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Clay’s intention; despite Colbert’s efforts

While meeting with Tom about my final project for Networked Objects, Clay (they share an office on the floor) was heading out for his interview on The Colbert Report to discuss his new book. Agreeing not to use words like “truthiness” or attempting to be funnier than Stephen Colbert; during the show Clay instead invites “everybody” in the Colbert Nation to consider inventive ways to use Colbert’s Doritos Peabody stickers introduced earlier in the show.

Of course Colbert started the interview by looking for humor foot-holes and turning Clay’s frameworks of social dynamics into generalized understandings of warning signs, the public, money, leadership threats, etc. This follows through with Colbert’s caricatured persona, but he really didn’t let Clay begin to introduce his [always] fully-formed thoughts. Instead of throwing in the towel, in the last couple of minutes Clay suggests the example opportunity for people, proposing that the Doritos Peabody stickers will turn out to be something totally separate and creatively different than what was initially intended by Colbert, and this will be the point that drives home what was actually being discussed; despite Colbert’s best/worst efforts.

“Sometimes you only find out what everybody’s interested in by asking everybody.”

“Communications tools don’t get sociologically interesting until they get technologically boring.”

“Is anybody going to do something interesting tomorrow with those Doritos bags, other than what you told them? If there are any surprises, then you’ll see what’s possible.”
“So you’re saying this is an opportunity for the Colbert Nation to do something more interesting than those stickers?”
“Yes.”
“Well if they do something then I’ll put that more interesting thing on air, because that’s the relationship we enjoy. We respect each other.”
“Right, and that kind of respect between the people that have the platform and the people that use the platform… that’s new.”

“I’m betting something interesting happens with the Doritos stickers; on top of what you proposed.”

- Clay Shirky [and Stephen Colbert] on The Colbert Report

Download Doritos Stickers from the Colbert Nation