Charles "Lil Buck" Riley (born May 25, 1988) is an American dancer, actor and model from Memphis, Tennessee , who specializes in a style of street dance called jookin . He gained popularity after director Spike Jonze used his cell phone to record an interpretive performance of The Dying Swan by Lil Buck and Yo-Yo Ma . Jonze uploaded the video to YouTube and as of November 2015, it had amassed over three million views.
143-520: Lil Buck was born in Chicago and raised in Memphis. He discovered jookin when he was 12 years old after his older sister showed him some basic jookin dance moves in their living room. After learning more about the dance from neighborhood mentors he spent less time doing his other hobbies, including drawing and basketball, so that he could focus solely on improving his dancing. When he was 17, he appeared in
286-720: A Bessie Award for this performance. Later in the year, Lil Buck made the August 2013 cover of Dance magazine and briefly appeared in the Spike Jonze film Her as a busker /dancer. In March 2014, Lil Buck performed at the TEDx Teen conference in New York City. In April, he appeared in another Jacob Sutton dance film sponsored by Diesel and he danced in the New York City Ballet 's Spring premiere that
429-418: A fictional anchorman character named Stephen Colbert , played by his real-life namesake, satirized conservative personality-driven political pundit programs like the O'Reilly Factor and Hannity on FOX News . The character first made appearances on the short-lived sketch comedy series The Dana Carvey Show in 1996, described as "a self-important, trench-coated reporter who does on-location stories in
572-399: A " Colbert Report, Sport Report, Special Repor-t ", in which Colbert devotes a section of an episode, and sometimes the entire episode to a special subject. The third segment is almost always an interview with a celebrity guest, often an author or government official. Unlike the late night talk show standard of the guest walking out to the host's desk, Colbert instead runs to a separate area of
715-532: A 1980s new wave group, Stephen & the Colberts, and released a fictional music video from the band for the song "Charlene (I'm Right Behind You)". The show's popularity resulted in Colbert headlining the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner , which he performed in character. The controversial, searing routine targeted President George W. Bush and the media, and was greeted with chilly reception from
858-477: A New Ballet Ensemble (NBE) school performance in West Memphis, Arkansas. NBE director Katie Smythe introduced Buck to Saint-Saëns' music and the idea of applying jookin' to classical music. Watts showed the clip to her husband Woetzel who then showed the clip to Yo-Yo Ma . They all eventually met by using Facebook to contact Katie Smythe (Lil Buck's ballet teacher) who facilitated the introduction. "Lil Buck
1001-486: A capacity of 150. NEP Studio 54 on 54th Street is owned by NEP Broadcasting which is New York City's largest production facility and also owns The Daily Show set at NEP Studio 52 two blocks south on 52nd Street . Aside from the set, the show's production offices have been described as "loft-like" and "all overhead pipes and exposed brick." Following the show's conclusion, the building was used for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore . The set for The Colbert Report
1144-479: A comedy team, they really get into it. They couldn't help themselves," said Fenhagen. These references included the United States Constitution , a miniature Ten Commandments , and a CliffsNotes guide to American government. The set was described as "part Riefenstahlesque homage to the star, part symbologic gallery— where alert viewers are rewarded with snarky jokes at every turn." Above
1287-628: A continuation of his interest in modern dance , Lil Buck appeared in a three-and-a-half minute rag & bone commercial with the classical dance artist Mikhail Baryshnikov . He modeled for French jeans retailer Kaporal and partnered with Versace to create a line of sneakers exclusively available online and at Versace's New York City store. Due to his accomplishments, he made the November 2015 cover of The Wall Street Journal ' s "Innovators Issue". In 2016, Lil Buck collaborated with dancer Jon Boogz and artist Alexa Meade to create "Color of Reality",
1430-427: A difference." Head writer Allison Silverman reiterated this trait in a later interview, commenting, "There is an essential innocence to his character." Colbert initially felt the character might not be sustainable in a longer format. Despite this, The Colbert Report was designed as an extension of the satiric goals of The Daily Show , combining it with general silliness and character-driven humor. To make sure there
1573-428: A faux- right-wing spin. The program typically continues with Colbert addressing a specific topic. Colbert often calls to "Jimmy", a reference to program director Jim Hoskinson, to roll video clips. That topic will often lead into a "The Word" segment, which juxtaposes Colbert's commentary with satirical bullet points on-screen, a parody of The O'Reilly Factor ' s "Talking Points Memo". On occasion he will conduct
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#17327918967231716-412: A fireplace is a portrait of Colbert; it originally showed Colbert standing in front of the same mantel with another portrait of himself. On the show's first anniversary, the portrait was replaced by one of Colbert standing in front of the mantel with the first portrait above it, and with each successive year, it became Colbert standing in front of the previous year's painting. The graphics used throughout
1859-439: A fixture in the late-night lineup." At its peak, the show averaged 1.5 million viewers each evening. The intensity of the fictional Colbert anchorman character was gradually toned down over the course of the show's run, as the host believed he would eventually need to move beyond it. He began to regard it as an act of discipline to perform as the character, later remarking, "to model behavior, you have to consume that behavior on
2002-414: A group of staff coders and independent contractors developed Scripto software to collaborate on scripts in real time. By 1 p.m., the show held a second production meeting to go over scripts and determine which pieces to edit. Scripts were "hopefully" completed around 4 p.m., and a rehearsal with the entire staff would begin at 5:30 p.m. or occasionally earlier. Afterward, final changes were made to
2145-414: A health segment; "The Sport Report" with the "t" in both Sport and Report silent, a sports segment; and "The ThreatDown", in which Colbert lists the five greatest threats to America, and others. His newest segment, "Thought for Food" deals with the consumption of specific foods across the world. Sometimes, there is a " Colbert Report Special Repor-t " (the final 't' pronounced with special emphasis), or even
2288-470: A hit program on par with The Daily Show , and were counting on Colbert after a string of failures. The Colbert Report drew 1.13 million viewers for its premiere episode, 47 percent greater than the average for that time slot over the previous four weeks, and 98 percent of the viewership of The Daily Show , which had Comedy Central's second-largest viewership. Averaged over its opening week, The Report had 1.2 million viewers per episode, more than double
2431-416: A household in the city was $ 27,399, and the median income for a family was $ 32,465. Males had a median income of $ 29,977 versus $ 21,007 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 13,679. About 23.7% of families and 28.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 40.9% of those under age 18 and 22.3% of those age 65 or over. West Memphis tends to have crime levels considerably above
2574-609: A hub for distribution and assembly operations. Healthcare is a noteworthy component of the city's economy, including Baptist Memorial Hospital – Crittenden, various clinics, medical suppliers, and nursing homes located in town. The city lies at the point where two of the nation's most heavily traveled interstate highways, Interstate 40 and Interstate 55 , intersect with the Mississippi River (a major cargo waterway) and large rail-lines operated by BNSF and Union Pacific . Cable television, internet and digital phone service
