Comments on: Dan Savage on Stephen Colbert

By: Booty

Booty — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:08:45 +0000

“Coal-bear” is the proper pronounciation of “Colbert” in French.

Just as “lamb-bear” is the proper pronunciation of “Lambert” in French.

If Stephen (or anyone else sharing that name) prefers to use the French pronunciation of their name, that’s their privilege. Personally, I don’t consider that much of an affectation, if any at all. And it certainly isn’t “wrong.”

By: Tony D'

Tony D' — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:17:18 +0000

That was very funny!! I missed that one. Thanx for posting. Dan Savage is my hero! He gets one year of free saddlebacking and soaking!! :P

By: cowboy

cowboy — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:42:52 +0000

On the way home tonight I might stop in my favorite pharmacy and buy some stuff for my saddlebacking this weekend.

and to Ms. S. Davis:
I tip my hat to you. That was an excellent response. Prime-time material. That made my day.

By: AJD

AJD — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:19:57 +0000

I read an interview with him a while back, and he said his parents gave him and his siblings a choice to pronounce their name “COAL-bert” or “coal-BEAR,” and he chose the latter. When you watch the show, you may also notice he pronounces “Report” like “rapport” (i.e. minus the “t”).

By: Jim Burroway

Jim Burroway — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:49:07 +0000

Ironic, given that he pronounces his last name “wrong.” Anyway, it’s corrected.

By: Elise

Elise — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:56:50 +0000

Psst… Jim… it’s spelled “Stephen.”

By: Maduin

Maduin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:51:23 +0000

The saddleback comment was a reference to a joke that Colbert made earlier in the program about Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church.

By: AJD

AJD — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:42:47 +0000

Willie, that’s certainly a possibility. If it’s not actually a slang term, it could become one, sort of like Savage did to “santorum.” I could see “saddlebacking” as the opposite of “barebacking.”

By: Willie Hewes

Willie Hewes — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:37:52 +0000

I think it’s just that it SOUNDS like it could be something dirty, so that’s what they made it.

By: Jason D

Jason D — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:27:58 +0000

cowboy, my guess is that it’s a callback to both “brokeback” and “bareback”…but I don’t think it’s an actual practice.

If it were, my guess is that it means sex with a condom (or while wearing a saddle).