As I scrolled through the possible options to be motivated by in the storytelling inspiration tab, my mind obviously thought, “which one is going to be the easiest.” I sifted through the texts, videos, podcasts, and I settled on an article about a man who I have constantly heard my Dad call overrated, Stephen Colbert. Give it 20 minutes, and look at that, I’m tearing up in the study room of my fraternity house.
Colbert’s story is far from cliché but can be talked about in such a way that does bring a sense of emotional clarity. Many people dream of being in this guy’s shoes, I mean especially people who love to hear themselves talk like myself, but no one really takes into account the intricacies that are attached to a job like his.
When I winded my way to the end of the piece, to be completely honest, I teared up. I’m a kid that has gone through his own emotional wringer, and while it doesn’t compare to what Colbert has had to endure, the way in which he discussed these intricate approaches to happiness and everyday enjoyment quite literally clarified the tornado of thoughts within my head. I would have loved to have a camera focused on my facial expressions throughout reading, because the genuine reactions of happiness and self-awareness are feelings I haven’t felt in a very long time. This piece made me feel confident for the first time in a while and gave me lessons and quotes that I hope to implement in my own life. For God’s sake, I’m out here taking life lessons from a GQ article, so props to Joey Lovell, because he knows how to tell an impactful story.
The story lasts because of the different aspects of personality that it targets. When writing a feature on a certain celebrity, it’s very easy for the author to just focus on the impact the celeb has on mainstream media, and the best things they’ve done in their career. While Lovell does paint Colbert in an incredibly positive light, he is not afraid to dig into the emotional past of the beloved host, while highlighting certain events of his career.
When picking this article apart the most emphasized aspect is human emotion, and for good reason. I wouldn’t have done anything differently, because I can say without a doubt that I view things differently. It’s not because I love Stephen Colbert, it’s not because of the distinct tone within the interview, it’s because of the authenticity in which he speaks. He knows how to play a character, and he scraps that persona to truly divulge into what is at the core of all human beings, raw emotion.
In conclusion, there are two quotes that I copied down in pasted in my notes on my computer. I know. Crazy stuff. In all honesty, they did mean a lot. As a kid who has never believed in himself, a quote from a GQ article about a late-night host showed me a different way in which to approach my life. “It’s our choice, whether to hate something in our lives or to love every moment of them, even the parts that bring us pain. At every moment, we are volunteers.” So, thank you, Stephen Colbert, for articulating your ways to deal with loss, self-confidence, and making late-night television special. While you may not have meant it, a 19-year-old in Madison Wisconsin appreciates it more than you know.
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