Hilarious! Colbert Upsets Bush During White House Dinner

[Mr. Peabody]

Last night they were showing the annual White House Correspondent dinner on C-Span. I started watching because Stephen Colbert was the featured entertainer and I enjoy watching the Colbert Report. I was surprised at how far Colbert went in his jokes about Bush and his administration. I have seen these dinners before on TV and people often get laughs at the president's expense, but not like this.

From watching the broadcast, you could tell that people in the audience were shocked by some of the things he was saying. It was one of those performances that is somewhat uncomfortable to watch because you know the butt of the joke is listening not more than four feet away. Also, the camera kept panning to Bush during Colbert's monologue and the president looked upset. Then, at one point, C-Span overlayed a constant feed on the president right next to Colbert, so you could see his reactions at the same time the jokes were being told. It was hilarious.

I think Colbert should be applauded for the performance. He stood there and made everyone in the audience look like a bunch of idiots and they laughed while he was doing it.

Here is an article discussing Colbert's performance --

Editor and Publisher (http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002425363)

Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner-- President Not Amused?
By E&P Staff
Published: April 29, 2006 11:40 PM ET

WASHINGTON A blistering comedy “tribute” to President Bush by Comedy Central’s faux talk show host Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondent Dinner Saturday night left George and Laura Bush unsmiling at its close.

Earlier, the president had delivered his talk to the 2700 attendees, including many celebrities and top officials, with the help of a Bush impersonator.

Colbert, who spoke in the guise of his talk show character, who ostensibly supports the president strongly, urged the Bush to ignore his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, “and reality has a well-known liberal bias.”

He attacked those in the press who claim that the shake-up at the White House was merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. “This administration is soaring, not sinking,” he said. “If anything, they are re-arranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg.”

Colbert told Bush he could end the problem of protests by retired generals by refusing to let them retire. He compared Bush to Rocky Balboa in the “Rocky” movies, always getting punched in the face—“and Apollo Creed is everything else in the world.”

Turning to the war, he declared, "I believe that the government that governs best is a government that governs least, and by these standards we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq."

He noted former Ambassador Joseph Wilson in the crowd, just three tables away from Karl Rove, and that he had brought " Valerie Plame." Then, worried that he had named her, he corrected himself, as Bush aides might do, "Uh, I mean... he brought Joseph Wilson's wife." He might have "dodged the bullet," he said, as prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald wasn't there.

Colbert also made biting cracks about missing WMDs, “photo ops” on aircraft carriers and at hurricane disasters, melting glaciers and Vice President Cheney shooting people in the face. He advised the crowd, "if anybody needs anything at their tables, speak slowly and clearly on into your table numbers and somebody from the N.S.A. will be right over with a cocktail. "

Observing that Bush sticks to his principles, he said, "When the president decides something on Monday, he still believes it on Wednesday - no matter what happened Tuesday."

Also lampooning the press, Colbert complained that he was “surrounded by the liberal media who are destroying this country, except for Fox News. Fox believes in presenting both sides of the story — the president’s side and the vice president’s side." He also reflected on the alleged good old days, when the media was still swallowing the WMD story.

Addressing the reporters, he said, "Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know--fiction."

He claimed that the Secret Service name for Bush's new press secretary is "Snow Job."

Colbert closed his routine with a video fantasy where he gets to be White House Press Secretary, complete with a special “Gannon” button on his podium. By the end, he had to run from Helen Thomas and her questions about why the U.S. really invaded Iraq and killed all those people.

As Colbert walked from the podium, when it was over, the president and First Lady gave him quick nods, unsmiling, and handshakes, and left immediately.

E&P's Joe Strupp, in the crowd, observed that quite a few sitting near him looked a little uncomfortable at times, perhaps feeling the material was a little too biting--or too much speaking "truthiness" to power.

Asked by E&P after it was over if he thought he'd been too harsh, Colbert said, "Not at all." Was he trying to make a point politically or just get laughs? "Just for laughs," he said. He said he did not pull any material for being too strong, just for time reasons. (He later said the president told him "good job" when he walked off.)