2717-411: A later date, were often forgotten because of the pace of news. Ideas with considerable potential were put in the "hopper" to be developed and rewritten, while more fully formed ideas were placed in the "pantry." Good jokes would still be sacrificed if they did not fit the character's specific point of view, which was deemed the inverse of what "any logical person" feels. At least one writer has described
2860-461: A liberal bias, noting that he himself was uninterested in modern politics. He believed that political issues reflect basic human behavior, which he viewed as his satirical specialty, noting, "If I thought I had a political point, I'd be in big trouble." In another interview, Colbert remarked, "I'm not someone with a particular political ax to grind. I'm a comedian. I love hypocrisy." The Colbert Report premiered on October 17, 2005. The first guest
3003-682: A locally produced jookin DVD called Memphis Jookin Vol. 1 . Lil Buck studied ballet for two years while on scholarship at the New Ballet Ensemble (NBE) in Memphis. He accepted the scholarship under the condition that he would not have to wear tights, but he eventually relented so that he could perform with the company. It was also while at NBE that Riley first performed The Dying Swan , a choreographic collaboration with his instructor at NBE, Katie Smythe (CEO / Creative Director - NBE). She explained
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#17327918967233146-563: A network of low-lying overflow areas and floodplains historically dominated by bald cypress , water tupelo , overcup oak , water hickory , and Nuttall oak forest subject to year-round or seasonal inundation. The Northern Holocene Meander Belts are the flat floodplains and former alignments of the Mississippi River , including levees , oxbow lakes , and point bars . Much of the wetlands and riverine habitat have been drained and developed for agricultural or urban land uses. The Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge , which preserves some of
3289-406: A parody of cable news pundits. When fellow Daily Show star Steve Carell left the show to pursue a film and television career, Comedy Central worked to keep Colbert at the network. Colbert pitched The Colbert Report to the channel in 2004. Stewart pushed Comedy Central to pick up the show, and Colbert was given an eight-week tryout. Following the show's immediate success, the show "quickly became
3432-416: A pebble that we throw into the puddle of the news, and then we report on our own ripples." Ideas for each show were considered in the morning pitch meeting, which could range from "harrowing" to smooth. Described as having "demanding standards", Colbert is quoted as remarking, "Let's make it perfect and then cut it." Although dozens of ideas were either chosen for the show or deleted, other ideas, saved for
3575-462: A producer for the interview segments, advised guests to talk with Colbert as though he were a "harmless drunk at the next bar stool." Guests would typically take their seats around 7 p.m., when a warm-up comedian (perhaps Jared Logan or Paul Mecurio ) delivered jokes. Colbert, out of character, held a brief question and answer session with the audience prior to taping. Taping lasted as long as three hours but usually ended around 9 p.m., at which point
3718-767: A recurring bit, "ThreatDown"), only to justify his own fears and impose those onto his audience. As the show progressed, Colbert gradually began to tone down the character, allowing guests in interviews to "get his or her own message across." The show's longevity created what The New York Times described as "a winking quality to the act, a sense that we’re all in on the joke." Colbert himself acknowledged that he "rarely hit it as hard as I used to," noting that "You have to be vigilant to stay ignorant." He noted that his own personal opinions can occasionally align with his character's, when liberal guests' agendas appeared based on dislike rather than logical argument. Politician and former vice president Al Gore accidentally referred to
3861-508: A regular basis. It became very hard to watch punditry of any kind, of whatever political stripe." With his contract set to end in December 2014, he had already decided to leave the show when he was contacted by CBS to replace David Letterman as the host of The Late Show franchise. The show's ending was announced concurrently with Colbert's jump to CBS in April 2014. The last episode of
4004-451: A reporter in 2012. The core principle of The Colbert Report is that Colbert is a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot." The character believes that he himself is the news: rather than a vessel to deliver the news to the audience, or a general member of the media, the character sees himself as more important than the news. He is veracious in his approach, while often ridiculously overblown in his statements. The character
4147-501: A sharper political focus to the humor than the show previously exhibited. Colbert recalled that Stewart specifically asked him to have a political viewpoint, and to allow his passion for issues to carry through into his comedy. Colbert became a fixture on The Daily Show , occasionally hosting in Stewart's absence. In 2003, the program began running advertisements for a fictional program titled The Colbert Réport , starring Colbert as
4290-697: A short interview with someone having to do with the topic. The format of the middle segment varies, but it is normally a visual presentation or skit. Often, these skits are parts of recurring segments , which may include " Better Know a District ", in which Colbert interviews a U.S. Representative from a certain district of the United States; "Tip of the Hat/Wag of the Finger", in which Colbert voices his approval or disapproval of prominent people and news items; "Cheating Death with Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A.",
4433-423: A short time of the mill's beginning, a small community developed. In 1917, highways 70 and 61 were established and clearing began through the future West Memphis. With the threat of river flooding diminished by a strengthened levee, the establishment of two lumber operations and the building of two major U.S. highways, the small lumber communities grew rapidly. In 1920 the population was approximately 132 and by 1928,
Lil Buck - Misplaced Pages Continue
4576-430: A simple "that's it for the report everybody, good night". It’s all about this [character] because there’s a culture of victimization of these hosts. They feel like they’re the ones who are the story, and they are being attacked by the powers that be or by some nefarious cabal. That’s all based upon one person. That’s how it came about, just me and the camera. Colbert on the character The host of The Colbert Report
4719-518: A solid hour of skewered news and punctured pomposity." Variety 's Brian Lowry commented that the show had an "impressive start with a topnotch premiere followed by a respectable second outing." Paul Brownfield of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "In the run-up to the show it all sounded a bit hard to get your head around, but in the flesh the show zinged, at least this first week." The Boston Globe 's Matthew Gilbert praised
4862-421: A tornado killed six people and caused approximately $ 35 million in damage. The town had not recovered from the tornado damage when it flooded from 12 inches (300 mm) of rain on December 25, 1987. Additionally, 7 to 10 inches (180 to 250 mm) of snow fell on January 6, 1988. When the snow began to melt, this added to the already existing flood problems and the destruction caused by the tornado. Some of
5005-511: A total area of 28.5 square miles (73.9 km ), of which 28.5 square miles (73.7 km ) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km ), or 0.34%, is water. Ecologically, West Memphis is located on the border between the Northern Backswamps (western part of West Memphis) and Northern Holocene Meander Belts (eastern section of West Memphis) ecoregions within the larger Mississippi Alluvial Plain . The Northern Backswamps are
