Deciphering the “Bump”

Posted by: Ryan Sanders on April 22, 2008 Hot Issues •

Stephen Colbert, the personality of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, the man that brought the world the Best-Selling book I AM AMERICA (And So Can You!), the Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream, and the word truthiness to our dictionaries, has put himself on the map for comedy and politics. Yes, Colbert has succeeded in making politics fun, or at least he has made an art out of poking fun at and with political pundits.

Colbert appears to be the epitomy of non-partisan politics, or rather, should I say, partisan. He equally sides and calls out both Democrats and Republicans. You might remember what Colbert termed the “Colbert bump” a couple of years back. Perhaps you watched as Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee appeared on The Colbert Report multiple times and preceded to go from fifth in the primary’s to second in the process. Was it the “bump” or simply astute campaigning?

If you’ve never watched a show of the Report, take notice of this article from LiveScience. Andrea Thompson, staff writer for LiveScience points out that there is some truth to the “Colbert bump,” whereby guests see a boost in popularity or notoriety by simply appearing on the show. In advance of the Pennsylvania primary, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama made appearances on “The Colbert Report” recently.

When folks such as James Fowler, a political scientist at the University of California, San Diego studies the evidence; rest assured, there is something to the phenomenon. Make no mistake about it, before the presidential campaign is over, the person that we will call president will have more than likely traveled through The Colbert Report on his or her way to the White House.

When voters stand at the booth to vote in November, it’s ludicrous, but ultimately plausible, that some voters will cast a ballot by how familiar the candidate is to him or her. Please, I’m begging you, do not vote this way. Watch all The Colbert Report episodes you want; but please, take time to do some research on each candidate. I don’t care if John McCain co-host with Colbert for the remainder of the season, please understand why you are voting the way you are voting.

First Thessalonians 5:21 says, “… but test all things. Hold on to what is good.” Don’t let the “Colbert bump” turn into the “Colbert dump”, as Stephen might call it.

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