Helen Thomas told Strupp her segment with Colbert was "just for fun."

In its report on the affair, USA Today asserted that some in the crowd cracked up over Colbert but others were "bewildered." Wolf Blitzer of CNN said he thought Colbert was funny and "a little on the edge."

Earlier, the president had addrssed the crowd with a Bush impersonator alongside, with the faux-Bush speaking precisely and the real Bush deliberately mispronouncing words, such as the inevitable "nuclear." At the close, Bush called the imposter "a fine talent. In fact, he did all my debates with Senator Kerry."

Among attendees at the black tie event: Morgan Fairchild, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Justice Antonin Scalia, George Clooney, and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter of the Doobie Brothers--in a kilt.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E&P Staff ([email protected])

[exstatic]

Weren't people shocked a few years ago at the goings on at this dinner? Seems like it's turned into more of a roast than anything else.

BTW, I fucking LOVED this one. No shot at Bush, either.


Addressing the reporters, he said, "Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know--fiction."

[Mr. Peabody]

Weren't people shocked a few years ago at the goings on at this dinner? Seems like it's turned into more of a roast than anything else.

BTW, I fucking LOVED this one. No shot at Bush, either.

Well, a few years ago, Bush made a joke about looking for WMDs in Iraq and then, showed a series of photos of him purportedly looking for WMDs under a table, under his bed, etc. A lot of people got upset because they felt it was insensitive to the soldiers in Iraq. I thought it was a funny skit.

[Marklar MM]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bJ0vv00p3MA&search=colbert

Him auditioning for the Press Secretary job.

[boutons_]

The Reugs love smash-mouth politics only when it's not the Repugs' mouths getting smashed.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Colbert is better than Stewart. His jokes are more subtle, yet somehow blatant at the same time. He rarely ever breaks character. And he almost perfectly emulates all Fox News and Neocon talkshow hosts.


who ostensibly supports the president strongly

Hilarious.

[boutons_]

whoa!

I just caught Colbert's Infernal Roasting on C-span. What a hero!

After all the staged photo ops,
the staged "town meetings" with selected Repug dubya suckers,
the Repug operatives flown down from DC to "spontaneously" mob the FL recount offices and recounteres,
protestors cordoned off 100's of yards away from the Inaugruations,
the stupidly smiliing military goons "dialoguing" with dubya,
dubya and his bimbo wife finally take a boot to the teeth.

No "president" has deserved it more.

[xrayzebra]

whoa!

I just caught Colbert's Infernal Roasting on C-span. What a hero!

After all the staged photo ops,
the staged "town meetings" with selected Repug dubya suckers,
the Repug operatives flown down from DC to "spontaneously" mob the FL recount offices and recounteres,
protestors cordoned off 100's of yards away from the Inaugruations,
the stupidly smiliing military goons "dialoguing" with dubya,
dubya and his bimbo wife finally take a boot to the teeth.

No "president" has deserved it more.

Gee, butons learned a new word "bimbo". Bet we hear that
a lot more. Of course he still wants a recount in the
2000 election. Even tho we had the paper to back up the
election. And most of the problems were in the dimm-o-craps own backyard.

[Winnipeg_Spur]

Yeah, I saw this live and it was great. :) I was expecting Colbert to tone down his act a little but he didn't, and the results were hilarious.

I'd love to know who thought getting Colbert to do this was a good idea, they may be out of a job soon. I've heard rumours of republicans watching The Colbert Report and actually believing he's on "their side," but I find it hard to believe anyone could be that stupid.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

I don't know, Im fairly sure Stephen Colbert is mocking the rhetoric the republicans use, not their policies and I think most of them understand that, therefore I think most of them thought he would be toned down at this event. The logic being Colbert will most likely mock the rhetoric out of a democratic admin just as much if there ever is one.

[Vashner]

It's a roast they do it every year... Bush can handle them fuckers...
You thing a bunch of anti war pussies scare anyone?

Edit: I just heard some of this on drudge radio show.

He made a job about a "pile of rubble"

911? What an asshole...