5148-501: A video addressing gun violence. The New York Times likened the video to "...van Gogh — that is, if one of his paintings were brought to life as a performative protest." Lil Buck is vegan and has seven brothers and sisters. Though he primarily identifies with Memphis jookin', he is a fan of the Brooklyn-based street dance style flexing . He is married to dancer Ai Shimatsu. West Memphis, Arkansas West Memphis
5291-418: A way that suggests his own presence is the real scoop." His skits included “Waiters Who Are Nauseated by Food,” “Germans Who Say Nice Things” and “Skinheads From Maine.” Colbert joined Comedy Central 's The Daily Show in 1997, a year following its launch, then hosted by Craig Kilborn . When Jon Stewart became the program's host in 1999, The Daily Show developed a markedly different style, bringing
5434-509: A week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show focused on a fictional anchorman character named Stephen Colbert , played by his real-life namesake. The character, described by Colbert as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot", is a caricature of televised political pundits . Furthermore, the show satirized conservative personality-driven political talk programs, particularly Fox News 's The O'Reilly Factor . The Colbert Report
5577-600: Is egomaniacal , fact-averse ("factose intolerant"), God-fearing, and hyper-patriotic. He claims to be an independent who is often mistaken for a Republican , but uniformly despises liberals and generally agrees with the actions and decisions of the Republican Party. Colbert's character has been described as a "caustic right-wing bully." The character exists not in opposition to political leaders, but to common ignorances; for example, his insistence that then-presidential candidate Barack Obama had Socialist leanings
5720-448: Is "Baby Mumbles" by Cheap Trick . Colbert phoned guitarist Rick Nielsen during development of the show to discuss the theme, noting that he loved the band's song " I Want You to Want Me "; the show's theme music is largely that song's melody backwards. Following the opening sequence, Colbert most often proceeds with a run-through of recent headlines in a manner parodying traditional news broadcasts, similar to The Daily Show but with
5863-511: Is Stephen Colbert, a "self-important right-wing commentator", portrayed by his real-life namesake. The character incorporates aspects of Colbert's real life, but primarily parodies cable news pundits , particularly Bill O'Reilly of Fox News ' The O'Reilly Factor , whom he refers to as "Papa Bear". To this end, the character even incorporates O'Reilly's mannerisms, described as his "pen-wielding, hand-stabbing gestures." O'Reilly's use of "talking points"—illustrated onscreen text reflecting
Lil Buck - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-410: Is a spin-off of Comedy Central's The Daily Show , where Colbert was a correspondent from 1997 to 2005. The program, created by Colbert, Jon Stewart , and Ben Karlin , lampooned current events and American political happenings. The show's structure consisted of an introductory monologue and a guest interview, in which the Colbert character attempts to deconstruct his opponent's argument. The show
6149-451: Is a very thin one indeed." Heather Havrilesky of Salon was effusive, remarking, "Not only does Colbert maintain his persona without skipping a beat throughout the entire show, but he’s got great comic timing, the show’s writers are brilliant, and the whole thing is pure foolish, bizarre, idiotic fun." Barry Garron of The Hollywood Reporter dubbed it an "auspicious debut", writing, "The new show dovetails nicely with its lead-in to present
6292-512: Is located in eastern Crittenden County. It is bordered to the north by the city of Marion . A small piece of West Memphis extends south as far as the Mississippi River , but in most places the river is from 0.2 to 2 miles (0.32 to 3.22 km) south or east of the city limits. Downtown Memphis, Tennessee , is 8 miles (13 km) east of downtown West Memphis. According to the United States Census Bureau , West Memphis has
6435-473: Is offered through Comcast. AT&T provides telephone and internet service. Major operations include distribution centers for retailers such as Family Dollar , Carvana , Bosch Tools and manufacturers such as Stateside Steel & Wire. Continuing nearly $ 40 million in expenditures in West Memphis since 1998, Ciba Specialty Chemicals began construction of a new $ 1.3 million, 7,000-square-foot (650 m ) laboratory facility in December 2003, which
6578-586: Is the Colbert Report ." The show's original opening title sequence began with an eagle diving past the host, following by images of Americana, stock footage of Colbert, and words describing Colbert flying by (some of which have been used as The Word). The first word used was "Grippy", and has changed to include, among others, "Megamerican", "Lincolnish", "Superstantial", "Flagaphile", and "Factose Intolerant". The May 4 episode in 2009 featured hints planted by J. J. Abrams about when and where Colbert would be in
6721-667: Is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas , United States. The population was 24,520 at the 2020 census , ranking it as the state's 20th largest city. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area , and is located directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee . Native Americans lived in the Mississippi River Valley for at least 10,000 years, although much of the evidence of their presence has been buried or destroyed. The people of
6864-562: Is the real scoop." When The Daily Show ran short on time, a short piece starring Colbert, advertising a fictional program titled The Colbert Réport , was added into the program. In these sketches, Colbert began to amplify his character to parody news pundits. Colbert anchored many sketches in his persona, including "Even Stepvhen", in which he debated current issues with fellow correspondent Steve Carell , often devolving into petty name-calling and insults. Colbert and Carell were viewed as potential breakout stars by staff, and when Carell left
7007-520: Is the show where we said, oh, there is unlimited open field running." In February 2007, Ben & Jerry's unveiled a new ice cream flavor in honor of Stephen Colbert, named Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream . All proceeds were donated to charity through the Stephen Colbert AmeriCone Dream Fund, which distributed the money to various causes. In June 2007, Colbert broke his left wrist while performing his warm-up for
7150-417: Is what you might get if Mikhail Baryshnikov and Chris Brown 's genes were combined in a blender." Ole Schell, filmmaker After "The Swan" performance, Woetzel's professional relationship with Lil Buck continued. Woetzel invited Lil Buck to be the artist in residence at the 2011 Vail International Dance Festival . He paired Lil Buck with Yo-Yo Ma again for a performance at the 2011 U.S.-China Forum on
7293-600: The Army 's basic training regimen. On the first of the four episodes, Colbert had his head shaved on stage by General Ray Odierno who was jokingly "ordered" to do so by President Barack Obama , who appeared on the episode via a pre-recorded segment from the White House . In 2010, while in character, Colbert appeared before judiciary subcommittee hearing on the issue of farm workers and immigration . The New Yorker used Colbert's testimony before Congress as an example of
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#17327918967237436-646: The Cirque du Soleil show Michael Jackson: One . He modeled men's clothing in an 8-page spread in GQ magazine titled "How to Kick Your Jeans Habit". He also appeared on The Colbert Report and spoke at the Aspen Ideas Festival . Lil Buck performed with Yo-Yo Ma a third time at an event directed by Woetzel and held at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City. He and his cousin Ron "Prime Tyme" Myles eventually won
