But it wasn't funny!!!!

[readmoreoften]

You know, most folks on DU have appreciated the fact that Stephen Colbert publically humiliated George Bush and put the entire Republican party on notice.

But for some folks, that wasn't enough. Nope. The Colbert sketch just wasn't "funny." Oh they GOT it, they say. It's just that their tastes are more rarified. Or maybe they prefer the physical humor of, say, Jim Carrey. But the point is, Stephen Colbert did not take into consideration their "tastes" when he decided to take a historic stand against the entire press corps, the president, the first lady, top republicans, active generals, and a monstrous supreme court justice.

Didn't he understand???! We Americans like to be entertained! We DEMAND to be entertained at all times. To hell with whether a speech politically laid bare every single failure of a proto-fascist regime--and I'm being nice when I say "proto". It's all worthless, if my little fancy wasn't tickled.

You know what? I didn't find all his jokes that funny either. I laughed harder at some than others.
But who gives a flinging fuck? He publically and expertly humiliated the fascist leader who is destroying our country for over a half hour.

And what have YOU done for your country today? When have you ever shown such courage? My, you have high expectations of those who are doing the work to restore this country to democracy.

[graywarrior]

1. I find the truth to be hilarious

Especially when it makes Dimson squirm. I figured Colbert was playing to me, not them.

[spanone]

43. I find the truth to be exhilarating these days.

:toast:

[TexasLawyer]

62. And I love the strong liberal bias of the truth

so bring on that truth

[BrklynLiberal]

2. I was hysterical at the thought of how pissed off Dimson probably was.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[wtmusic]

3. If he had gotten into some slapstick with the president

it would have picked things up a little

[Kurovski]

40. And then add a few Secret Service guys jumping into the mix,

and voila! Keystone Cops.

Drop trou, exit stage left. :bounce:

[YOY]

78. Finish it up with everything in high speed to the tune of 'Wacky Sax'

At some point in time the pursuit of Colbert is added by the twins wearing lingerie for some odd reason.

[Kurovski]

81. So Colbert can pull a boner.

Ya know what I mean--Colbert's cuff-links get caught in their baby-dolls and are torn off by accident. They can whip his ass with the shreds as they chase him across the table-top. George can join in the chase, and Laura can follow George with a fucking rolling pin.

Hee-larious!

Oh well...maybe next year, huh?

[YOY]

82. Nah...next year they'll invite Larry the Cable Guy instead

More on the "backwash's" level. One could dream though...

I anticipate many wannabe highbrows laughing uncomfortably at the peasant humor in order to look more in line with the real supporters of Shrubco.

[Kurovski]

84. That's all that's left to them.

It was "hard work" to earn Larry's allegiance.

It's a one-shot deal, at any rate.

[ClusterFreak]

4. Personally, Colbert's irony wears thin, from a comedic standpoint.

From a truth (or "truthiness") standpoint, the guy hit a bottom of the ninth, grand slam home run last night to win the World Series. That is what matters.

[Pacifist Patriot]

32. His schtick will last as long as...

"average" Americans vote against their interest in a block with elitist big oil faux Christians. As soon as these folks wake up and smell the coffee (which won't be long in my opinion), Colbert's current tactic will cease to be funny. Unless he adapts, which I suspect he will.

[YOY]

87. He's got other characters and material

He has also done a little bit of serious acting...one episode of Law and Order: CI comes to mind.

His comedy includes the hilarious animated series "Harvey Birdman, Attourney at Law" and the somewhat amusing comedy central spoof "Strangers with Candy" that really crosses a few lines.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0170306/

[incapsulated]

5. "Reality has a well known liberal bias"

It was worth it for that line alone. :D

[Hoping4Change]

8. Agreed that line is pure genius. nt

[Gabi Hayes]

6. you want highbrow funny? here's funny

[IndyOp]

34. Truly a masterpiece! Especially Dick's dick. ;-) (n/t)

:hi:

[Swamp Rat]

68. LOLOLOOOLOOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: cannot type...:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[0007]

69. Very good!

[Seabiscuit]

71. Now THAT's highbrow funny!

:rofl:

[Gregorian]

7. I was scared.

When he flipped off Scalia, I literally felt fear.