[DarkReign]

pwned

[Ocotillo]

It seems the media in attendance were not getting the joke.....as it was on them. The only coverage deigned by the MSM was to discuss the Bush routine with the lookalike and fawn over dear leader's sense of humor.

A sense of humor that was lacking after Colbert was done as a tight lipped Bush exited with the Mrs. and only nodded at Colbert as he was leaving. That's his perogative red-staters.

Most of Colbert's satire though was focused on the media and their derilection of duty. That is why the audience was not yucking it up like they were when Commander Codpiece did his "where are the WMDs skit at an earlier dinner".

Would not a liberal media have this story all over the place? The liberal blogs did but if it were not for them, no one other than those that attended would have even known Colbert was there or what is performance entailed.

Liberal media? My ass.

[Ocotillo]

It's a roast they do it every year... Bush can handle them fuckers...


Oops, maybe not. (http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060501/1whwatch.htm)

From U.S. News & World Report:

Skewering comedy skit angers Bush and aides
By Paul Bedard

Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert's biting routine at the White House Correspondents Association dinner won a rare silent protest from Bush aides and supporters Saturday when several independently left before he finished.

"Colbert crossed the line," said one top Bush aide, who rushed out of the hotel as soon as Colbert finished. Another said that the president was visibly angered by the sharp lines that kept coming.

"I've been there before, and I can see that he is [angry]," said a former top aide. "He's got that look that he's ready to blow."

[DarkReign]

pwned

[valluco]

:lmao pwned x 10. Colbert showed big huevos and the look on Dubya's face was priceles.

[Trainwreck2100]

Oops, maybe not. (http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060501/1whwatch.htm)

From U.S. News & World Report:

Skewering comedy skit angers Bush and aides
By Paul Bedard

Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert's biting routine at the White House Correspondents Association dinner won a rare silent protest from Bush aides and supporters Saturday when several independently left before he finished.

"Colbert crossed the line," said one top Bush aide, who rushed out of the hotel as soon as Colbert finished. Another said that the president was visibly angered by the sharp lines that kept coming.

"I've been there before, and I can see that he is [angry]," said a former top aide. "He's got that look that he's ready to blow."



Why did he wait for him to finish before he left?

[Oh, Gee!!]

Why did he wait for him to finish before he left?


cuz he was laughing too.

[Ocotillo]

Why did he wait for him to finish before he left?

Because he was carrying the attenae for the NSA intercepts......

I don't know, the article implies some did leave during the Colbert stint.

[boutons_]

dubya, liar and murderer, deserves no respect.

Colbert should have gone on longer and hit harder.

[foodie2]

You can express your appreciation for Stephen and his huevos at

http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/wordpress/

I laughed until I cried. Bravo, Stephen. You truly spoke truth to power.

[foodie2]

It's a roast they do it every year... Bush can handle them fuckers...
You thing a bunch of anti war pussies scare anyone?

Edit: I just heard some of this on drudge radio show.

He made a job about a "pile of rubble"

911? What an asshole...

I have the whole thing (from C-Span--I must admit I won't go near Drudge) on tape, and I believe I must have missed the rubble job. What does that mean, anyway?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

"Two opinions...the presidents, and the vice presidents"

classic

[austinfan]

I have the whole thing (from C-Span--I must admit I won't go near Drudge) on tape, and I believe I must have missed the rubble job. What does that mean, anyway?

From Colbert's monologue the other night: "I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."

:smokin

[Mixability]

I won't be surprised if Colbert mysteriously disappears ala Dave Chappelle......

:lol

[Ocotillo]

I won't be surprised if Colbert mysteriously disappears ala Dave Chappelle......

:lol

Or ala Jimmy Hoffa...... :depressed

[SA210]

Colbert for President :lol

[foodie2]

From Colbert's monologue the other night: "I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."

:smokin

Thanks, I did hear that. I just wasn't sure (still am not) what was meant by "he made a job about a pile of rubble."

[boutons_]

"standing on rubble" could easily be, obvious to me, the WTC rubble, an obviously staged photo-op meant to glorify dubya, who exploited WTC to justify his policy decision to go to war in Iraq no matter what.

