Stephen Colbert continues the gag now apologizing to Canton, Kansas before proceeding to pick on yet another Canton — this time Canton, South Dakota.

Now we have no idea how long Colbert will run with this gag, apologizing to one town while insulting the next. It is amusing to watch some of the people in each Canton — people who clearly don't get the joke — take offense.

Brilliant satirist that he is, Colbert is making some sort of important point about our media culture and the cheap throwaway apologies that we so often see ... and which Apology Index often covers. Being less brilliant, I'm not entirely sure what his point is ... but I am sure it is both funny and true.

Other commentary:

KTKA News: "Stephen Colbert delivers low blow to Canton"

Wichita Eagle blog

Athena of Writing Athena gets it ... but then she IS the goddess of wisdom. She says:

Never mind that the main target of Stephen Colbert's satire was not Canton, Kansas (any more than it was previously Canton, Georgia), but rather TV talk show pundits like Bill O'Reilly, whose rare "apologies" are really elaborate attempts at self-justification which contain more barbs than balm.

Go read the rest.