sweet fellow.

7) Emo Phillips: Enjoyment of comedy delivery is, of course, subjective, but writing, "if you saw Emo Phillip's jokes on paper you'd probably laugh," is, ipso facto, to say that he is funny. And, another thing - check out this clip. You will laugh. Outloud.

8) Jay Leno: Sure, the Tonight Show monologue and the Tonight Show's 10 PM offspring is easy to slam. But, before the Peter Principle of Rising to a Station of Comic Venue Beyond Your Comfort Zone got his delivery in a vice, Jay was one of the most monster funny club comics around. When The Jay Leno Show finally gets canceled, he will be again.

9) Jeff Dunham: Agreed. And, how Dunham is a star and Otto and George are not, is worthy of a special on the Mystery Channel.

10) Pauly Shore: Personally, I think he's funny. But who cares what I think. What's undeniable is that his career is funny.

11) Carrot Top: No reason to kick a man while he's orange.

12) Yakov Smirnoff: What, did Ms. Ball do - drive out to Branson, to confirm he's still not funny? In any case, he's not bothering anyone and this is no way to treat an immigrant.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this column and the bashing of George and Robin. As a prelim - if I didn't let put up my own days in stand-up and let you decide if I belong in the Unfunny 12, I'd be quite the comedy coward, so, if you'd like, take a look.

Robert J. Elisberg: Moose and Squirrel Celebrate Their 50th Anniversary

2009-11-19T15:30:39Z

This will be unreasonably brief and lacking in far too much detail, but sometimes things must be rushed and not overlooked, and today is one of those times. Today marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most beloved and still-appreciated cartoon shows, ever.

Yes, on November 19, 1959, Rocky and Bullwinkle appeared in the first episode of Rocky and His Friends, from the maniacally clever mind of Jay Ward.

The series was populated by Rocket J. Squirrel and his adorably dimwitted friend Bullwinkle the Moose from Frostbite Falls, Minnesota, along with their nemeses Boris Badanov (the name being a parody of the Russian regent and later subject of Mussorgsky's opera, Boris Godunov) and Natasha Fatale, Fearless Leader, and all manner of lunatics. Bullwinkle would appear in his own sketches as the clueless "Mr. Know-It-All" and also try to introduce other segments by first attempting (always woefully unsuccessfully) to pull a rabbit out of a hat - after demonstrating, "Nothing up my sleeve." As if it mattered if there was...

Separate sketches took on a life of their own with the erudite dog Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman; the noble, but incompetent Canadian Mountie Dudley Do-right (with his beloved and much more worldly Nell and the villain Snidely Whiplash), as well as the brilliantly insane "Fractured Fairy Tales" that turned old world fables inside-out and upside-down...and then spun around and twisted them for good measure.

What separated Rocky and Bullwinkle from every other cartoon back then - and even today - was its reliance on puns, self-deprecating humor and creator Jay Ward's insistence on writing that would appeal as much to adults as kids.

The endearing voice of Bullwinkle was performed by Bill Scott, and Rocky by the legendary June Foray (who recreated the character in the semi-live action movie version released in 2000). In fact, Ms. Foray is still going strong, and just had her autobiography published, Did You Grow Up With Me, Too?, co-written with Mark Evanier and Earl Kress. The narrator of the show was William Conrad, who later went on to TV fame as the detectives, Canon and Jake and the Fatman.

For a nice look back at the series, there is a good article by Chris Foran in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

But for a look at the fellows themselves, take here's a trip back in Mr. Peabody's Waybac Machine.

This is one of the show's original openings, in black-and-white -

Here is Bullwinkle as Mr. Know-It-All, explaining to all how to get into a theater without buying a ticket --

And finally, an episode of the classic Moon Men series, that's centered around the world's most powerful rocket fuel made that's made from Bullwinkle's grandmother's fudge cake recipe --

Happy Anniversary, Moose and Squirrel.

Archie Marries Veronica

2009-11-09T10:42:50Z

Huffington Post: Yes, we know this is a comic book, but so many of us began our reading lives with them. The love triangle of our childhood has finally ended. Archie married Veronica when we all wanted it to be Betty. And apparently they now have twins. Supposedly the marriage is working, but the editor hints it might not last.