Now the captor of Saddam is now catpured by his own stinking mess of a Repug war.

[boutons_]

Vashner's not only stupid, he's illiterate and inarcticulate, fairly typical of right-wing rabble in a state of permanent arousement.

For "he made a job about a pile of rubble", try:

"he made a jibe about a pile of rubble"

[Ocotillo]

more post-dinner talk (http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002426019)

Colbert said:


"Best of all, I got to meet my main man, President Bush," he said, and even had a chance to shake his hand. "He has very soft hands," Colbert revealed, "which was surprising. He must wear gloves when he is clearing brush."


Colbert made fun of his mixed reception at the dinner, re-running the tape of one of his jokes with the audience barely reacting. He described this as "very respectful silence," and said that actually the crowd loved him.


"They practically carried me out on their shoulders," he said, "even though I wasn't ready to go."

[Yonivore]

I hadn't commented on Colbert's performance because, well, I didn't see it and besides, it's intrinsically uninteresting as it's just another liberal with Bush Derangement Syndrome being lionized by the rest of the moonbat liberals with Bush Derangement Syndrome.

Richard Cohen (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/03/AR2006050302202.html) made an excellent insight, however, and I thought I'd share:


Why are you wasting my time with Colbert, I hear you ask. Because he is representative of what too often passes for political courage, not to mention wit, in this country. His defenders--and they are all over the blogosphere--will tell you he spoke truth to power. This is a tired phrase, as we all know, but when it was fresh and meaningful it suggested repercussions, consequences--maybe even death in some countries. When you spoke truth to power you took the distinct chance that power would smite you, toss you into a dungeon or--if you're at work--take away your office.

But in this country, anyone can insult the president of the United States. Colbert just did it, and he will not suffer any consequence at all. He knew that going in.
This, it seems to me, explains several conceits of the Angry Left:

The notion that criticism--whether of the Dixie Chicks or of Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer--amounts to censorship.


Claims by Democratic politicians that Republicans are "questioning" their "patriotism."


Fears of incipient fascism.

What these have in common, aside from being totally fantastical, is that they all reinforce the image of the Angry Leftist as courageous dissenter. In truth, this country is so tolerant, indeed downright indulgent, of this sort of "dissent" that it affords no opportunity to be courageous.

Speak "truth to power" in America, and power will pat you on the head and say, "What an adorable little puppy." Speak "truth to power" in North Korea and you lose your life.

Some on the Angry Left could actually have the courage to stand up if they were faced with real consequences--but they are unlikely ever to get that chance. America's almost boundless tolerance thus reduces them to the level of petulant children. No wonder they're so angry.

[Oh, Gee!!]

I hadn't commented on Colbert's performance because....

the right-wing bloggers hadn't told me what to think yet.

[Yonivore]

the right-wing bloggers hadn't told me what to think yet.
No, most of them were all over this from day one.

[Extra Stout]

Colbert's usually very funny. On his show, it's obvious that he's mocking Bill O'Reilly moreso than any particular politician. The satirical political commentary is totally appropriate when it's all wrapped up in the absurd self-made cult of personality on the show. The show is meant to be farce.

That style does not translate at all to a roast, because the roast was not about Colbert. In a different setting, those jokes could have been very funny. In that particular setting, it fell completely flat.

Jon Stewart could have handled that a lot better, even though he would be a less obvious choice than somebody whose claim to fame is spoofing right-wing media. It's not that the roasters were tone-deaf to the fact that Colbert's show is a spoof of Fox News. It's that they would have assumed that a comedian with his own TV show would have the comedic sensibility to tailor his material to the audience. He failed miserably.

And no, lefties, though you may cheer, this sort of thing doesn't change anybody's minds. It just makes you look like cowardly cheap-shot artists.

[SA210]

Funny, I thought it worked well and the cowards were the ones who started this phony war based on lies.

[Nbadan]

Colbert received many laughs for his routine. Of course he was mocking Bill O'Lielly, that is who he models his show on.

[boutons_]

"it fell completely flat"

Because he was skewering both dubya and the lapdog, flaccid press in the audience. People don't like to be cut so close to the bone (of truth).

