Did anyone see Colbert on C-Span last night?

[ProSense]

If you missed it here's the clip:

Colbert Does the White House Correspondents' dinner:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/04/29.html#a8104


After all the nasty smear and continued false statements about Kerry made by people in the media, some people think this program was in bad taste. Others claim Colbert flopped. No one is complaining, mind you, that anything he said was false. And everyone agrees it needed to be said. Take a look at all some of the threads in GD. Why all the armor rising to protect Bush, who has done so much damage and continues to do so, but refuses to listen to anyone? I wish Kerry's call for withdrawal from Iraq would evoke as much passion as the threads defending Bush.

During the program they showed a clip of Chevy Chase making a reference to being pardoned. He was standing next to Gerald Ford. They showed similar clips of Clinton and the Bush Sr. They were fact-based and funny.

In that tradition, Colbert's routing was based in fact. It's just that Bush's facts have had horrible and tragic consequences. I guess they expected the comedian to fall in line and laud Bush.


I started this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1061534&mesg_id=1061534


Editor and Publisher article:

Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner--
President Does Not Seem Amused
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1062307&mesg_id=1062307

[Mass]

1. I saw it and it was absolutely excellent.

No surprise though that there were no laughs. His shots were aimed perfectly, both at * and at the press. Always subtil and tasteful, but very harsh at the same time.

One question though. I must have missed the threads on DU, but I did not see any who defended Bush. Some clearly did not understand the humor. Some clearly thought it was bad the audience did not laugh (not sure why?). but I did not see the threads defending Bush. Probably some new trolls.

[ProSense]

2. I read the post

claiming this routine was in bad taste as defending Bush. It seems they believe it was in bad taste to parody Bush and the complicit media in person on national TV at formal event. IMO, that's defending Bush, saying he's off limits.

[ginnyinWI]

3. I was reading some of the threads last night about this.

Everyone thought the bit was hilarious, and several commented that some freepers at Free Republic seemed to have just now realized that Colbert is NOT on their side. His Bill O'Reilly-esque character is done so well, it had them fooled up until now! That's the funniest part of all.

And not only did Colbert do a fine roast of *, he really showed the Righties how silly they all look when they defend His Incompetency. Right on the mark!

[JI7]

9. that's really funny and shows what idiots they are

they actually thought Colbert was one of them. hahhahahahahha

i agree with you. it wasn't just about going after Bush. but the way it was done and making the media whores and Bush defenders (backwash) look like the fools they are.

[globalvillage]

4. I thought it was exceptional

and very brave.

:thumbsup:

[babylonsister]

5. Yes, and he's now my latest hero! He

eviscerated dimson, with a smile.:loveya:

[Dr Ron]

6. Text at The Democratic Daily

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2819

This has brought in hits from more new people than anything in a few months (and as people are still coming in I wouldn't be surprised if it ultimately sets a record).

[jenndar]

7. It was brilliant.

I love Stephen. As soon as I saw he would be speaking, I knew the WH would be upset by his remarks, and he did not disappoint. Helen Thomas was great, too :)

[ProSense]

8. This is great!

:rofl:

The truthiness hurts

Snip...

On Iraq: "I believe the government that governs best is the government that governs least. And by these standards, we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq."

On Cheney's hunting incident: "To sit here at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush...I feel like I'm dreaming. Somebody pinch me. You now what, I'm a pretty sound sleeper, that may not be enough...Somebody shoot me in the face."

On Bush's response to global warming: " is like boxing a glacier...Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is."

To Senator John McCain: "So wonderful to see you coming back into the Republican fold. I've actually got a summer house in South Carolina. Look me up when you go to speak at Bob Jones University."

On Bush's "steadfastness": "The greatest thing about this man is that he's steady, you know where he stands. He believes the same thing Wednesday--no matter what happened Tuesday."

On the press response to the White House shake-up and the metaphor of "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic": "This administration is soaring, not sinking...If anything, they are re-arranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg."

On Bush's approval rating: "Now I know there's some polls out there that say this man has a 32 percent approval rating. But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in 'reality.'

Pay no attention to people who say the glass is half empty...Because 32 percent means it's 2/3 empty. There's still some liquid in that glass, is my point. But I wouldn't drink it. The last third is usually backwash."

On Bush's response to disasters: "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."

more...

http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2006/04/the_truthiness.asp

Full video clips of the entire segment at the link

[jillan]

10. What amazed me the most about it

Was that he was the final act of the evening.

The idiot was trying to be funny, and that was the scariest thing I ever saw - 2 idiots at once!

And then Colbert ending the evening with his bit.

You can be sure, Colbert was the topic of conversation on everyone's way home/:applause:

[_dynamicdems]

11. Working Assets Action & Video of Colbert's Performance

E-mail from Working Assets:

Mainstream Media -- Why the Blackout on Stephen Colbert?

Last week at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner, comedian Stephen Colbert delivered a scathing satirical commentary on the Bush Administration -- right in front of President Bush himself. But unless you get your news from online sources such as the blogs, you probably didn't even hear about it. (If you haven't already watched his performance, watch it online now.) http://www.salon.com/ent/video_dog/politics/2006/04/30/colbert_press/

It's ironic that at the annual gathering of this nation's elite journalists, the only one with the courage to tell the honest truth was a comedian. It sure speaks volumes to the media's failure to ask the Bush administration hard questions and hold it accountable.

Tell the mainstream media to do their jobs and act as watchdogs, not lapdogs, of the Bush administration.

Let's go ahead and ask America's major media outlets -- why the silence on Colbert? Were you uncomfortable with his courage in pointing out that you have not really been carrying out the independent watchdog role upon which our democracy depends?

Tell the corporate media: honest and much-needed criticism of this administration shouldn't be left to the comedians.

Then, please forward this email to all your friends, neighbors, favorite webmasters or bloggers!!!


Thank you for working to build a better world.

Will Easton
Manager
ActForChange.com/ Working Assets

Sign petition:

http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?itemid=20751&afccode=n49jnb