7579-463: The Mississippi River into what is now Crittenden County with an army of over 300 conquistadors and almost as many captured Native American slaves. The Spanish found the land to be the most densely populated that they had seen since starting their journey on the Florida coast, two years earlier. The Spanish expedition departed Arkansas two years later, leaving behind numerous Old World diseases. It
7722-583: The Mississippian Period were the last indigenous inhabitants of the West Memphis area. Mound City Road, located within the eastern portion of the West Memphis city limits, has a marker indicating that the villages of Aquixo (Aquijo) or Pacaha were in the area. Several mounds are still visible. Explorers from both Spain and France visited the area near West Memphis. Among those explorers were Hernando de Soto and his men from Spain and Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet from France. By
7865-521: The New York Comedy Festival in 2013, some writers admitted to procrastinating until the last hour before rehearsal to complete their sections; Colbert confirmed that, in the program's early days, segments such as "The Word" were scripted entirely during the rewrite before rehearsal. Both writers read their dialogue aloud to see whether they thought the Colbert character would say it. As writers were working on their respective scripts,
8008-497: The Persian Gulf , and "Farewellison" for the final episode of former producer Allison Silverman. The show's opening credits depict the Colbert character clutching an American flag. On January 4, 2010, a new opening debuted. The opening begins and ends with an eagle as before, but features new background renderings, new shots of Stephen Colbert, and is now colored in an American, red white and blue motif. The show's theme music
8151-595: The West Memphis Three and the case brought about a great amount of public intrigue. Four documentaries have been made about the incident, the first being Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills . Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were released from jail in 2011 after signing an Alford plea , which allowed them to plead guilty while maintaining their innocence. They were released with time served and placed on probation until 2021. West Memphis
8294-538: The census of 2000, there were 27,666 people, 10,051 households, and 7,136 families living in the city. The population density was 1,044.3 inhabitants per square mile (403.2/km ). There were 11,022 housing units at an average density of 416.1 per square mile (160.7/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 55.93% Black or African American , 42.16% White , 0.21% Native American , 0.53% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.51% from other races , and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.01% of
8437-538: The "crossroads of America" in the trucking industry. In 1973, a six-lane highway bridge, known as the Hernando de Soto Bridge and located north of the Harahan, opened as part of I-40. In 1980, Leo Chitman was elected as the city's first African American mayor. Current mayor Marco McClendon, who became the youngest West Memphis Mayor to be sworn into office in 2019, is African American as well. On December 14, 1987,
8580-662: The "third" Colbert: "Colbert was thoughtful and sincere—and had ruined the whole thing. By speaking honestly, he had become the very thing he was mocking, a celebrity testifying before Congress." Beginning in June 2011, the show created a long-running gag that involved Colbert starting his own actual super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow , described by the character as "100 percent legal and at least 10 percent ethical." In 2012, Colbert interviewed illustrator/author Maurice Sendak , who managed to get him to break character ; show staff and Colbert himself retrospectively labeled
8723-408: The 1990s, Southland Greyhound Park , one of West Memphis' largest employers, saw its attendance and revenues decline drastically, with a corresponding economic impact on both the town and state. This was largely attributed to the rise of casino gambling in nearby Tunica, Mississippi . By 2002, Southland struggled to survive. Following an estimated $ 40 million investment by the park's owner and
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#17327918967238866-640: The Arts and Culture in Beijing . Lil Buck was the first person in his family to travel outside of the United States. His trip was documented in a short independent film titled Lil Buck Goes to China . The film was directed by Ole Schell who is the son of Orville Schell , an American journalist based in China who organized the forum in Beijing. After his trip, Lil Buck was photographed by Bruce Weber for an interview in
9009-477: The Colbert character as Jesus Christ . In the set, "virtually every inch emblazoned with Colbert's name or the initial C"; his name, initials and the name of the show appear on the desk's plasma screen , on the rafters above the desk, and the desk itself is shaped like a giant "C". The background includes faux artifacts from the character's backstory, which are seldom seen by viewers. "I kept saying, 'People might not really notice this.' But when you're working with
9152-551: The Memphis/West Memphis area created the need for lodging and other services. Construction in 1949 of a second automobile bridge across the Mississippi, connecting Memphis and West Memphis, created another influx of automobile traffic. The buildings in the 700, 800 and 900 blocks of East Broadway reflect the growth of the city of West Memphis in the years 1930 to 1958. Until the national interstate highway system
9295-546: The Mississippi River flood plain and was washed away. An early settlement that was established for ferry operations between Memphis and Arkansas in the early 1880s was given the name West Memphis. This small settlement, located directly south of the present day Memphis & Arkansas Bridge , never incorporated and died out shortly after ferry traffic ceased due to the completion of the Frisco Bridge across
9438-489: The Mississippi River in 1892. In addition to its lost ferry operations, this area, in the same fashion as its northern neighbor Hopefield, became part of the Mississippi River flood plain in the 1890s. The entire area usually flooded in the spring until the St. Francis Levee District was established in 1893. However, private landowners along the Mississippi River built levees that were only three or four feet high. In 1912 and 1913,
9581-475: The Report aired on December 18, 2014. The show was replaced on Comedy Central's late-night lineup by The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore , another spinoff of The Daily Show . The character first made appearances on the short-lived sketch comedy series The Dana Carvey Show in 1996, described as "a self-important, trench-coated reporter who does on-location stories in a way that suggests his own presence
9724-506: The Spring 2011 issue of VMan magazine. Aside from working with Woetzel and Yo-Yo Ma, Lil Buck danced for Madonna during her Super Bowl XLVI halftime show after winning the "Dance for Madonna Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Competition". He eventually joined The MDNA Tour as one of 22 dancers. Due to all of his accomplishments during the year, Dance Spirit magazine named him one of "The Most Influential People of 2011". In 2012, Lil Buck
9867-744: The Square Deal Café on South 16th Street) and Elvis Presley (who ate his first breakfast after being inducted into the U.S. Army at the Coffee Cup on East Broadway on March 24, 1958). Other night spots along Broadway Street included Willowdale Inn, the Cotton Club, and the Plantation Inn. Legal greyhound racing began in the county in 1935. In the years that followed, the track closed several times—once for flooding, another due to World War II, and another time due to fire. However,
10010-531: The St. Francis main levee broke, flooding the area from the Mississippi River to Forrest City in St. Francis County . The flood of 1913 was the last time the levee broke in Crittenden County. After the levee system was built and strengthened, Zack T. Bragg , a lumberman who had been logging in St. Francis County since 1905, purchased 300 acres of virgin timber and established a sawmill in 1914. The mill