Beautiful fear.

[Clark2008]

44. I have to admit that Scalia took it remarkably well.

He's pretty low-brow to be a justice, you know. He laughed it off - and it didn't look forced or fake, either. I think Antonin thought it was funny.

[Kurovski]

83. Didn't Fat Tony once recommend orgies to blow off steam?

[libnnc]

9. It lacked that certain "Nyuk, nyuk, nyck..."

Three Stooges touch that is evah so important don't ya know. :eyes:

We gotta have the rubber chicken slap-stick. It's more important to be "funny" than to be "right". :sarcasm:

Good post. Colbert hit it out of the park. The room full of sycophants had to sit there and listen to it. What's more important though, Lord Pissypants had to sit there and take it.

[Dudley_DUright]

Seeing your V avatar

reminds me of the slapstick ridicule that the TV show producer (Evey's boss) did of the fascist leader on his show in the movie "V for Vendetta". I hope Steven does not share his fate (I am sure if BushCo thought they could "disappear" him and get away with it, they would try).

[helderheid]

10. BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO!!

:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

[etherealtruth]

11. Stephen Colbert is brilliant (IMO)

Whether one finds him funny or not is left to personal taste, I guess :eyes:

[devilgrrl]

12. I'm amused that no one remembers Don Imus pissing on the Clintons...

was that "funny" enough for you? :sarcasm:

[Pacifist Patriot]

30. I was reminding my sister of that this evening.

Major thudding outcry if I remember correctly. And this was much better.

[Yupster]

51. Al Franken ripped into Newt

pretty well when he did the WHCD.

Went through all the Republicans in attendance who were divorced. I laughed at Franken's. Didn't really laugh much this time.

[Rex]

13. You can't please everyone!

I think Colbert is a comic jenyus! He took Bill O' Liellys 'stik' and turned it into a FUCKING GOLDMINE. :)

[kaygore]

25. I agree. And he was brave and bright and true last night. Bravo!

[Sydnie]

14. I don't think that HE thought that they would think it was funny either

That wasn't his point. Lampooning was his point. Having them stare themselves in the face and see if they really did agree with the stuff they spew all the time. He played it back for them, like a slow moving train wreck. There was no one (except for maybe the Wilson's and Clooney and Soros) who was there last night that did not have a weird glimpse into their own "Dorian Gray" political portrait.

What they do with that horror that they witnessed last night is up to them.

One would hope that they would know that if they didn't change their ways, that they had, effectively, Scrooged themselves.

[incapsulated]

16. But, but, but....

The audience wasn't with him! :eyes:

The audience WAS the target!

I don't understand what people don't understand, lol.

[Sydnie]

18. I don't disagree with that point at all

In fact, that is what I was trying to say. They weren't just the audience, they were the subject!

Glad to see I wasn't the only one that got that point too. :)

[incapsulated]

22. I know...

I was reaffirming you. :)

[Sydnie]

27. Thanks

:)

[glitch]

64. This is what I think too. Although I would go a step farther - they were

part of his act. Not intentionally, but he knew how they would react to his words and he played them, brilliantly, like a violin section.
He turned his parody of them into a big mirror and reflected them back onto themselves. And they performed their role as corrupted journalists to afraid of power to laugh at themselves perfectly, as they had to.

If I were him, my biggest fear would've been that they would laugh and ruin the act.

But they didn't, and so Stephen soared.

[Sydnie]

66. I can get behind that too

I am looking forward to his show Monday night. What he says and how he references the experience will be not to be missed TV.

[Kurovski]

86. I hope he shows clips every week for the next year,

to make up for the lack of Corporate media coverage.