Colberts's strength was the truth thinly veiled in his humor that dubya had lied his way into Iraq and the press shut up and let him do it.

Congrats to Colbert for turning an opportunity for mindless entertainment into an opportunity for speaking truthiness. It was funny and entertaining, but on a higher, more intelligent level than most people can appreciate.

[Extra Stout]

Congrats to Colbert for turning an opportunity for mindless entertainment into an opportunity for speaking truthiness. It was funny and entertaining, but on a higher, more intelligent level than most people can appreciate.

Do y'all understand what "truthiness" means? In the context you just used it, you just congratulated Colbert for telling you what you wanted to hear.

[SA210]

Do y'all understand what "truthiness" means? In the context you just used it, you just congratulated Colbert for telling you what you wanted to hear.
As if you really don't understand what he is saying. :rolleyes

The truth, exactly what this administration doesn't give. You understand.

[Extra Stout]

As if you really don't understand what he is saying. :rolleyes

The truth, exactly what this administration doesn't give. You understand.

The only people who appreciated that act are the ones who hate Bush to begin with. Liberals are cheering like this is some triumph, when it was the rhetorical equivalent of keying the White House limo, or kicking Bush in the crotch. Somebody who doesn't already despise Bush just sees Colbert as a jackass.

Now you might really enjoy kicking W in the groin and seeing him in pain. But obviously, you would lose all credibility as an activist if you did that.

In other words, it makes you feel good to see Colbert get back at someone you hate for a brief moment, but it accomplishes nothing towards the political mission you purportedly are trying to pursue, and may in fact harm it.

[Oh, Gee!!]

The only people who appreciated that act are the ones who hate Bush to begin with. Liberals are cheering like this is some triumph, when it was the rhetorical equivalent of keying the White House limo, or kicking Bush in the crotch. Somebody who doesn't already despise Bush just sees Colbert as a jackass.

Now you might really enjoy kicking W in the groin and seeing him in pain. But obviously, you would lose all credibility as an activist if you did that.

In other words, it makes you feel good to see Colbert get back at someone you hate for a brief moment, but it accomplishes nothing towards the political mission you purportedly are trying to pursue, and may in fact harm it.

Unless the comedic target has the lowest recorded approval rating of all time.

[Extra Stout]

Unless the comedic target has the lowest recorded approval rating of all time.
Non sequitur.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Non sequitur.

Colbert's roasting of W won't hurt anyone's political cause because nobody likes W to begin with. W is going to get no sympathy on this one.

[boutons_]

"the ones who hate Bush to begin with."

The legions are growing daily. All dubya has left are the ideological mofo's at the asymptote of approval who would support him/Repugs no matter what he did. The dubya administration, as war criminals, is fully worthy of hate, and impeachment.

Colbert's act was just one more nail in the coffin, one more wave in the tide sweeping the Repugs out of office, of the most disastrous, most anti-democratic, most secretive and imperial administration since that other Repug shining star, Trickie Dickie Nixon.

[SA210]

The only people who appreciated that act are the ones who hate Bush to begin with. Liberals are cheering like this is some triumph, when it was the rhetorical equivalent of keying the White House limo, or kicking Bush in the crotch. Somebody who doesn't already despise Bush just sees Colbert as a jackass.

Now you might really enjoy kicking W in the groin and seeing him in pain. But obviously, you would lose all credibility as an activist if you did that.

In other words, it makes you feel good to see Colbert get back at someone you hate for a brief moment, but it accomplishes nothing towards the political mission you purportedly are trying to pursue, and may in fact harm it.
He called people out, and I respect him for it. Call it hate, but the truth of the matter is they are liars and people are dead because of it. If someone hates those actions by the Bush administration, so be it.

Seems like Bush is the one with the credibility problem by the way. Numbers just keep sinking, don't they?