When it was first announced that Archie Andrews was putting an end to the most famous and enduring love triangle in comics by choosing to propose to sexy, savvy and rich Veronica instead of girl-next-door Betty, the shock waves were larger than even Archie Comics anticipated.

Why? Because even without a movie featuring the gang from Riverdale, Archie's name recognition and the affection readers have for him are broader and deeper than most comic fans realize.

Mort Gerberg: Out Of Line: Greed Out!

2009-10-31T13:05:28Z

Mort Gerberg: Out Of Line: Most Frightening

2009-10-31T11:19:00Z

Matthew Filipowicz: WATCH: The Scariest White House Halloween Costume

2009-10-29T20:25:07Z

With Halloween just around the corner, some folks in the White House are getting into the spooky spirit. Namely, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

We have obtained exclusive footage of Gibbs revealing to President Obama what can easily be described as "the most frightening Halloween costume of all time".

Be warned, the costume may be too scary for pregnant women, small children, or those with a weak heart. Take a look.

Shan Wells: Cartoon: Nattering Naybobs and Noxious Nutballs

2009-10-29T13:11:16Z

With a few notable exception, broadcast news is a very scary place these days. What Edward R. Murrow would think of the current zeitgeist is unknowable, but we might hazard a guess.

Sorry, Ed.

Shan Wells: Cartoon: Joe Uncool

2009-10-28T10:36:55Z

Again and again and again

Shan Wells: Cartoon: The Balloon Goes ... Down

2009-10-21T09:16:33Z

Climate change, health care, multiple wars, the economy, and we are treated to 24/7 coverage of ... this.

Rainbow Brite's Makeover: Skinnier, Sexier, Older

2009-10-16T12:14:52Z

If you were a little girl, or the mom of one, in the 80s, you remember Rainbow Brite, the beloved snub-nosed cartoon heroine who would ride her horse Starlight between galaxies.

Well, Dora and Strawberry Shortcake have grown up, and Hallmark has decided it's Rainbow Brite's turn for an update. No longer an adorable, cherubic cartoon, she is taller, thinner, sexier--with proportions more like a runway model's than your average child.

The new Rainbow Brite is no tramp, but she's no icon either, and looks something like a disappointing anime-inspired reimagination of Barbie. What do you think?

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Jeff Danziger: Ailes, Dobbs

2009-10-14T15:25:58Z

Sophie Pollitt-Cohen: Super Poems: Other Comic Books Inspired by Verse

2009-10-08T07:30:42Z

In a plot line inspired by Robert Frost's poem "Road Not Taken," fictional character Archie Andrews has already proposed to Veronica and will propose to Betty next month. I wonder what it would be like if other comics were inspired by poems... (Imagine dreamy music and blurry vision.)

"On His Blindness" -- John Milton
Spiderman is blind, worries about his moral value as a superhero, comes to a new appreciation for Spidey Sense.

"The Imperfect Enjoyment" -- Lord Rochester
Calvin and Susie finally do it, it doesn't go well. Probably because they're in first grade.

"The Waste Land" -- T.S. Eliot
The Green Lantern considers a stranger's childhood in Austria, plays game of chess HURRY UP PLEASE ITS TIME into the fire Power Ring Jesus Buddha Shakespeare your mom HURRY UP PLEASE IT'S TIME and we shall play a game of chess The Giant Puppet.

"An Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot" -- Alexander Pope
Superman laments his status as the number one superhero because it means lots of annoying hero-wannabes are all up in his grill for advice.

"The Lady's Dressing Room" -- Jonathan Swift
While visiting Professor Xavier at his Westchester mansion, Angel accidentally walks in on Marvel Girl while she's changing. He finds out just how many pairs of Spanx are required to get her into the green body suit.

"Hollow Men" -- T.S. Eliot
Anthony Stark quits being Iron Man for a while, goes back to his company, but he's just middle management. It's not as fun as being a super hero and driving a sweet Audi. His alcoholism is less charming and more necessary

All those cat poems -- T.S. Eliot
Batman loses his brooding, grumbly side. Becomes jolly, whimsical, roly-poly.