10153-542: The Union forces and disrupt river traffic. This became such a problem that on February 19, 1863, four companies of Federal forces burned down the entire town. The town of Hopefield was rebuilt after the war but never regained the prominence it once held in Crittenden County. After the St. Francis Levee District began the levee system in the Arkansas Delta during the 1890s, what little remained of Hopefield became part of
10296-590: The United States named "Canton", with many attracting negative responses from each respective area's local government and residents. The same year, the show filmed a tongue-in-cheek Christmas special titled A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! . In 2009, Colbert filmed a series of four episodes for the troops in Baghdad , Iraq . He had a suit tailored for him in the Army Combat Uniform pattern and went through an abbreviated version of
10439-577: The West Memphis Commercial Historic District remain much as they appeared in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, the remainder of the city's major traffic corridor, Broadway Avenue, has changed significantly. In the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, 8th Street was often called " Beale Street West", reflecting a music and nightlife scene to equal that in Memphis. Some places in West Memphis have been associated with entertainers such as B.B. King (who began his public entertaining at
10582-538: The Year by the American Dialect Society and for 2006 by Merriam-Webster . The character's forceful nature confused some in the program's early days. During an appearance on the segment " Better Know a District " in the show's first season, a frustrated Barney Frank declined to continue, deeming the conversation too dumb. In one early episode, the Colbert character purported to be a former member of
10725-638: The addition since 2006 of electronic games of skill and video poker machines, Southland has added more than 300 new employees, making it the third largest employer in West Memphis with 660 employees. Most of West Memphis is served by the West Memphis School District while a portion of the city of West Memphis is located within the Marion Public School District . West Memphis district schools: Marion district schools: From 1951 until its closure in 2014,
10868-537: The area took its English translation "Field of Hope", which eventually became known as Hopefield shortly after the United States took possession of the Louisiana Territory . Crittenden County is bounded on the east by the Mississippi River and was established in 1825, eleven years before Arkansas became a state. Named after Robert Crittenden , the first secretary of the Arkansas Territory ,
11011-507: The area was Benjamin Fooy, a native of Holland , who was sent in 1795 by the Spanish governor of the large area claimed by Spain to establish a settlement on the Mississippi River . He chose a location across the river from present-day Memphis. In 1797, the Spanish established Campo de la Esperanza, which was a small fort along the Mississippi River. The Spanish abandoned the fort in 1802 and
11154-429: The area. U.S. Highway 61, named Missouri Street in West Memphis, was constructed at the same time and its juncture with Highway 70 would become the epicenter of downtown West Memphis. West Memphis was officially incorporated in 1927 and continued to grow to become the largest city in Crittenden County. The availability of river and rail transportation transformed West Memphis into the manufacturing and distribution hub of
11297-474: The audience. Although President Bush shook Colbert's hand after his presentation, several of Bush's aides and supporters walked out during Colbert's speech, and one former aide commented that the President had "that look that he's ready to blow." Colbert's performance quickly became an Internet and media sensation. According to Vanity Fair , the speech transformed Colbert as a "folk hero" for liberals, and
11440-458: The average for the same time the previous year, when the time slot was occupied by Too Late with Adam Carolla . The show regularly began attracting over one million viewers with near immediacy. The show also drew more young men, a powerful demographic, than other late-night hosts (at that time, Jay Leno , David Letterman , and Conan O'Brien ). Within a year, The Colbert Report began averaging 1.5 million viewers per night. In early 2008, in
11583-702: The background of the piece on the way to a NBE school performance in West Memphis, Arkansas . Lil Buck moved to Los Angeles when he was 19 to pursue a career in dance. In 2010, he appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and co-choreographed the music video for the song " Tightrope " by Janelle Monáe . In 2011, director and former ballet dancer Damian Woetzel met Lil Buck and paired him with Yo-Yo Ma in "The Swan" performance that went viral on YouTube. Woetzel heard about Lil Buck from his wife Heather Watts who saw an old YouTube video clip of Lil Buck freestyle dancing to Camille Saint-Saëns ’ Le cygne ( The Swan ) in
11726-406: The business currently known as Southland Park Gaming & Racing on North Ingram Boulevard has been in the same location since 1956 and is now open every day of the week, including 24 hours on weekends. West Memphis began its role as a trucking hub with the opening of parts of Interstate 55 in the 1950s. With both I-55 and I-40 traveling toward the Mississippi River, West Memphis became known as
11869-581: The character could extend beyond one season without growing tiresome. While positively reviewing the program as a whole, Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune echoed these sentiments: "The biggest question hanging over The Colbert Report is whether the show’s sendup of the pomposity and fear-mongering of cable news blowhards will be as appealing in the long term." Melanie McFarland of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer summarized
12012-424: The character to "ignorantly deconstruct" his opponent's argument. The third segment of the show is on occasion a musical guest. Prominent musical guests have included Metallica , Paul McCartney , Rush , Green Day , Paul Simon , Crosby Stills & Nash , Pavement , Cat Stevens , Yo-Yo Ma , Radiohead and Black Star . Afterwards, Colbert ends the show with parting words to the audience or, if short for time,
12155-508: The city's main commercial thoroughfare, Broadway Avenue, was instigated by the increased traffic and by demand for the industrial products produced and shipped through West Memphis by rail and river. Tourist courts , restaurants, hotels and other amenities geared toward the traveler were constructed along the traffic corridor through West Memphis. During the World War II years, transportation of soldiers and goods by road, river, and rail in
12298-500: The community was served by Crittenden Regional Hospital, a 152-bed JCAHO Accredited facility. Memphis-based Baptist Memorial Health System opened Baptist Memorial Hospital–Crittenden, an 11-bed facility focusing on acute care, in December 2018. The Colbert Report The Colbert Report ( / k oʊ l ˈ b ɛər r ɪ ˌ p ɔːr / kohl- BAIR rih-por ) is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days
12441-468: The construction of two new U.S. highways fueled the growth of West Memphis. In 1930, the population reached 895. By 1940, the population grew to 2,225 and by the 1950 census , the population had more than quadrupled in size to 9,112, making West Memphis the fastest growing city in Arkansas. Due to the rapid growth of the city that grew from thick forests and swamps earlier in the 20th century, West Memphis
12584-621: The county had a population of 1,272 in 1830. Hopefield became the eastern terminal for the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad in 1857. However, the Civil War forced a halt to track construction just east of the St. Francis River in 1861. During the summer of 1862, Memphis fell into the hands of the Union forces. Most Confederate soldiers were ferried across the river to Hopefield, Arkansas, and surrounding farms. Many of these soldiers were moved on to other battle fronts, but some remained to harass