But if you want to call people cowards for questioning the cowardly acts of this administration for sending thousands to there death, then go ahead, it somehow turned into the "Christian" thing to do. :rolleyes

[Extra Stout]

Colbert's roasting of W won't hurt anyone's political cause because nobody likes W to begin with. W is going to get no sympathy on this one.
People can disapprove of the President and yet still think Colbert was being a jackass. Disapproval is not the same thing as foaming-at-the-mouth hatred.

Given that most of the country in fact does disapprove of the President, lefties would be wise not to call attention to themselves by acting like complete assholes, inasmuch as the general public disapproves of complete assholes at least as much as they do the President.

[Oh, Gee!!]

People can disapprove of the President and yet still think Colbert was being a jackass. Disapproval is not the same thing as foaming-at-the-mouth hatred.

Given that most of the country in fact does disapprove of the President, lefties would be wise not to call attention to themselves by acting like complete assholes, inasmuch as the general public disapproves of complete assholes at least as much as they do the President.

but in order for there to be a backlash against Colbert and democratic/liberal "political movements," the public in general would have to sympathize and feel sorry for Bushie. That ain't gonna happen.

[Yonivore]

but in order for there to be a backlash against Colbert and democratic/liberal "political movements," the public in general would have to sympathize and feel sorry for Bushie. That ain't gonna happen.
Yeah, just ask the Dixie Chicks.

[Extra Stout]

He called people out, and I respect him for it. Call it hate, but the truth of the matter is they are liars and people are dead because of it. If someone hates those actions by the Bush administration, so be it.

Seems like Bush is the one with the credibility problem by the way. Numbers just keep sinking, don't they?

But if you want to call people cowards for questioning the cowardly acts of this administration for sending thousands to there death, then go ahead, it somehow turned into the "Christian" thing to do. :rolleyes
I don't think Colbert is a coward. I think his act just fell flat to everyone except the moonbats because, funny as his show may be, he showed himself to be a one-trick pony.

And it's astounding how you lefties can cut off your nose to spite your face. All you have to do is not act like complete idiots that scare away voters, and the Democratic Party probably will take back Congress and effectively neuter the last two years of Bush's presidency. But you just can't do it. You have to walk around naked carrying pigs' heads on platters. It's who you are.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Yeah, just ask the Dixie Chicks.

that was probably around the time W enjoyed his highest approval ratings. Doesn't apply, but thanks for playing.

[Oh, Gee!!]

I don't think Colbert is a coward. I think his act just fell flat to everyone except the moonbats because, funny as his show may be, he showed himself to be a one-trick pony.

And it's astounding how you lefties can cut off your nose to spite your face. All you have to do is not act like complete idiots that scare away voters, and the Democratic Party probably will take back Congress and effectively neuter the last two years of Bush's presidency. But you just can't do it. You have to walk around naked carrying pigs' heads on platters. It's who you are.

Colbert's act is not going to do anything to stop the Inevitable shift in power.

[Extra Stout]

but in order for there to be a backlash against Colbert and democratic/liberal "political movements," the public in general would have to sympathize and feel sorry for Bushie. That ain't gonna happen.
Riiiiiiight. Because in 1998 the public just ate up that Republican shark-jumping overkill against Clinton and the GOP capitalized with huge election gains.

But be my guest. Y'all go ahead and pull a Lindsey Jacobellis this November.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Riiiiiiight. Because in 1998 the public just ate up that Republican shark-jumping overkill against Clinton and the GOP capitalized with huge election gains.

But be my guest. Y'all go ahead and pull a Lindsey Jacobellis this November.


People liked Clinton.

[Extra Stout]

People liked Clinton.They liked the job he was doing, though they weren't too thrilled with him as a person.

I think I finally get where you're coming from though. You figure that Bush is sufficiently unpopular that you can spit in his face the way you've been longing to for six years, yet not stir up sufficient ire among the public that it has electoral repercussions.

So it's not, "Hooray, finally the people will see," but rather, "Hooray, it's open season on Bush."

[Oh, Gee!!]

They liked the job he was doing, though they weren't too thrilled with him as a person.

I think I finally get where you're coming from though. You figure that Bush is sufficiently unpopular that you can spit in his face the way you've been longing to for six years, yet not stir up sufficient ire among the public that it has electoral repercussions.

