Baym, G. (2007). Representation and the Politics of Play: Stephen Colbert's Better Know a District. Political Communication, 24(4), 359-376.

"the segment interjects a measure of political content into a late-night landscape generally characterized by banal entertainment, while offering rank-in-file representatives an alternative televisual venue in which to craft affective ties with a constituency that pays less and less attention to traditional forms of political communication."

" it represents politics as a form of postmodern play, manipulating elements of the real to create a spectacle that calls into question the very logic of representation. Ultimately, though, this study argues that as parody, Better Know a District indulges in the techniques of postmodern spectacle as a way of critically confronting the "aesthetic totalitarianism" of right-wing political communication that privileges affective spectacle over rational argument and actively seeks to undermine the deliberative process."

This is a highlight clip shown on MSNBC that should give you a sense of the ridiculous antics of the show.


This is a HIlarious interview with the representative from DC



This is an example of a full clip with the district profile and all


Here is a link to a site that has all of the better know a district clips.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Colbert_Report

I think it is hours of entertainment. I can't believe that these interviews happen.
As an academic question related to the discussion for this week let me ask about the article quoted above.
Do you think this increases political knowledge? If so, I'm a bit terrified about what our kids think about the congress.
Do you think this is a satire that parodies the status quo dominance of a rhetorical flourish over rational argument?
That would be awesome if it did either of these things. One thing it certainly does is crack me up.