"The Shield of Achilles" -- W.H. Auden
Steve Rogers becomes Captain America, except World War II is actually really terrible.

"The Tiger" -- William Blake
The Human Torch is in the forests of the night.

Andy Myer: Why Is the Government the Health Care Boogeyman?

2009-10-02T14:57:12Z

Don't get me wrong, I believe in capitalism. You gotta love an economic system that offers you 435 kinds of toothpaste, from Colgate's Ultra White-Baking Soda-Cool Mint-Tartar Control-UltraSensitive, to Tom's of Maine's Rutabaga-Fennel Surprise. You just won't find that kind of innovation on the store shelves of Moscow.

But after all we've been through after the past several decades, I'm just mystified about why the government is still the bogeyman of choice with large sectors of our fellow citizens.

It's an article of faith on the Right that government just can't get anything right, that it's incredibly wasteful, incompetent, and only out to enhance its own interests. But let's look at the private sector through the window that we've been offered over the past 25 years or so.

The Captains of Finance brought us the S&L Crisis, the Internet Bubble, Worldcom, the Enron Collapse, and (if you needed reminding), AIG, Bear Sterns, Lehman Brothers, and Bernie Madoff.

We've seen the creation of arcane and indecipherable accounting practices that allowed banks and other financial institutions to misrepresent their earnings, avoid accountability, and over-leverage their investments into the stratosphere.

We've watched credit card companies flaunt well-established lending practices, adding fees and penalties, and jacking up rates for reasons that would be delightfully whimsical if they weren't so oppressive for their customers.

We witnessed first-hand the mind-boggling bonus pay arrangements that pervade every level of private industry. It's apparently based on the premise that people have to be bribed to do their job well. It's understandable, really. If you're paid a measly $2.7 million in salary and stock options, you're pretty much just going to just punch the clock at the office, unless they offer you some real cash.

So it certainly didn't come as a complete shock to learn that our New-Age Robber Barons enjoyed hundreds of millions of dollars in bonus pay, lavish parties, private jets, and golden parachutes, which they happily accepted even as their companies circled the drain.

Now that we're in the middle of the health care reform debate, it's baffling why it's the Federal government that keeps getting accused of ineptitude, chicanery, and self-aggrandizement.

This is especially true when you consider that it's private health insurance companies that instituted the now familiar practice of disqualifying people for, well, being mortal. Heaven help you if you've found a concerning bump on your leg, and had an ingrown toenail removed when you were seven.

And the ruckus over the dreaded government death panels positively leaves me in stitches (another pre-existing condition). We've been living with death panels for decades. What other name can you use for corporate bureaucrats who gather in offices to decide (for unabashedly self-interested reasons) who will or won't receive treatment coverage for cancer treatment, congestive heart failure, or renal disease?

Of course, the Federal Government isn't blameless in all of these fiscal implosions, scandals, and general abuse of the American public. All too often it's happily obliged industry lobbyists through deregulation, lax oversight, and foot dragging on needed reforms (see above). Contrary to the hysterical characterizations of the Fox News-ians, Uncle Sam's behavior in this arena has been more reminiscent of Mister Magoo than Adolf Hitler.

Still, the government does a pretty reasonable job of administering Medicare, military medicine, Social Security, and even the much-maligned Postal Service. I sent off disk 2 of Friday Night Lights Season 3 to Netflix last Monday. And here is disk 3, just two days later, waiting for me in my mailbox.

As the Republicans always mockingly ask, do I really want to put some of our health care in the hands of the same people who run the post office?

Sure like to give it a try.

The 9 Best Political Cartoons Of The Week: Vote For Your Favorite!

2009-10-02T09:06:16Z

Hello, HuffPosters! Welcome to a new feature here, aimed at highlighting the best political cartoons of the week. We put snippets of the cartoons we liked the most in this slideshow -- but you have to click on the link below each one to see the whole cartoon. Then vote for your favorite!