So it's not, "Hooray, finally the people will see," but rather, "Hooray, it's open season on Bush."


a little of both actually.

[Spurminator]

I like Colbert (more than Stewart, even), but I agree with ES... It really wasn't that funny. Kind of reminded me of those political cartoons that are only amusing to partisan "me-too's".

But there seems to be a bit of an overreaction on both sides... It wasn't as offensive or courageous as it's being made out to be. Good pub for Colbert, though.

[Extra Stout]

a little of both actually.
Sucker-punching doesn't enlighten anybody. It makes them stop listening to you.

It's a common liberal mistake. Many think that by pissing off the audience, it makes them start thinking. Instead, it makes them disregard anything the liberals have to say.

I see this mistake over and over and over again.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Sucker-punching doesn't enlighten anybody. It makes them stop listening to you.

It's a common liberal mistake. Many think that by pissing off the audience, it makes them start thinking. Instead, it makes them disregard anything the liberals have to say.

I see this mistake over and over and over again.

It did the oppsoite for Colbert, the joke guy. He's never been more famous.

[Ocotillo]

I think Colbert's target was more the press that was in attendance then it was Bush. Part of the reason I saw it as funny is the pompous media types who love rubbing elbows with power didn't appreciate getting a poke in the eye.

[Mr. Peabody]

It did the oppsoite for Colbert, the joke guy. He's never been more famous.

This guy's more than famous, he's infamous.

[Mr. Peabody]

Why Stephen Colbert didn't bomb in D.C.
By Troy Patterson
Posted Tuesday, May 2, 2006, at 6:23 PM ET



So, I'm sitting there watching the online video of Stephen Colbert's performance at Saturday night's White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Colbert looked excellent in his tux, and he was doing his usual shtick—playing a know-it-all know-nothing of the Bill O'Reilly school—with the usual aplomb. And just as Colbert is making his segue into a pre-taped skit documenting his "audition" for Tony Snow's new job—"I think I would have made a fabulous press secretary. I have nothing but contempt for these people"—there's an audience shot capturing the face of my ex-girlfriend. She's a D.C. lawyer who loves the silliness of Monty Python, who used to read The Nation in the bath, and who, I think, named her new dog after Howard Dean. In other words, she ought to have been cracking up at Colbert's absurdist satire and meaningful snark. Instead, as the comedian aimed vicious blows at the president, I mostly read nervous concern in her eyes. The air in that room must have had a weird and very rare charge.

The night's best reaction shots confirmed this. Here's a jiggling Justice Scalia giggling like a schoolgirl. Here's a military man not quite disciplined enough to stifle his grin at a crack—decent but not first-rate—on the Secretary of Defense: "See who we've got here tonight. Gen. Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff. Gen. Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They still support Rumsfeld. Right, you guys aren't retired yet, right?" In the immediate wake of Colbert's most brutal line ("I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares."), the president of the United States wore, on his peeved lips, an expression that you usually see only in the instant before a bar fight. But half a minute later, when the topic turned to the First Marriage ("Obviously loves his wife, calls her his better half. And polls show America does, too"), the president had regained his composure and was the picture of jolliness. Not so the trio of Washington wives the camera next cut to. Their faces showed varying degrees of disgust, and it looked like all three of them were trying to hide under their shawls.

Who did they think they were getting, Mark Russell? (Actually, they may not have known who they were getting; the emcee was clueless enough, when introducing the headliner, to pronounce the final T in The Colbert Report. Square.) You hire a good political satirist, you get good political satire, which is necessarily dangerous. So, when the Washington Post's "Reliable Source" column speaks of the "consensus" that the routine "fell flat" and New York Daily News gossip—and "Reliable Source" alumnus—Lloyd Grove writes that Colbert "bombed badly," they are offering meaningless reportage. Pop Dadaist that he is, Colbert wasn't bombing so much as freaking his audience out for his own enjoyment.

