Stephen Colbert: ‘Homeland’ Graffiti A “Major Intelligence Failure”

“Major intelligence failure” is how Stephen Colbert, on his CBS late night show, described last Sunday’s episode of Homeland, calling it “the most shocking background protest on cable TV since those extras on Game of Thrones marched around in the background fully clothed – I couldn’t follow the story!”

“Looks like the next episode might explore the ethics of enhanced screaming at an intern,” Colbert forecast at the top of last night’s The Late Show.  “Turns out, someone on Homeland hired graffiti artists who took the opportunity to protest what they saw on the show to be unfair depiction of Muslims. Who could have predicted graffiti artists would break the rules?”

Three street artists who were hired to lend “graffiti authenticity” to last Sunday’s episode added a tag, written in Arabic script on the wall of the Berlin set of a fictional Syrian refugee camp, that reads “Homeland is racist.” The message was seen as Claire Danes’ Carrie Mathison walked by. On their website, the graffiti artists complain of what they call the show’s grossly inaccurate depictions of Arabs, Pakistanis, Afghans, and of the Muslim world in general.

“Oh, come on! That is just not fair! Homeland has plenty of positive Muslim characters,” Colbert insisted. “Like that college professor…oh, wait a minute. He was al-Quaeda. That plucky reporter who…was also al-Quaeda. That Iranian Intelligence chief who helped the CIA infiltrate his own government…after he stabbed his wife in the throat for betraying him. Well, at least there’s Fara Sherazi, a positive patriotic Muslim character who was…killed by Muslim extremists. Also, I should have said: Four Spoiler Alerts.”

Conceding the series might not accurately display Muslims, Colbert insisted that doesn’t make Homeland racist – just television. “The show doesn’t accurately portray anything! Do you really think bipolar disorder has anything to do with solving international conspiracies to the sound of Jazz? No! It’s mostly feeling so depressed you lay in bed all day long, binge watching Homeland!”

Colbert said he’s far more disappointed by the show’s completely inaccurate portrayal of Mandy Patinkin, who plays Saul Berenson on the show. “Where is the Sondheim? Not once in five seasons has he broken into song!” Colbert complained of the Broadway actor.

“Graffiti Men, if you’re so upset about the show being so full of Arab characters who double-cross everyone, maybe you shouldn’t have double-crossed everyone with these Arab characters,” Colbert quipped.