Whose Boat Is This Boat?

Last updated

Whose boat is this boat cover art.jpg
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Publication date
November 6, 2018
Pages24
ISBN 978-1982121082

Whose Boat Is This Boat?: Comments That Don't Help in the Aftermath of a Hurricane is a 2018 children's book credited to U.S. President Donald Trump and compiled by the staff of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert . It is composed of statements made by Trump during his visit to affected areas in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Proceeds from sales are to be donated to organizations that support victims of both Florence and the later Hurricane Michael. [1] According to The Late Show, as of December 19, 2018, it has sold over 400,000 copies and raised $1.5 million.

Contents

Overview

Whose Boat Is This Boat? is composed of quotes made by Donald Trump during his visit to affected areas on September 19, 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. [2] The title, according to Stephen Colbert, is drawn from an "impassioned, and truly heartfelt response to this one boat that washed ashore." [2] During his visit, Trump made a number of comments about a boat that had been shipwrecked on the property of a survivor and homeowner in New Bern, North Carolina. These included statements such as "at least you got a nice boat out of the deal"; [3] "Is this your boat? Or did it become your boat?"; [4] and "To see what we're seeing this boat, I don't know what happened, but this boat just came here." [5] [6] [7]

The book is credited to "Donald J. Trump (by accident)." [5] However, the publisher, Simon & Schuster, credits authorship to The Staff of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which it describes as: "bipedal mammals. They were born on earth and currently reside in the New York City area. Their hobbies include kayaking." [8]

Proceeds from the book will go to benefit several charitable organizations aiding victims of the hurricane, including the World Central Kitchen. [9] According to Colbert, publishing the book would ensure that "Donald Trump's comments about that boat are helping in spite of him." [10]

The book's blurb describes it as "An excellent teaching tool for readers of all ages who enjoy learning about empathy by process of elimination." [11] Colbert reflected upon the announcement of the book, "It's the perfect gift for young readers and presidents who don't read." [10]

Simon & Schuster's press release says "Research suggests this will be the first children's book ever published that demonstrates what not to say after a natural disaster." [12] It also quotes company president Jonathan Karp, who wrote:

Donald Trump has described himself as the Ernest Hemingway of Twitter. With this book, he proves himself to be the Dr. Seuss of hurricane literature. [12]

Release and sales

The book was released on November 6, 2018, the same day as the 2018 U.S. midterm elections. [6]

The week of October 21, 2018, it was the second best selling non-fiction book on Amazon.com. [13]

On November 15, 2019, following reports that the book had repeatedly been hidden or gone missing at Coeur d'Alene Public Library in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, The Late Show donated to the library a rare, oversized "unhideable edition" of the book, measuring four feet wide and three feet tall. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Stewart</span> American comedian and television host (born 1962)

Jon Stewart is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is the host of The Daily Show, a satirical news program on Comedy Central, from 1999 to 2015, and on Mondays since 2024. He hosted The Problem with Jon Stewart (2021–2023) on Apple TV+. Stewart has received numerous accolades including 22 Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and five Peabody Awards. He was honored with the Bronze Medallion in 2019, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Matthews</span> American news anchor (born 1945)

Christopher John Matthews is an American political commentator, retired talk show host, and author. Matthews hosted his weeknight hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, on America's Talking and later on MSNBC, from 1997 until March 2, 2020. He announced on his final episode that he was retiring, following an accusation that he had made inappropriate comments to a Hardball guest four years earlier. On that occasion, he stated: "The younger generation's out there ready to take the reins. We see them in politics, in media, in fighting for their causes. They're improving the workplace."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Colbert</span> American comedian and TV host (born 1964)

Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program The Colbert Report from 2005 to 2014 and the CBS talk program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since September 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon & Schuster</span> American publishing company

Simon & Schuster LLC is an American publishing company owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924, by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. Along with Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins and Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster is considered one of the 'Big Five' English language publishers. As of 2017 Simon & Schuster was the third largest publisher in the United States, publishing 2,000 titles annually under 35 different imprints.

Truthiness is the belief or assertion that a particular statement is true based on the intuition or perceptions of some individual or individuals, without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts. Truthiness can range from ignorant assertions of falsehoods to deliberate duplicity or propaganda intended to sway opinions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Colbert (character)</span> Persona of political satirist Stephen Colbert

The Reverend Sir Dr. Stephen T. Mos Def Colbert D.F.A., Heavyweight Champion of the World, is the fictionalized persona of political satirist Stephen Colbert, as portrayed on the Comedy Central series The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, and occasionally on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS. Described as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed high-status idiot" and a "self-important right-wing commentator", the character incorporates aspects of the real Colbert's life and interests but is primarily a parody of cable news pundits, particularly former Fox News prime time host Bill O'Reilly.

Peter Grosz is an American actor and television writer. He is most recognizable for appearing in Sonic Drive-In's "Two Guys" commercials, in which he appears as the straight man in a double act with improvisational comedian T. J. Jagodowski until it was replaced by families in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milo Yiannopoulos</span> British polemicist and political commentator

Milo Yiannopoulos is a British far-right political commentator. His speeches and writings criticise Islam, feminism, social justice, and political correctness. Yiannopoulos is a former editor of Breitbart News, an American far-right news and opinion website.

