Just in case anyone doesn't "get" it... (Yes...ONE more Colbert thread)

[Memory Container]

For those who don’t ‘get it’ about Colbert’s performance…

I’m very disappointed to find that there are people here on DU who don’t quite grasp Stephen Colbert’s ‘comedy’.

First of all, and straight off, let me make this very clear;

Colbert boldly, thoroughly, and unabashedlyTRASHED Bush and his administration.

Believe it or not, there are a few folks on this board who don’t get that. Which is kinda’ sad because even Bush ‘got it’. –Or at least so it seemed from his reaction.

Colbert has managed to successfully employ a tactic that allows him to disseminate real news and real opinions under the veneer of ‘comedy’. By satirically mimicking a Right-wing pundit, Colbert can ‘agree’ with the wingnuts as part of a strategy to bring up issues that sting the hell out of them… because they can’t fight back. By using the tactic of bringing points across from an enthusiastic rather than adversarial standpoint, his ‘targets’ are ill-equipped to handle the position he puts them in. They know how to deal with an adversary and their positions. They’ve studied their opponent’s arguments and know how to diffuse and obfuscate those points… but not when the ‘adversary’ is ‘on your side'.

Colbert is brilliant, and I feel bad that not everyone here can grasp how successful he has been in using this tactic.

How successful?

-He was the last speaker at the WH Correspondent’s dinner.

[babylonsister]

1. Fine analysis, Memory Container, but the majority of people on DU

'got it'. That's why there are so many threads. Colbert was eloquent and got his point across as only he can do.

Edit to welcome you to DU!

[Memory Container]

6. Thanks...

Oh, I know. The average IQ around here is quite evidently high.

But I've seen a few examples of people who seemed to have 'missed it', so I figured I'd perform a public service.

[Saturday]

2. Amen. n/t

[etherealtruth]

3. Stephen Colbert is BRILLIANT

[screembloodymurder]

4. We get it.

It's obvious and because it's so obvious, it's not that funny. Still if it made Bush uncomfortable, I'm sure I would enjoy it.

[Memory Container]

8. Uncomfortable?

That would be an understatement.

He was smoldering!

[babylonsister]

13. Not that funny? You need to see/read what he said. The

content is dead serious, but the delivery was hysterical!
There's text and video on the Greatest page for you; get thee over there!

[screembloodymurder]

39. I didn't see it,

but in general I don't find Colbert, that funny. I think it's a generational thing.

[babylonsister]

40. How old are you? You don't have to like the guy to enjoy

his biting wit!

[screembloodymurder]

51. While I enjoy seeing Bush slammed,

I don't find Colbert funny. I've watched his show. I GET IT. But I don't think it's funny and people that assume others are dumb because their tastes are different belong on the Free Republic's board.

[babylonsister]

52. Touchy, ain't ya? Who assumed you were dumb?

:shrug:
PS No response necessary.

[converted_democrat]

41. You're really missing out.. This was the funniest thing I've seen in

a long time.. It was brilliant.. No one has ever stuck it to * like that ever, and * had no choice but to sit there and listen to it.. The look on his face was priceless, Colbert made a total fool of him.. It was fantastic..

edited for clarity

[bluerum]

5. Can't be enough threads of this guy today.

[radwriter0555]

7. If they don't get it, they don't WANT to get it,... know what I mean?

He was brilliant.

[Mutley]

9. I don't know why it has to be a big deal if some people didn't like it.

I thought Colbert was hilarious, but not everyone is going to agree. As someone said in another thread: "If we all had the same opinions all the time we'd be Republicans."

[Memory Container]

11. Just on the off-chance that someone missed the point...

that way they could appreciate his technique a bit more.

Those that don't find him funny have every right not to. But anyone who thinks Colbert was 'in praise' of Bush needs it spelled out for them. -Then they can appreciate it, hopefully.

[Mutley]

14. Oh well, I don't see how anyone could think he was in praise of Bush.

:silly:

Anyone who thinks that just needs a little lesson in satire.

