The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Thursday, October 18, 2007 - 3B What dreams will come Colbert brings bite to print By IMRAN SYED DailyArts Writer "This book isn't for people that are good at reading. It's for real Americans." So said Stephen Colbert to Jon Stewart in an episode of "The I Am Amer- Daily Show" shortly before iCa (And So the release of Can You!) Colbert's new book "I Am By Steven America (And Colbert So Can You!)." Grand Central And not surpris- ingly, he said it best. No, the book isn't simplistic drivel like the hundreds of celeb- rity "autobiographies" out there (everyone from Lance Bass to Jer- maine Dupri has one), those mir- acles of grammar held together by the unlikeliest of preposition- subject combinations. I simply mean the book is a very acces- sible read for fans and newcom- ers alike. It gets out the Colbert's message while managing to main- taina surprising amount of punch, given that we only know Colbert from his TV show and have only our imagination as a guide as to * how Colbert would deliver these absurd musings. Since starting out as a corre- spondent on "The Daily Show" in 1997, Colbert has become some- thing ofa pop-culture legend. Con- veniently liberal college kids aside, Colbert has made his mark among wider audiences because of his disarming personality, and, dare I say, charm. He's a screaming luna- tic, but in a world where scream- ing lunatics win serious ratings and have devoted followings (Bill O'Reilly, "Papa Bear," as Colbert calls him), the chord he strikes KELSEY From page 1B els. The loggia will be visible - and, hope- fully, attention-grabbing - to pedestrians. A second entrance will be added on the Maynard side. The renovation owes thanks to an $8.5 million donation the Kelsey Museum received from Mary and Edwin Meader. Edwin, who died earlier this year, gradu- ated from the University in 1933. They gave a previous donation to help build the Rachel Upjohn Building for the University's. Depression Center and have also supported the School of Music, Theatre and Dance and Hill Auditorium. The new addition will be named the William E. Upjohn Exhibit Hall, in honor of Mary's grandfather. These processes set the reopening date back somewhat, but the plans that the Kelsey Museum staff has for the new exhib- its should be worth the wait. Imagine walking straight into the rem- nants of an Egyptian marketplace. The museum's upcoming exhibit, which dis- plays artifacts from the ancient Egyptian city of Karanis, will be the focal point on the first floor of the new gallery. Lauren Talalay, the museum's associate director, plans to include a miniature cave under the stairs that visitors can walk into. The cave will house one artifact of which the Kelsey is particularly proud. "We have a mummified child's body that visitors will be able to view inside the cave," Talalay said. Included also are CAT scan images of the mummy obtained from the University Hospital. If you climb the stairs to the second floor, you'll be surrounded by a series of life-size watercolor paintings, recreations of wall paintings from a section of Pompeii known as the "Villa of the Mysteries." The water- colors come from Maria Barroso in the Egypt on State Street? Give it a couple of years. 1920s, a famous Italian painter. Talalay said they are the only known recreation of the "Villa of the Mysteries" on display in North America and, likely, the world. There are also plans to showcase photos of the actual wall paintings taken by the Kelsey Museum's faculty members on a flat- screen computer outside the room so visi- tors can compare the two images. "We hope this new addition will increase our popularity around campus," Meier said. Hopefully he's right. The Kelsey Muse- um's collection is a perfect foil to its bigger brother across the street, and an important part of the University's experience. That eye is a little overdone, but whatever, he's funny. is of t satiric himsel erplate to del he's es some c headst Col less, bu his sht of bad inc sa he perfect tenor for serious has no shortage of metaphorical al skewings. While Stewart opportunities for the poor" are the f can be called out as a boil- back-handedly incisive Colbert at liberal hack, it's tougher his best. Like he did in his finest egitimize Colbert, because hour - the underappreciated per- sentially doing exactly what formance he put on at the White of the most popular talking House Correspondents Dinner in today do. April 2006 - Colbert is expertly bert's persona is nearly peer- beguiling. At his best, the man t the same cannot be said of can make you agree with concepts ow, which has its fair share you've despised since birth. It's jokes, sequences, shows or all in the inflection, phrasing and righteous absurdity that Colbert does so well. Having released this book last week and officially announced .v . ol.t.ca his candidacy for president of the United States last Tuesday night tirist xvorks (he'll run only in South Carolina, as both a Republican and a Demo- crat), Colbert is ready to take his on paper. infectious, obnoxious persona to the next level. The book has its dry spots, but it's still a fantastic primer on who Colbert is, what reeks. The book, written by he stands for and why we should t and his team of writers, is be suspicious of anyone who seri- means a tour-de-force - it ously argues in this way. as often as Colbert's jokes People like Jon Stewart and it on his show. Especially Keith Olbermann may be vying he beginning of the book, to take back the. cable airwaves we are provided with a from the lunacy of Fox News, but -biography and life story, they're much too earnest and righ- ok is slow and bogged down teous ever to get through to those same sophomoric one-lin- infected with the divisive, bitter t are found on "The Word," political rhetoric of the past sev- lar nightly segment of "The eral years. Colbert is different. He t Report" spoke to the president and his clos- surprisingly, Colbert's fin- est friends and advisors in person nmentary is found in later and lampooned them more thor- rs addressing race, class, oughly to their faces than anyone ration, science and, of has managed behind their backs. ,the media. Lines like "Real- He's impossible to ignore, and this a liberal bias" and "America book is a testament to his genius. even w Colber by no stalls fall fla near tl where pseudo the boe by the ers tha a popu Colber Not est coe chapte immig course ity has; WINTER COATS, FLEECE, HATS, GLOVES, WOOL SWEATERS, BOOTS, SCARVES, LONG UNDERWEAR* JEANS, TOPS, DRESSES, JEWELRY, HANDBAGS, BODY PRODUCTS ...AND OF COURSE QUALITY OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT The University of Michigan Department of Recreational Sports REC Intramural Sports Program REC SPORTS www.recsports.umich.edu SPORTS """"734-763-35621 INTRAMURALS INTRAHURAL S FLAGFALL Entry Fee: $100 per team Entries Taken: COME EARLY!! Manager's Meeting: Mon, Oct. 22 ONLY MANDATORY 11:00 AM - 4:30 PM Wed. Oct. 24 6:00 PM or 9:00 PM IM Building IM Building Sale ends Saturday Oct. 20th L Manager's Meeting: MANDATORY Wed, Oct. 24 8:00 PM IM Building Entries Taken: Mon, Oct. 22 ONLY 11:00 AM - 4:30 PM IM Building COME EAR Entry Fee $115 per team BROOMIALL . ,:.,j Y 3 ' i WALLYBALL Entry Fee: Entries Taken: Man, Oct. 22 ONLY 11:00 AM - 4:30PM IM Building COME EARLY!! Manager's Meeting: MANDATORY Wed, Oct. 24 7:15 PM IM Building Take Your Ca LY!! : I Need a FUN and FLEXIBLE job??? Officials Clinics: Flag Football - TONIGHT 7pm IMSB . Broomball - Mon. Oct. 22 7pm IMSB ~/ Contact Nicole @ 764-0515 or nmgreen@umich.edu for more information ,,' 6w