Stephen Colbert Is Fighting Male Oppression

The Colbert Report was an inspired place to take an “End Of Men” thesis, which author Hanna Rosin did last night. After all, in addition to his overweening narcissism, Stephen Colbert’s character is all about the traditionalist’s sense of grievance.

In other words, his persona is that of a braggart who defends the old order while feeling wildly slighted at all times. So he was a ready audience for the argument — simplified here for television — that women are so successful in all meaningful capacities that it is now men who need help. (We see it somewhat differently.)

He was so on board, in fact, that he decided to burn a symbol of the matriarchy oppressing men — boxer shorts. Fire codes meant that he had to opt for a microwave. A fitting symbol of the emasculation of manly men, I might add.

Speaking of the domestic sphere, Colbert threw out an idea that had Rosin laughing but that he seemed semi-sincere about: with women in the workforce needing better childcare options and men being out of work, why not employ those men in childcare? Now that’s some crazy talk.