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. Oh please

Who thinks Colbert was praising Bush? Only an idiot would think that. Is that the group for whom this thread "clears things up," well congratulations...

[Memory Container]

22. Ummm... actually....

Yeah... I've seen two posters say that it looked like praise. Maybe they were just messing with us, but I figured it couldn't hurt to explain the tactics Colbert uses with great success.

[alcibiades_mystery]

28. Oh, two posters

OK.

:rofl:

[Memory Container]

30. So?

If it's so silly to post an assesment of Colbert's tactics to devise a greater overall understanding whether anyone 'got it' or not... why bother posting to this thread?

{oe}- That, and when there are two that speak up, there are perhaps many more who do not.

[randr]

10. What was the note with a heart

symbol? Rove and who?

[Memory Container]

15. Rove + Stephen...

or "Rove+Colbert".

It was great.

[mdmc]

12. colbert brilliance goes right over my head

When you agree with the neo cons, you become Alex P. Keaton. Michael J. Fox created the character to poke fun of the Raygun young republicans. The GOP embraced him as their idol.

You describe colbert as brilliant because of his "round the way" digs at the right. Perhaps it is going over some heads.

I have seen him on with the PNAC guy- Colbert demanded that he support an Iranian invasion, then and there. It was pretty brilliant.

[alcibiades_mystery]

16. You're right

Anyone who thought it didn't work that well simply didn't understand it, didn't "get it," didn't "grasp" what was being done, etc., etc.,...:eyes:

[cali]

17. yes, yes, he was brilliant

but the endless rehashing of his gig last night is growing tiresome. In the scheme of things, this is NOT an important story. 99% of Americans didn't see it and aren't even aware of it. Kudos to Colbert, but I get so sick of the desperation of DUers whose need for a hero is so great that we have to post 50 threads each time someone manages to get some licks in on bushco.

[Memory Container]

21. This was far more than 'getting some licks in'....

This wasn't just a great series of questions fired at a press secretary at a briefing. This wasn't an op-ed in a major publication bashing the Administration. This wasn't an unexpected heckling at an appearance by the pResident. This was an infiltration of a major media event where he could not be ignored, arrested, or censored and it was right next to the most sheltered president perhaps ever He embarrased the Media, The Administration, and especially Bush... for all to see.

This was pretty major.

[babylonsister]

24. Our victories have been few and far between; I say enjoy and

embrace them!

[JuniperLea]

34. Yes!

I hosted a party last night and it would have been rude to watch...


Thanks for all the threads, people! I am getting a sense of the show and it's all thanks to you!


Yes, our heroes are few and far between. Embrace!

[converted_democrat]

44. Oh, please..

This is an annual event that IS a big deal, that just about anyone that's "anyone" in Washington attends .. As far as hero worship goes, Colbert is a hero.. He had the guts to do something that no one else has had the courage to do, infiltrate a major press event and throughly slam *, and * had no choice but to sit there and listen to what a colossal failure he truly is. When in the history of this Presidency has * had someone stand up to him like that, in front of everyone that "anyone" in Washington? We need a few more heroes in this country, we'd be nothing but better for it..

edited for clarity

[helderheid]

18. I completely agree. K & R

[lonestarnot]

20. Sometimes he makes me queezy, but I think you are right. He is brilliant!

[Yollam]

23. I totally got it.

I found it funny, but also rather uncomfortable since it touched on pretty serious stuff, and the mass murderer was sitting right next to him.

No question he tore Bushco to ribbons, but that was outside a lot of people's comfort zone for comedy. But you'd have to be pretty damn dense to not get it. I mean, Bush is a blithering moron and you could see he was pissed when he shook Colbert's hand. He knew he had been trashed, badly. Colbert should think twice before flying commercial aircraft.

[MUAD_DIB]

25. Hopefully it's not lost on many here.

Am I to understand that freepsville thinks he's real?

[Memory Container]

29. From what I hear....

Many of them did.