<i>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert</i> American late-night talk show

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is an American late-night news and political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Spartina Productions and CBS Studios, it is the second iteration of CBS' Late Show franchise. The program is taped at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, the same studio as its predecessor Late Show with David Letterman. It airs live to tape in most U.S. markets weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT, as with its competitors Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Trump</span> American businessman (1948–2020)

Robert Stewart Trump was an American businessman and investor. He was the younger brother of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

<i>Midas Touch</i> (book) 2011 book by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki

Midas Touch: Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich — And Why Most Don't is a non-fiction book about personal finance, co-authored by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki. The book was published in hardcover format in 2011. The coauthors became familiar with each other through mutual work at The Learning Annex, and The Art of the Deal. Trump was impressed by Kiyosaki's writing success with Rich Dad Poor Dad. The coauthors then wrote Why We Want You to be Rich together in 2006, and followed it up with Midas Touch in 2011.

<i>Trump Tower</i> (novel) 2011 book by Jeffrey Robinson

Trump Tower is a work of fiction by Jeffrey Robinson, originally credited to Donald Trump, and billed as Trump's "debut novel" by the publisher. It was first published in 2011 by Vanguard Press. Trump had previously attempted to create a television series titled Trump Tower, modeled after Dallas, Dynasty, and Upstairs, Downstairs. He worked with MVP Entertainment, contracted a writer in Los Angeles, and successfully had Showtime Networks develop a television pilot. After receiving a payment for television rights to Trump Tower, he marketed the idea to Lifetime. The book by this title was developed in 2011 listing Trump, but when released in 2012 credited Robinson as sole author.

<i>Trump Revealed</i> 2016 biography of Donald Trump by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher

Trump Revealed: An American Journey of Ambition, Ego, Money, and Power is a biography of Donald Trump, written by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher. It was first published in 2016 in hardcover format by Scribner. It was released in ebook format that year and paperback format in 2017 under the title Trump Revealed: The Definitive Biography of the 45th President. The book was a collaborative research project by The Washington Post, supervised by the newspaper's editor Marty Baron and consisting of contributions from thirty-eight journalists, and two fact-checkers. Trump initially refused to be interviewed for the book, then relented, and subsequently raised the possibility of a libel lawsuit against the authors. After the book was completed, Trump urged his Twitter followers not to buy it.

<i>Our Cartoon President</i> American animated satirical television series

Our Cartoon President is an American adult animated satirical television series that premiered on February 11, 2018, and ended on November 8, 2020, on Showtime. The series was created by Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht, Matt Lappin, Tim Luecke, and R. J. Fried and is based on a recurring segment from Colbert's late-night talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

<i>Fear: Trump in the White House</i> 2018 non-fiction book by Bob Woodward about Donald Trumps presidency

Fear: Trump in the White House is a non-fiction book by American journalist Bob Woodward about the presidency of Donald Trump. The book was released on September 11, 2018. Woodward based the book on hundreds of hours of interviews with members of the Trump administration. The book's publisher Simon & Schuster announced that it had sold 1.1 million copies in the first week of its release, making it the fastest selling opener in the company's history.

<i>Too Much and Never Enough</i> 2020 biography of Donald J. Trump by Mary L. Trump

Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man is a tell-all book written by American psychologist Mary L. Trump about her uncle, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and his family. It was published by Simon & Schuster on July 14, 2020. The book provides an insider view of Trump family dynamics and reveals details about financial dealings, including the author's work as the anonymous source who revealed her uncle's suspected tax fraud. The Trump family launched a lawsuit in an attempt to stop its publication but was unsuccessful in delaying the release of the book.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary L. Trump</span> American psychologist and writer (born 1965)

Mary Lea Trump is an American psychologist and writer. A niece of former US president Donald Trump, she has been critical of him as well as the rest of the Trump family. Her 2020 book about him and the family, Too Much and Never Enough, sold nearly one million copies on the day of its release. A second book, The Reckoning, followed in 2021.

References

  1. "Colbert Announces Hurricane Florence Book By Donald J. Trump (By Accident)". CBS. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Gilette, Sam (October 1, 2018). "Stephen Colbert Trolls Trump with Kids' Book Using President's Comments During Hurricane Florence". People . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  3. Anapol, Avery (October 1, 2018). "Stephen Colbert to release children's book mocking Trump while supporting hurricane relief". The Hill . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  4. Back, George (September 21, 2018). "Stephen Colbert turns Trump's hurricane comments into a children's book". Yahoo! Entertainment . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Papenfuss, Mary (September 29, 2018). "Colbert Selling His Snide Trump Children's Book To Help Hurricane Victims". HuffPost . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  6. 1 2 Gilbert, Matthew (September 30, 2018). "Trump's quotes inspire Stephen Colbert to write a book to benefit hurricane relief efforts". The Boston Globe . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  7. Gallagher, Brian (September 30, 2018). "Stephen Colbert unveils children's book of Trump's boat comments". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  8. "The Staff of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert". Simon & Schuster. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  9. Merry, Stephanie (October 1, 2018). "Stephen Colbert found a new way to needle the president: a children's book". The Washington Post . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  10. 1 2 Romano, Nick (September 29, 2018). "Stephen Colbert mocks Trump and helps hurricane victims with new children's book". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  11. The Staff of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (November 6, 2018). Whose Boat Is This Boat?: Comments That Don't Help in the Aftermath of a Hurricane. Simon & Schuster. ISBN   978-1-982121-19-8.
  12. 1 2 "Simon & Schuster to Publish Whose Boat is This Boat? by the Staff of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert". Simon & Schuster. September 28, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  13. "Week of October 21, 2018, Amazon Charts, The Top 20 Most Sold & Most Read Books of the Week". Amazon.com . Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  14. "Unhideable Edition Of "Whose Boat Is This Boat?" Arrives At Coeur D'Alene Library". YouTube.com . Retrieved November 30, 2019.