MEDIA: Fryer To Colbert: "You're Black Now, Aren't You?" [updated]
Emily Lazar strikes again! Last night, Stephen Colbert had none other than Harvard economist Roland Fryer on his show, talking about paying kids for good grades. [Who called Fryer? Not I. I guessed Geoffrey Canada or Peg Tyre. Dibs on Michelle Rhee being next.]
The video isn't up yet, but Fryer did great whether you like what he has to say or not. He wore some bold cordovan slip-ons and had a close haircut. Something about him reminded me of Brother Mouzone (pictured), the hired gun on "The Wire."
Non-fashion highlights: Colbert accuses Fryer of being racist for pointing out how poorly black kids do in school. Fryer pulls out some money and puts in on the table as an incentive for Colbert to do a good job. Colbert says that he must be black since he did so badly in school. They both joke about beatings as the original incentive for children to do well at school. Hah. Hah. Hah. Fifty bucks per A per 5 week grading period is the Chicago model. Fryer says we still don't know if it works. Colbert grabs the cash off the table at the interview's conclusion. Best line of the night goes to Fryer for saying to Colbert "You're black now, aren't you?"
UPDATE: Fryer (left). I rest my case.
The segment begins at about the 15 minute mark - sorry I can't find the segment alone.
Click below for some other notable Colbert interviews and his best education segment of all time, IMHO.