Colbert deserves to be judged on his own terms: He shouldn't haven't stolen one good joke from his own show ("Next time, look it up in your gut") and another from Jon Stewart's Oscar intro ("McClellan, of course, eager to retire. Really felt like he needed to spend more time with Andrew Card's children."). The "audition tape" segment was at least 90 seconds too long, although the Colbert rapport with Helen Thomas was good enough that the two ought to be considering a sitcom. In general, though, he was brilliant—perfectly daffy and gutsy, as in the line that earned what seemed to be the crowd's biggest laugh. Colbert spoke of interviewing Jesse Jackson: "You can ask him anything, but he's going to say what he wants, at the pace that he wants. It's like boxing a glacier. Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is."

[xrayzebra]

People liked Clinton.

I didn't and I am people.
:lol

[Mr. Peabody]

People liked Clinton.


I didn't and I am people.
:lol

I think Oh, Gee!! meant to say that people who matter liked Bill Clinton.

[xrayzebra]

I think Oh, Gee!! meant to say that people who matter liked Bill Clinton.


But I do matter, I pay taxes, still. And I post and without me you life would
be meanless.....

[Mr. Peabody]

without me you life would
be meanless.....

Are you saying my life would never be average and only composed of extremes?

Hmm, interesting.....

[Crookshanks]

I've heard clips of his performance and I thought it was distinctly unfunny. Also, in the clips I heard, the audience was so quiet it was as if Colbert was talking to himself in the mirror! I think he thought himself much funnier and cleverer than did anyone in the audience.

[Oh, Gee!!]

He's the Andy Kaufman of our times

[Mr. Peabody]

I've heard clips of his performance and I thought it was distinctly unfunny. Also, in the clips I heard, the audience was so quiet it was as if Colbert was talking to himself in the mirror! I think he thought himself much funnier and cleverer than did anyone in the audience.

I saw the performance on C-SPAN and while there were moments where the crown was nervously silent, there were also many instances of the crowd really laughing and getting in to the performance. The best part of the night though, was watching Colbert ridicule the entire audience and have them laugh at it. It was brilliant.

[Mr. Peabody]

He's the Andy Kaufman of our times

He's like Andy Kaufman meets Jim Lehrer, only in reverse.

[SA210]

He's the Andy Kaufman of our times
:tu

[The Rock]

Thats Hilarious But You Know What?

[zeleni]

You know what's really funny?

You discussing if some comedian was funny when he was doing stand-up.

History judges the jokes, but only comedians judge jokers.

[RandomGuy]

They liked the job he was doing, though they weren't too thrilled with him as a person.

I think I finally get where you're coming from though. You figure that Bush is sufficiently unpopular that you can spit in his face the way you've been longing to for six years, yet not stir up sufficient ire among the public that it has electoral repercussions.

So it's not, "Hooray, finally the people will see," but rather, "Hooray, it's open season on Bush."

Actually, I am all about the former, "people will see".

It is good that the rest of the country finally realizes how inept this administration really is. I had a pretty darn good glimmering right after the ground invasion of Iraq finished out and anarchy broke out.
This was the first real complex issue that this administration faced, and how it was handled that (i.e. it didn't) demonstrated how short-sighted and incompetant this administration would turn out to be.

Sadly there is only one thing the Bush presidency is GOOD at...

:spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin :spin

[RandomGuy]

I've heard clips of his performance and I thought it was distinctly unfunny. Also, in the clips I heard, the audience was so quiet it was as if Colbert was talking to himself in the mirror! I think he thought himself much funnier and cleverer than did anyone in the audience.

That's because he was ripping the press corps too. They deserved it.

[boutons_]

http://www.creators.com/0430/LK/LK0505g.gif

[Nbadan]

Looks like 'the man' got to C-SPAN:

Associated Press 19:14 PM May, 08, 2006


WASHINGTON -- Political comedy often is intended to stir controversy, but this doesn't usually involve broadcasting rights and the public affairs network C-SPAN.

The cable network asked two internet video providers, YouTube and Ifilm, to pull clips of Stephen Colbert's April 29 performance at the White House Correspondents Association dinner from their websites.

Wired (http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/0,70849-0.html?tw=wn_politics_1)

Two days later, C-SPAN sold the video to Google for an undisclosed amount.