Read more: Slidepoll, Cartoons, Pol, Comics, Comedy News

Jared Gardner: My "Surrie" With the Fringe on Top

2009-10-01T12:15:29Z

I love opening weekend for new comics movies. Not because all (most?) of the movies are good, and certainly not because the vast majority of them are even half as good as the books from which they were adapted. No, I love them because for these brief but increasingly frequent moments in the course of a year I have a perfect excuse to evangelize about comics.

The opening of the new film Surrogates this past weekend was particularly scrumptious, because in this case the movie is adapted from a truly splendid book that many of my friends -- even the comics-readers among them -- have never read. Written by Robert Venditti and illustrated by Brett Weldele, The Surrogates tells the story of an all-too plausible future in which people have increasingly turned over their daily lives to robotic avatars, living vicariously through their surrogates (or "surries") from the comfort of their own homes. In fact, by the time our story begins, the technology that was originally developed to allow severely disabled people to live fuller lives has become, for the vast majority of the population, as ubiquitous and seemingly necessary as the iPod. Of course, not everyone has bought into the idea that surrogacy is just like "Life... Only Better" (as the ad campaign way-too-persuasively puts it) -- and in major cities across the country surrogate-free "reservations" have emerged, loosely organized by a charismatic leader known only as "the Prophet."

Part of the great pleasure of the book -- and a pleasure inevitably diminished in translating the story to film -- is that Venditti goes out of his way to avoid the usual sci-fi formula we would expect: the seemingly utopian techno-future that turns out to be rotten at the core, manipulated by an evil corporation conspiring to destroy humanity. In the book the corporation, Virtual Self, is no more evil than such entities are by definition: That is, it seeks to maximize its profits with no regard (beyond litigation) for the well-being of its customers. In the film, of course, the corporation is involved in assassinations, cover-ups and other misdeeds requiring action-typing and briefcase snatching. In the book we don't have much in the way of heroes or villains, and still less in the way of clear answers. Like the best speculative science fiction, The Surrogates offers us a chance to inhabit fully the possibilities and choices of an alternative society, to weigh their ethical dilemmas in our own virtual scales.

Unlike the vast majority of comics that become movies, The Surrogates was not published by Marvel or DC, but by a small independent comics company, Top Shelf, more familiarly associated with black & white autobiographical comics by folks like Craig Thompson and Jeffrey Brown -- which is to say, with comics that didn't seem likely to wind up on the big screen starring Bruce Willis. And unlike the majority of comics, it was not written by a life-long comics geek, but by a young man who came to comics very late -- primarily through his job in the mail room at Top Shelf. And there is no doubt that the unique perspective on graphic storytelling that Venditti and Top Shelf's publisher, Chris Starros, brought to the project has much to do with why it sticks to the ribs long after the book is closed (and much longer, it must be admitted, than the movie).

I had the chance to talk to Venditti a couple of weeks before the film's opening, and he spoke passionately about his desire to avoid writing "stories where I feel like I'm making a decision for the audience": "As a viewer, as a reader, I think you sense when you're being preached to. So, I wanted to tell a story that very much presented both sides of the coin--that just sort of posed questions and let the reader answer them or not answer them for themselves." In fact, in The Surrogates Venditti makes our job doubly complicated by giving us an actual preacher, who is either a righteous voice speaking truth to power, or a self-serving con man manipulating anti-surrogate sentiment for his own ends.

Comics are a highly compressed narrative form, leaving huge narrative gaps between the panels that require the reader's active engagement to fill in. Good comics creators have long figured out how to make the limitations of the form its greatest asset. Venditti might have come to comics writing late, but he got this aspect of the form on his very first attempt. In leaving these questions unanswered, the book is personalized, activated by the answers the reader brings to fill in the gaps and render the details. Weldele's unique expressionistic overlays of paint, pen, and digital textures adds to this quality in the script. And the result is a very good comic.

Film -- or at least the Hollywood version that has dominated the enterprise for the past 80 years -- doesn't do gaps well. Everything in the Hollywood continuity system is about making those gaps go away, making certain that questions are answered and that viewers walk away knowing what to think. The film Surrogates is no exception. The film offers the dystopian science fiction parable Venditti worked so hard not to write. It is an indictment of our obsession with appearances and our technological insulation from the messiness of other peoples' bodies -- and our own. The film is satisfyingly preachy in all the ways the book refuses to be. I walked away hating surrogates and desperately relieved that our protagonist would finally get a chance to hold his "real" wife and begin anew. Rereading the book immediately after finishing the movie, I was once again plagued by the doubts, uncertainty the film had sought to resolve for me.