12727-481: The county. In the 1930s West Memphis, along with the rest of the Mississippi Delta, suffered due to the economic depression. However, the city grew and developed at a record pace. The most notable export of West Memphis from that era was its original blues music. At one time Sonny Boy Williamson , Howlin' Wolf , Robert Lockwood, Jr. , and B.B. King lived in West Memphis. The growth and development of
12870-582: The day following the 2004 Emmy Awards to first discuss the concept. The one-line pitch Colbert, Karlin and Stewart developed was "Our version of the O'Reilly Factor with Stephen Colbert." Herzog committed to an eight-week tryout period without a pilot. By the time of the 2004 election, the character was fully developed. In creating the character, which is designed to be repellant but entertaining, Colbert conferred with Stewart and Karlin. In expressing his hope that his character not be "an asshole," Stewart remarked, "You're not an asshole. You're an idiot. There's
13013-843: The episode Stephen becomes immortal after accidentally killing " Grimmy " during the opening of the segment of " Cheating Death with Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A. ". This leads to Stephen singing " We'll Meet Again " in its entirety along with a large group of famous friends including Jon Stewart , Jeff Daniels , Sam Waterston , Big Bird , Charlie Rose , Terry Gross , Keith Olbermann , Tom Brokaw , Alan Alda , Yo Yo Ma , Ken Burns , Cyndi Lauper , Patrick Stewart , Randy Newman , Doris Kearns Goodwin , Henry Kissinger , Alex Trebek , Mandy Patinkin , Lesley Stahl , George Lucas , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Gloria Steinem , Elijah Wood , Jake Tapper , Bob Costas , Smaug and Cookie Monster . Reviews of The Colbert Report upon its 2005 premiere were positive, although critics were generally skeptical that
13156-406: The first time. That year, The Colbert Report attracted $ 52.1 million in advertising for an audience whose median age was 39.4, about a year younger than The Daily Show . In 2014, the final year of the show's run, ratings were down three percent (coinciding with a general ratings slide for cable television). The series finale on December 18, 2014, was watched by 2.4 million viewers, making it
13299-486: The following interview to 'the French Guy'. In a subsequent Newsweek interview, O'Reilly said that he "feels it's a compliment" to have Colbert parody him because Colbert "isn't mean-spirited" and does not "use [his] platform to injure people". Later, Colbert replied on-air, "I like you too. In fact, if it wasn't for you, this show wouldn't exist." Colbert disagreed that the show's emphasis on politics represented
13442-422: The formerly elided final "t"s ( / ˈ k oʊ l b ər t r ə p ɔːr t / ); a similar move was made by The Daily Show which returned to air as A Daily Show . During this period, he staged a mock feud between himself, Jon Stewart, and Late Night host Conan O'Brien over who made Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee . In 2008, Colbert made a series of jokes directed at various towns in
13585-401: The host's opinions—are parodied on The Colbert Report with the segment "The Word". He initially incorporated long-winded, verbose metaphors to parody CNN correspondent Aaron Brown. In addition, the character was also heavily inspired by Stone Phillips , Bill Kurtis and "especially" Geraldo Rivera . "I loved the way Geraldo made reporting a story seem like an act of courage," Colbert told
13728-502: The job as "all-consuming", leaving no time for outside activities. Colbert himself eventually became withdrawn from morning meetings as the show continued on and he mulled a decision to leave. Usually by 11 a.m., a rough outline for the show was completed and writers sent off in pairs to create scripts that would be polished throughout the day. First, writers would scan news articles for ideas and partner together in pairs, with one "keeping track of possible jokes." During an appearance at
13871-597: The major employers in the city are Schneider National Carriers, Southland Park Gaming & Racing, Family Dollar Distribution, FedEx National LTL, and Robert Bosch Power Tools. Family Dollar Distribution and FedEx National LTL are located in the Mid-America Industrial Park west of the city. The 1993 murders of three young boys and the subsequent convictions of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, Jr. brought much unwanted attention to West Memphis. The three young men convicted were known as
14014-418: The midst of the writer's strike , Colbert posted an eleven-percent gain over its averages from the following fall. From 2012 to 2013, viewership decreased from 1.2 million to 1.1 million. In 2013, The Colbert Report was the second most-watched late-night talk show (behind The Daily Show ) among the demographic of adults 18–49, beating competition The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in that demographic for
14157-500: The mill, a commissary and boarding house, and a few dozen dwellings for workers. In 1914, another operation began two miles south of Bragg's Mill when William H. Hundhausen began plans for the Bolz Slack Barrell Cooperage plant located at the southern end of present-day 8th Street in West Memphis. The Bolz Cooperage, which was a stave mill, purchased a great quantity of acreage for its lumber operation. Within
14300-418: The most watched episode ever in the show's history. The finale was the most watched cable program of the night in its time slot, beating The Daily Show which was seen by two million viewers. The Colbert Report received numerous awards and accolades throughout its run. The show was nominated for four Emmy Awards in its inaugural year, but lost to The Daily Show . The Report was nominated each year for
14443-456: The national average. For the year of 2006, the violent crime index was 1989.3 violent crimes committed per 100,000 residents. The national average was 553.5 crimes committed per 100,000 residents. For 2008, the total murder risk for the city was over two and a half times the United States average, the same applied when compared to the Arkansas state average. Other forms of crime were roughly
14586-409: The persona as a "character" in a 2011 interview on the show, and in 2013, Colbert further blurred the lines between his character and real life when he spoke regarding the death of his mother on the program. In doing so, many commentators referred the show's longevity and the development of a "third" Colbert — one a faux pundit and one informed by the performer's own life. In the show's credits, Colbert
14729-427: The population had grown to 350. The community incorporated as a city in 1927 with the name West Memphis. Zack T. Bragg, one of the city's founders, was elected as the first mayor and served for three consecutive one year terms. William H. Hundhausen, another founder of West Memphis, was elected as its third mayor and served from 1932 to 1944. The construction of the railroads, the establishment of lumber operations and
14872-445: The population. There were 10,051 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 25.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. There were 553 unmarried partner households: 475 of both sexes, 52 same-sex male, and 26 same-sex female. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who
15015-568: The press." Nevertheless, there were more negative reviews: USA Today 's Robert Bianco opined that the show "tried too hard", writing, "Unfortunately, in just two weeks on the air, this half-hour spoof of a no-spin-zone type show has already stretched Colbert's character and the artifice that supports it past its natural breaking point." The New Yorker remarked that the show remained funny throughout its entire run. The Colbert Report currently scores favorable reviews, with 65/100 on Metacritic (first season), while its viewers' ranking on
