Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year or so, you’ve probably noticed Stephen Colbert’s face on the cover of countless magazines. The popular faux-conservative host of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, has become a pop culture icon. Not surprisingly, 2008 found Colbert hosting his own Christmas special, A Colbert Christmas, which can only be described as a parody of hundreds of Christmas specials that have graced the television airwaves over the years. This approach seems fitting, since Colbert himself plays an individual so conservative, that I’m sure some true conservatives occasionally blush.
As Colbert prepares to leave his mountain cabin for his New York studio for the purpose of taping a Christmas special, he finds his path blocked by a grizzly bear outside his door. Lucky for Stephen, a bunch of friends drop by to try and make the best of the situation–John Legend, Feist, Toby Keith, and Jon Stewart who sings, “Can I Interest You In Hanukkah?”
The best part of the special is the varied collection of infectious original songs–Colbert found out they’d have to pay exorbitant royalties to use standard holiday songs like “White Christmas” and “Silver Bells” (with lyrics by David Javerbaum and music by Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger) that work spectacularly as songs and as sturdy joke material. Toby Keith parodies his own reputation as a believer in “America first,” by declaring a jihad on Christmas and singing, “Have I Got A Present for You,” an anti-Christmas anthem, sung with the same vigor as Keith’s big hit, “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue.” Willie Nelson appears as a toned fourth wise man and sings a straight-faced ode to the terrible practice of smoking marijuana (“The Little Dealer Boy”). John Legend plays his ever present piano, while singing “Nutmeg,” one of the most double-entendre-laden homage’s to that spice you’ll ever hear. Elvis Costello contributes “There Are Much Worse Things to Believe In,” While Feist, playing an angel contributes, “Please Be Patient.”
Colbert himself sings along with the musicians on most of the songs. Viewers may be surprised at his surprisingly good baritone singing voice (of course, most of the numbers are lip-synched rather obviously in the tradition of most Christmas specials). All of the special guests are in on the joke and play along with the false cheer and good spirits.
The 1.33:1 aspect ratio of the original broadcast is replicated here, though Paramount has slightly windowboxed the image to prevent overscan. It’s bright and splendidly colorful though some of the garish color from some of the blue screen effects does bloom on occasion. The program has been divided into 8 chapters.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio track is acceptable though not much use is made of its stereophonic capability. The disc offers the viewer the option of watching the special with or without a “live” (read laugh tracked) audience.
Special features: The amusingly mean-spirited bonus song “A Cold Christmas,” a strangely hypnotic book-burning Yule log, and a clever video advent calendar and three alternate endings.
