Thanks a Lot: Pop Culture’s Finest Moments of 2009 (Stephen Colbert’s hyper-real genius, more)

[The Straight Story]

Thanks a Lot: Pop Culture’s Finest Moments of 2009


From comedy to sci-fi, 2009 dosed us with a healthy mix of the cerebral and the surreal. There’s much to give thanks for over the Thanksgiving holiday, so let’s reminisce about the people, places and things that made this year memorable.

Stephen Colbert’s hyper-real genius
Is there a braver comedian, or journalist, on television? Stephen Colbert’s nightly merge of news, hilarity, social commentary, wit and shameless plugs for everything from his painting in the Smithsonian to his marketable man-seed have fully turned the pop-culture’s self-obsessed mirror upon itself. In 2009, he successfully invaded Iraq, the International Space Station, the iPhone and much more. But The Colbert Report has yet to unseat The Daily Show for an Emmy? Prankster, please! A postmodern personality with two separate Wikipedia entries for the same name, Colbert is Earth’s most relevant living cultural critic, and deserves his own network. –Scott Thill


Fringe’s winning formula
With no letdown in sight, prime time’s smartest sci-fi show powers through Season 2 with a formula that pushes humor, global conspiracy, gore and hard science to absurdly entertaining extremes. —Hugh Hart

Up and Pixar’s ongoing magic
Amidst another summer of mediocre blockbuster movies, there was Up. Entertaining, creative, insightful and inspiring, you’ll rarely find a film that so effectively balances humor, adventure and pathos. But rather than just celebrate one film, why not give thanks for Pixar Animation? Where else in all of entertainment do you find a company that never makes failed products? Some Pixar films are better than others, but they’ve never made a bad movie. There’s more genuine creativity and heart in a single Pixar movie than in 10 average studio flicks. Up should bag Oscar noms for Best Picture and Best Animated Picture. —John Scott Lewinski



http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/11/wired-gives-thanks/