15158-522: The quality of their material and had never looked at the names on writing packets submitted for employment. Subjects considered too dark were not even considered for comedic material; for example, the show would poke fun at press coverage of a tragedy, rather than the tragedy itself. Issues discussed on the show were later reported on actual newscasts, in turn allowing the show to comment on its own impact, creating an echo chamber of sorts. This led Colbert to describe his show, "at its purest expression, [as]
15301-472: The runner-up by more than 14 million votes. He was, however, disqualified, as the name of the bridge was intended to be a memoriam. Later that year, he began a mock feud with indie rock group the Decemberists over the subject of who was the first to challenge fans to create a green screen video; the fake conflict culminated in a guitar solo competition against Decemberists guitarist Chris Funk on
15444-456: The same with the exception of larceny which was slightly above the national average. While the crime within West Memphis is typically high, it is relatively average when compared with its far larger neighbor Memphis , the same applies to other cities throughout the same region of the South. Primarily because of its central location and transportation infrastructure, West Memphis has become
15587-414: The script. The final rewrite would take place in a "small, red, poorly ventilated room" until 6:45 p.m. Before interviewing his guests, Colbert met with them in the green room and acknowledged that he was playing a character, noting that the persona is "willfully ignorant of what you know and care about" and urging the guest to "honestly disabuse me of what you see as my ignorance." Emily Lazar ,
15730-474: The season of the year. Broadway Boulevard is the downtown district for the city of West Memphis. This downtown area has more than 84 stores and restaurants lining the street. Broadway also hosts blues singers and events in the city's "Blues on Broadway". West Memphis is one of only two cities in Arkansas (along with Hot Springs ) with a venue for parimutuel gambling , antedating the casino developments in nearby Tunica County, Mississippi , by many years. In
15873-660: The segment one of the show's more memorable moments. The Los Angeles Times called the September 2013 interview with political commentator and former CIA official Philip Mudd Colbert's "most awkward interview", stating Mudd "could barely disguise his contempt" for Colbert. President Barack Obama guested during the show's final month, in a show taped from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. ; Obama sat in Colbert's seat and presided over " The Wørd " segment. The final episode aired on December 18, 2014. In
16016-498: The series in 2004 to start a US version of The Office , Comedy Central made attempts to keep Colbert at the network. Stewart and Karlin were already looking to expand the Daily Show franchise and their production company, Busboy. The duo supposedly came up with the idea for The Colbert Report after watching coverage of the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Bill O'Reilly . Colbert met with network president Doug Herzog
16159-408: The set to interview his guest, basking in the applause and glory meant for the guest. On the interview segment of the show, Colbert frequently attempts to nail his guest by using various rhetorical devices and fallacies to prove them wrong. The real-life Colbert once remarked that his personal favorite segment of the program were the interviews, which involved more listening on his end in order for
16302-473: The show and the studio itself are saturated with American flags , bald eagles , Captain America's shield , and other patriotic imagery. Typically, Colbert starts with the audience cheering and teasers regarding the show's topics and guest; each headline is structured to be a deliberate pun. The series of puns are followed by a verbal metaphor that promotes the show and is almost always finished with, "This
16445-403: The show was edited and sent to Comedy Central for broadcast. As the show was being edited, the staff met one last time to work through details for the next show. The Colbert Report was taped and broadcast four nights a week, Monday–Thursday. The show's taping studio, at 513 W. 54th Street in New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, was used for The Daily Show until July 2005, and has
16588-428: The show's early reaction: "Critics and bloggers either loved the premiere or declared themselves to be unmoved, but that's the standard reaction after any late-night program's debut. A truer measure will be seen in coming weeks, after the hype wears off and the ratings lose their exuberance." Gilbert Cruz of Entertainment Weekly noted that "Colbert proves that the line between serious TV journalism and utter nonsense
16731-413: The show's final episode of the year, featuring guest appearances from guitarist Peter Frampton , New York Governor-Elect Eliot Spitzer , and Dr. Henry Kissinger . Colbert later recalled it as the show's "craziest" moment, changing the way the staff viewed the program: "Because you realize the character believes anything he thinks, says, [or] cares about is important, anything fits on the show. [...] That
16874-463: The show's production and graphics team compiled music, footage, and props needed for the show. To collect video clips, the show cross-referenced transcripts of hours and hours of archived TiVo recordings of news programs. In 2011, the show switched to Snapstream software, which streamlined the TV clip search and compilation process, allowing for searching closed captioning for select words. In addition,
17017-550: The show's studio and at-home audience, like Colbert's poll to name a bridge in Hungary after himself. Many of the writers had improv training and at one point put together "improv evenings" at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre once a month. The Report's writing staff was predominantly male and white; Colbert acknowledged this lack of diversity, but contended that he hired writers based solely on
17160-573: The show's traditional viewing audience, including Colbert running for U.S. President twice, co-hosting a rally at the National Mall , presenting a controversial performance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner , and establishing a real Super PAC that raised over a million dollars. The show also inspired various forms of multimedia, including music and multiple best-selling books. The Colbert Report , hosted by
17303-549: The show's wordplay, summarizing, "Colbert's a clever creation, and a necessary one, and he deserves an opportunity to offend as many people as possible with his pompous blather." Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times commented that the show was a welcome addition to the Comedy Central lineup, remarking, "What puts Mr. Colbert over the top is that he is not just impersonating well known television personalities, he also uses parody to score larger points about politics and
17446-541: The show. It was the subject of an extended bit on the program, including the creation of the "Wriststrong" wrist band , based on Lance Armstrong 's " Livestrong " wrist band, which donated all proceeds to the Yellow Ribbon Fund . Colbert remained on the air without writers during the Writers Guild of America strike in 2007–08. Colbert modified the pronunciation of the show's name, pronouncing both of
17589-409: The simplest show, then it's "The Joy Machine" as opposed to "The Machine". Considering the speed at which we do it, we'll get caught in the gears really quickly unless we also approach it with joy. Stephen Colbert describing the show's production, 2009 The show's writing was grounded in improv , employing a "yes to everything" mentality. Much of the humor derived from extended improv games with
17732-487: The site is higher at 8.7/10. In a 2009 academic analysis of the show's popularity, Temple University researcher, Heather LaMarre found that the show appealed to both liberals and conservatives, concluding, "there was no significant difference between the groups in thinking Colbert was funny, but conservatives were more likely to report that Colbert only pretends to be joking and genuinely meant what he said while liberals were more likely to report that Colbert used satire and
