Must-see morning clip: Pitchfork starts Daft Punk conspiracy beef with "Colbert Report"

The indie music website accused Colbert of inventing the Daft Punk controversy ... to promote the VMAs?

Published August 8, 2013 12:59PM (EDT)

    (Hulu)
(Hulu)

On Tuesday, Stephen Colbert ridiculed MTV for citing contract exclusivity (and some "funky" feelings among network "peeps") to keep Daft Punk from performing on "The Colbert Report" -- or so he would have us believe. 

Following news of the cancellation, the indie music website Pitchfork floated something of a conspiracy theory about the Daft Punk "Colbert" appearance: What if the band was never meant to be on the show at all? What if the whole thing was just an elaborate ruse to promote the Video Music Awards?

The case against Colbert:

Daft Punk's replacement act was Robin Thicke, who performed his mega-hit "Blurred Lines". According to Billboard's sources, Thicke's performance was taped last Tuesday, July 31. Surrounding the performance, Thicke made references to Daft Punk's cancellation (and the Colbchella sponsor, Hyundai).

This could mean that Thicke's performance was part of an elaborate ruse and that the band never intended to perform on "The Colbert Report" in the first place. Perhaps it was a cross-promotional method of advertising Daft Punk's appearance on the VMAs.

Colbert bravely faced the allegations that he was a double agent for another network's award show head on:

 


By Katie McDonough

Katie McDonough is Salon's politics writer, focusing on gender, sexuality and reproductive justice. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.

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Conspiracy Theories Daft Punk Must See Morning Clip Pitchfork Video