The film version of Surrogates is actually quite good, and the changes made to the comic were probably the right changes to make for a production responsible for making good on an 80 million dollar budget. And the movie has made it possible for Venditti and Weldele to develop the world of The Surrogates further, most recently in a prequel set at the dawn of the surrogate age and with further installments planned.

So I have no complaints. I know a lot of fanboys like to gripe about how Hollywood changed their favorite comic, as Hollywood inevitably does. But for me, these increasingly frequent adaptations of comics are always events to be celebrated, because for a brief moment I can envision a world where everyone acknowledges that the most interesting storytelling mode of our time is not film, television, novels, and most certainly not video games (which, with few exceptions, has still not found a way to tell a tale worth retelling). The storytelling geniuses of the 21st Century are comics writers.

Hollywood has accepted this reality. It has looked hard in the mirror, acknowledged its seemingly constitutional inability to come up with an original idea in the 21st Century. And, to its credit, it has done the only logical thing: set up a permanent outpost at the San Diego Comic-Con waiting for the comics industry to roll the next Big Idea in their direction. They don't do this because comics bring a vast audience. A best-selling mainstream comic book might sell around 250,000, while a trade paperback from an independent comics company like Top Shelf will often be looking at significantly more modest sales -- basically a captive audience big enough to pay for the extras' lunch (maybe) in your average superhero movie. No, Hollywood has increasingly turned to comics because this is where the stories are, and where the stories are being told in the hybrid language of text and image that is the narrative mode of the digital age.

And in the months ahead it looks like Hollywood will be giving me many opportunities to celebrate. Not all of them will be movies as enjoyable or books as satisfying and rich as The Surrogates. But even the inevitable disasters on the horizon will provide an opportunity to think about the possibilities and power of a narrative form that until very recently was all-but ignored by Hollywood and looked down on by the vast majority of adults as a puerile and vapid medium. Now, at least, only the latter is still true.

[My review of Venditti and Weldele's prequel to the original story, The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone (2009), can be found at guttergeek.com]

Eugene Volokh: Free Speech and Funeral Picketing:

2009-09-24T18:11:54Z

The Fourth Circuit has just reversed — in Snyder v. Phelps — the $5 million intentional infliction of emotional distress / invasion of privacy verdict against the Phelpsians (that's the "God Hates Fags" group) who picketed the funeral of a slain soldier.

The court essentially concluded that, at least where speech on matters of public concern is involved (see pp. 25-26), the First Amendment precludes liability based on "statements on matters of public concern that fail to contain a 'provably false factual connotation'" (see pp. 16-20). This applies not just to libel liability, but also liability for intentional infliction of emotional distress and intrusion upon seclusion (the specific form of invasion of privacy alleged here). If the speech fits within "one of the categorical exclusions from First Amendment protection, such as those for obscenity or 'fighting words'" (p. 18 n.12) it might be actionable. But if it's outside those exceptions, then it can't form the basis for an intentional infliction of emotional distress or intrusion upon seclusion lawsuit — regardless of whether it's "offensive and shocking," or whether it constitutes "intentional, reckless, or extreme and outrageous conduct causing ... severe emotional distress" (p. 23).

I think the court was quite right, for the reasons I gave in my earlier criticisms of the district court's allowing the verdict. In particular, the decision helps forestall similar liability for other allegedly outrageously offensive speech, such as display of the Mohammed cartoons (or other restrictions on such speech, such as campus speech codes' being applied to punish display of the cartoons).

The court did leave open the possibility that some content-neutral restrictions on funeral picketing may be imposed (p. 32), but it didn't discuss this in detail. For more on that, see here.

One of the three panel members, Judge Shedd, didn't reach the First Amendment issue, but concluded that (1) there wasn't intrusion upon seclusion under Maryland law because the protest was in a public place, and not even very near the funeral (p. 40), (2) the protest was not "extreme and outrageous" enough for purposes of the emotional distress tort because it was "confined to a public area under supervision and regulation of local law enforcement and did not disrupt the church service."