17875-646: The time French hunters and explorers entered the region, the Mississippian towns and other settlements had been abandoned. The original site of West Memphis came from Spanish land grants issued during the 1790s. Grants were given to Benjamin Fooy, John Henry Fooy, and Isaac Fooy in the Hopefield (Crittenden County) area and to William McKenney in the Bridgeport-West Memphis area. In the summer of 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto crossed
18018-583: The year-round flooded bald cypress forest typical of this ecoregion prior to development for row agriculture lies north of West Memphis. As of the 2020 United States Census , there were 24,520 people, 9,939 households, and 5,964 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 26,245 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 63.3% Black, 33.7% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, <0.0% from some other race and 0.8% from two or more races. 1.6% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of
18161-407: Was Stone Phillips , a partial influence on the character. In the debut episode, Colbert coined the word truthiness , defined as "a quality characterizing a 'truth' that a person making an argument or assertion claims to know intuitively 'from the gut' or because it 'feels right' without regard to evidence , logic , intellectual examination, or facts." Truthiness was named the 2005 Word of
18304-464: Was 130 years before Europeans visited this region again. The French expedition of Joliet and Marquette in 1673 found none of the towns or people that the Spanish had documented; all that remained were the many mounds that still dot the landscape along the rivers and creeks. The original inhabitants, like the later settlers, were drawn to this region because of its fertile river bottom soil, abundant game, and thick forest. The earliest recorded immigrant to
18447-449: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.23. In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males. The median income for
18590-404: Was a figment of his ego-riddled imagination. Despite his appearance of always being in charge, Colbert is vulnerable: he feels deeply threatened by those wielding more power than he, and he suffers from "arctophobia", the fear of bears, which he refers to as "giant, marauding, godless killing machines". He will alert the audience to what he perceives as the latest national threat (the subject of
18733-419: Was based on public misconceptions. In parodying the cult of personality , the Colbert character also developed a real-life equivalent, creating what was dubbed the "Colbert Nation". While giving the character a certain mythos was part of the show's inception, show producers did not set out to create a loyal following for the character itself; the joke was that the character thought he had an influence, but that
18876-439: Was called "The Eagle's Nest" and reflects and facilitates Colbert's self-aggrandizing style. It was designed by Jim Fenhagen, and was intended to both capture the character's ego and be "hyper-American." Elements incorporated into the set included architectural lines converged to Colbert's desk, and radial beams coming out from behind his chair. Colbert's main influence for the set was Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper , with
19019-539: Was choreographed by artist JR and scored by musician Woodkid . Lil Buck was a guest judge on season 11 of So You Think You Can Dance . He performed in the opening credits for Spike Lee 's 2014 film, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus . In May, Lil Buck performed in Versailles with dancers from Benjamin Millepied 's ballet company. Afterward, he went on tour with Madonna again to promote her album Rebel Heart . In
19162-540: Was completed in June 2004. Public parks in the area include Franklin Park, Grimsley Park, Hicks Park, Hightower Park, Horton Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Matthews Park, Rowe Park, Tenth Street Park, Tilden Rodgers Sports Complex and Worthington Park. The West Memphis Gateway serves as the main entrance to the city of West Memphis. The LED lighting for the overpass support beams light at night according to
19305-581: Was credited with a title, which deliberately became increasingly cumbersome as the show progressed: Her Excellency The Rev. Sir Doctor Stephen Tyrone Mos Def Colbert, D.F.A., Heavyweight Champion of the World ✱✱ featuring Flo Rida La Premiere Dame De France . When O'Reilly appeared on The Daily Show before the second episode of The Colbert Report aired, he commented, "Before we get started, somebody told me walking in here, you got some French guy on after you making fun of me?", and made several references in
19448-420: Was later described by Frank Rich as the "defining moment" of the 2006 midterm elections. Adam Sternbergh of New York , a year after the show's debut, deemed the character "something very close to what he's parodying, a kind of Bill O'Reilly for the angry left." In 2006, Colbert encouraged fans to vote for his name to be the new name of a bridge in Hungary, which was being decided via an online poll, beating
19591-404: Was located along a railroad spur and a dirt path that would eventually become Missouri Street in West Memphis. Bragg also acquired the timbering rights to thousands of acres of adjacent land clearing the area that eventually gave way to fertile farmland and to the future West Memphis. The area around Bragg's Mill was known for the first few years as Bragg, Arkansas. The small community consisted of
19734-402: Was named one of Dance Magazine ' s "25 to Watch" . The same year, he modeled in a national GAP ad and danced in two NOWNESS videos, one of which was directed by ballet choreographer Benjamin Millepied . The other video was directed by Jacob Sutton who submitted a longer version to Cinedans, a Dutch film festival that showcases films based on dance. Lil Buck spent most of 2013 dancing in
19877-466: Was nicknamed the "Wonder City" in the mid-1930s. The first automobiles began crossing the Mississippi River at Memphis in 1917 by special roadways constructed on the Harahan Bridge , which was built for rail traffic and opened in 1916. This heralded the growth of the future West Memphis as its main street, U.S. Highway 70, known as Broadway Avenue, brought an influx of automobile traffic through
20020-417: Was no overlap in subject matter with The Daily Show , Karlin made trips between the studios during the show's early days to supervise scripts. For the first several years of the program, Colbert made an appearance at the end of each Daily Show in split-screen, having a short discussion with Stewart preceding his show. I call the show, jokingly, "The Joy Machine", because if you can do it with joy, even in
20163-474: Was not serious when offering political statements". Malcolm Gladwell discussed LaMarre's findings in his Revisionist History podcast, "The Satire Paradox" (2016). The ratings of The Colbert Report , from its premiere, benefited from the lead-in The Daily Show provides, which at the time of the show's debut averaged 1.3 million viewers per night. Comedy Central had previously struggled to produce
20306-427: Was opened in the late 1950s, diverting traffic away from former routes through the middle of America's towns, West Memphis' Broadway Avenue was the city's center of commerce, with retail stores, tourist courts and hotels and office buildings. Decline of Broadway Avenue was rapid after the traffic through the town diminished with the opening of the interstate highways. Although the three blocks of East Broadway contained in
20449-523: Was taped in New York City 's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, and the program's set is "hyper-American", epitomizing the character's ego. The show was taped and broadcast Monday through Thursday, with weeks taken off at multiple points in a given year for breaks. The Colbert Report saw immediate critical and ratings successes, leading to various awards , including multiple Emmy and Peabody Awards . The show's cultural influence often extended beyond
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