I wouldn't be surprised if they invented some kind of 'falling out over ideology fantasy' when Colbert left TDS and struck off on his own.

[Mr_Spock]

26. Only a moron wouldn't realize Colbert mopped the floor with Bushco

It was one of the best thrashings I've ever seen meted out in my entire life.

You don't think there were any folks who actually didn't get it - do you?

[Mr_Spock]

27. If even Bush & Pickles got it!!

I can't imagine anybody on DU being that entirely stupid??

[Memory Container]

31. I've seen two so far today.

DU is apparently vast, it shouldn't be surprising that not everyone can reconcile satire.

[Mr_Spock]

35. He ripped Bushco to shreds last night!

How could anyone not be rolling on the floor laughing??

Too many tranquilizers?

[screembloodymurder]

43. If you don't think it's funny,

you don't get it? Wow. Maybe you're the one that doesn't get it. Humor is a very subjective thing. I got every dig, I caught every nuance, but I didn't think it was that funny. I think everyone there "got it", but I didn't hear a lot of laughing. Colbert's humor is simplistic. I'll give him one thing, he's got balls.

[converted_democrat]

45. You just said up thread in post # 39 that you didn't see it..

So which is it?

edited to add post # 39

second edit to include your earlier statement..

"I didn't see it, but in general I don't find Colbert, that funny. I think it's a generational thing."

[Memory Container]

46. ?

No, I said there were people who really actually saw Colbert as praising or siding with the pResident.

Maybe they were having me on, but it seemed fairly innocuous to post my assesment of his methods.

[elehhhhna]

32. cnn & msnbc this am--NO MENTION of COlbert

[baldguy]

33. Colbert at the WH Correspondents Dinner was important.

Why? Because it has been one of the few times Bush has been confronted, in person, with any sort of criticism.

After watching it, you notice that the only people not laughing are the neocons - unless they know they're on camera.

[Marr]

36. At the annual "Gov't/Media: Partners in Crime" convention no less.

[WinkyDink]

37. RIGHT ON!!!!

Colbert WAS THE MAN last night!

HERE'S the FUNNY part, if anyone is wondering: Bush was FURIOUS.

[The Backlash Cometh]

38. You know how Colbert gets away with it?

Because he trashes his target through self-deprecation. Brilliant. He takes on the qualities of the person he's lampooning. He becomes a parody.

[Kurovski]

54. And if any right-winger wants to dispute how Colbert presents the movement

they have to first admit to, and define that which they are disputing, since Colbert never makes an outright accusation. His pundit persona revels in, and gloriously defends some of the most illogical and treacherous beliefs you'll find in the Republican Party.

He puts them in the position of having to play offense and defense--with themselves.

[farmbo]

42. Colbert needs to be ready for the ad hominum attacks.

They cannot confront him on his material...since its their material to begin with...so we can absolutely bank on a RW Swift Boating campaign about Colbert himself. It will start Monday on (ironically) the Rush Limbaugh show.

Batten down the hatches, Matey.

[newsguyatl]

47. i think everyone here understands that

but what YOU need to realize, is that not everyone found him necessarily FUNNY last night.

namely b/c of the sad state of our nation -- all things he was sarcastic about.

[Memory Container]

49. I never said everyone HAD TO find him funny...

I wrote this because enough people (at least two) seemed not to understand his methods.

That's all.

[caligirl]

48. I got it, and the rest of my family got it, sorry for the ones who don't.

It was a brilliant use of satire right in the belly of the beast. I felt like he was speaking for the '68% who approve of what he's not doing' as opposed to the 32 % who approve of him.(him=Bush)

[Us vs Them]

50. I still cannot believe this actually happened!

I sat there thinking it was fake the whole time. It was just TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!

Colbert, you're a mad genius.

[converted_democrat]

53. It took a lot of courage to do what he did.. He's a mad courageous genius.

I kept thinking it was too good to be true too, but I recorded it the second time around when it re-aired on C-Span, so I can watch it over and over again..