Thanks to How Appealing for the pointer.

Carolita Johnson: Let's Ban Smoking Outside Too!

2009-09-15T22:39:11Z

I'm sorry, but I couldn't have a drink at a bar with my friends in NY till I was 37 (would have allergy attacks due to the smoke), which means I love Bloomberg for saving my social life. That also means I'm all for any kind of smoking ban, anywhere, anytime. (Since all my friends are alcoholics!) (Just kidding). But hey, even my smoking friends complain about walking in the wake of someone's smoke outside. That's telling, isn't it?

Read more: Smoking, Comics, Smoking Ban, Comedy News

The President Should Not Be In The Classroom

2009-09-08T15:57:09Z

Cartoonist and illustrator, Sean Kelly, has once again graced us with his work, this time taking on Obama's school-speech foes. He's in good company today.

Jonathan Richards: It Works!

2009-09-08T15:24:41Z

In a triumph of tortuous logic, the defenders of "enhanced interrogation techniques" justify their illegal practices by claiming that this stuff works. The jury is still out on that one. But isn't it the wrong question?

Paul Szep: The Daily Szep : In the Back Pocket

2009-09-08T14:36:58Z

Carolita Johnson: Obama's Zombification Of Our Children

2009-09-08T08:26:37Z

He'll turn your children into zombies with his speech! It's madness! MADNESS!

PARTICIPATE: President Obama offered a heartfelt pep talk to the nation's students today and HuffPost wants to hear reactions from students and teachers alike. Press the "Particpate" button below to share your thoughts.

For teachers, tell us both what stood out for you and for your students. If possible, include a picture of your classroom.

For students of all ages, tell us about the speech in whatever medium most interests you. This could be a poem, drawing or a description of how it has changed your perception of homework and the school year that lays ahead.

To contribute, press the "Participate" button below. Include your name in the title, write your response in the description box, include a photo of yourself or your classroom, and mark on the map where your school is located.

We'll be featuring your reactions to the speech as they are submitted.

2morrowknight: Stephen Colbert to Play The Riddler? The Momentum Builds!

2009-09-04T05:10:37Z

Since Tuesday September 1st, I have received a steady stream of emails about my Huffington Post piece on why Stephen Colbert should play the Riddler in the upcoming Batman movie. It's pretty clear that my recommendation resonated with Colbert Nation.

But that's not even the best part of the story.

Picture Courtesy of Comedy Central

Stephen Colbert, yes, the man, the myth, the legend, linked my post to the front page of his Colbert Nation site. Wow. I literally fell out of my chair. And apparently, the notion of Colbert as the Riddler made such a strong impression with some bloggers and journalists that it was also linked to entertainment sites like The Internet Movie Database (IMDB), Showhype, Daylife, Mahalo, WhoRepresents, Newsrunner, and, even quite a few Twitter feeds.

Yes, I am dead serious! A man of tremendous intellect should play The Riddler. Tell me that's not Stephen Colbert. You can't, because deep in your heart, you know Colbert's got the complete package of comic timing, creativity, audacity, and that indefinable "it" to pull off a portrayal of such a multi-layered villain.

We know Stephen Colbert as a brilliant comic, using his expansive reservoir of humor to slash through the endless political spin. But, he's also done some truly riveting dramatic work on shows like Law & Order. Colbert's powerfully versatile resume is proof he can play The Riddler. Such a character is best suited for Colbert because he can give dimension to the Riddler's almost Shakespearean existence and high-octane brilliance.

Can't you see Cobert's Riddler getting hot and bothered with The Catwoman, or battling Batman in duel after duel all over Gotham City? Yes, you can. So join me in urging Warner Brothers to select Stephen Colbert as The Riddler! Ticket sales would go through the roof!

Read my previous post: Riddle Me This: Why Not Let Stephen Colbert Play the Riddler?

Paul Szep: The Daily Szep -- Treason

2009-09-03T10:27:57Z

Jeff Danziger: Spitzer Teaches

2009-09-02T16:02:00Z