More Stephen Colbert

Listening to that short exchange between Stephen Colbert and Fr. James Martin that appeared by magic in the Youtube sidebar led me to another thing that appeared in the sidebar for it, a longer interview with Stephen Colbert with Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB,   I've heard Colbert in interview before and knew he was not only really funny but extremely intelligent and, even rarer, well-informed but this a really impressive performance.  

For example, hearing him explain C.S. Lewis's four kinds things that provke laughter and what is behind them them, starting at about 24:30 is really something.  It covers not only the difference between intelligent comedy and the crap that most of what is called comedy and humor for about the past three decades has been. Colbert's understanding obviously informs his work and shows the difference between someone like him and most of the jerks who aren't really funny but who get laughs.  

In flippancy no joke is actually made the attitude of a joke is made, is copped by everybody there it does not increase affection.  It distances people it armors the soul against joy and it deadens the intellect. 

That description covers, easily, most of what is presented as humor and comedy, today.  It was the kind of stuff which was produced by the kind of people who held nothing as sacred, who used shock instead of intelligence and who not only had a fear of warm human relationships but who disdained them.  

He also talks about what he'd said was his favorite verse from the Bible 

Do Not Worry
25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” 32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6:25-34

In the interview posted last night, Stephen Colbert pointed out that when Jesus said, "Do not worry" it was a commandment. He also said he wasn't that good about following it.  I have to admit that if he's bad at it, I'm ten times worse at doing it.  I worry about everything.  So much to work on.