If I Only Had a Heart

Back in 1973, Johnny Carson said there was a toilet paper shortage. As a result of him saying this, everyone went out and stocked up on toilet paper and that created a toilet paper shortage. I bring this up because Stephen talked about a similar event that is happening now with guns. People think there won't be enough guns, so they go buy up all the guns they can find and now there is a gun shortage. It seems to me that late at night when you make the trek out to the trusty outhouse, you're going to want some toilet paper. A gun just won't do the job as well. You would have to be mighty desperate and you sure as heck better be mighty careful if you bring a gun instead of toilet paper. Shortages come and shortages go, but I'm sure we can all agree that when we go, we will want Charmin with us.

In a story that seems like it's right out of Wizard of Oz, Dick Cheney got a heart! (Scarecrow -- not so lucky.) Cheney has been waiting for a heart for about 20 months. This should make him appreciate Valentine's Day more than he ever has before. A word of warning to him. If he goes to San Francisco, he should be careful so that he does not leave his heart there.

The donor of the heart was anonymous, as is usually the case. In a surprise announcement, however, we learned that Stephen, yes, this Stephen Colbert, was the donor of a heart to Dick Cheney. It was generous of Stephen and a very unselfish thing to do, but as Stephen pointed out, we have two lungs, two kidneys, and two hearts, so he could afford to give up one of his hearts. At this point, one of the stage crew alerted Stephen and informed him that people only have one heart, not two. That proved to be troubling to Stephen. It explained why he was sluggish all day, and it got Stephen to scrambling to find a solution before he came back from the commercial break!

Tonight's guest was Charles Murray. He talked with Stephen about his latest book, "Coming Apart - The State of White America, 1960 - 2010." He is concerned because he says in this time period (1960 - 2010) we have developed classes in this country. If it keeps on, we won't be the America we knew. He says that the upper class runs the country and increasingly doesn't have the least idea how most Americans live, in fact, they are unaware of the working class and of how they live. Charles Murray talked about marriage then and now. In 1960, 84% of all white adults in the working class were married. In 2010, it's down to 48%.

It seems like a very interesting book - one that I would enjoy reading. I will get myself over to a bookstore tomorrow and buy it and read it. Charles Murray told Stephen that every important improvement in America started with a cultural shift. One of the things that contributes to that cultural shift is books. And that is why he writes books.