Certainly it would fit the ego-maniacal nature of his character. Bragging endlessly with references to his glorious night with the beloved president.

[Sydnie]

89. Me too!

I could watch it everynight ... couldn't you? And hearing him talk about how great it was ... in character ... will be icing on the cake!

[Kurovski]

93. Yes! He'd riff on a clip, expand on it. I'm sure there are plenty of bits

that could be worked out from that one night. :hi:

[kaygore]

28. Well said.

[Us vs Them]

15. One of the greatest moments in political satire history

happened last night, at the expense of the entire administration and press corps.

I'm like almost giddy over it.

[Hoping4Change]

17. Well said. You are right on the mark.

The courage it takes to do what he did is unbelievable. The pressure to conform oneself to social expectations in such a formal setting is immense. For him to buck that pressure speaks to his integrity. (recommended)

[sickinohio]

19. I found all of it quite funny.

Especially in one part when the camera showed some woman in the audience with a shocked "oh my gosh" look on her face. I don't know who she was, but that was funny.

:toast: to Colbert

Oh, it was also funny when Xanax Pickles barely acknowledged Colbert.

[tomp]

75. absolutely! laughed out loud throughout.

if you don't think that was funny you're humor-impaired.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

20. Well there were no jokes about Bush jacking off horses like Laura told

last year, but I enjoyed it.

[incapsulated]

24. Yeah, you can't top Laura...

But other than that he did well. ;)

[RufusEarl]

21. Funny or not, someone had to say it!

This may make or break Colbert career, i for one will keep watching.

[kaygore]

31. Break his career?? I think that it takes him to a new level as the

premier political satirist in the country.

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. You hit it on the nail. It may have been leftie humor, but he got away

with it BECAUSE it was recognized as humor from both sides. Now, that takes skill.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

26. Satire, when expertly applied, doesn't have to be funny to be successful.

[Pacifist Patriot]

33. Indeed.

[readmoreoften]

37. Good point. I wasn't even looking for "funny."

There almost has to be a love or tenderness towards the subject for funny. Colbert just skewered a liar. It was bloody and tense and cruel and politically necessary.

[Pacifist Patriot]

29. I honestly don't understand the people who didn't appreciate what...

Colbert did last night. I cringed, I teared up, I belly-laughed, I snickered, I raised an eyebrow. As far as I can tell, that's pretty damned indicative of someone telling the unvarnished truth. It was humiliating to the president, the press and the people. We all deserved it.

[understandinglife]

35. "He publically and expertly humiliated the fascist leader who is ...

... destroying our country for over a half hour."

Correct. :thumbsup:

And, I also thought he was very funny ...


Peace.

[Pharaoh]

36. Steven Colbert

Has huge brass balls as far as I'm concerned............

[roseBudd]

38. The Colbert CSpan clips need to be the most viral, most contagious...

Because the press can't control what is viral. It robs them ogf their power to ignore this.

[oxbow]

39. Most of the the laugter I expressed...

...was because I couldn't believe that he was actually saying that stuff to their face! I've heard about a third of those jokes before, and another third of them weren't that funny. Still, that was one of the greatest performances I have EVER witnessed. Colbert't technique all but insured that not one of them could say anything in retaliation against his stealth criticism. He disarmed them with a smile and then dismantled them right in front of their own eyes. It wasn't hilarious, it was magnificent!

[TahitiNut]

41. See ...

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/TahitiNut/253

[peacetalksforall]

42. Bravo, Readmoreoften! Last night, for a little while, I thought he had

misgauged the audience. I was squirming.

But, if he had prepared a polite and traditonal routine, many followers of Colbert might also have complained.

I think he added a role last night that we might not have caught - businessperson. His show can go on for a long time yet with the theme as it is. Why sell out to what he and Jon and the others agreed to for a theme. A sharp retort equal to the atrocities of this nation might have to sting and shock.

It's our sorry state of affairs. The spotlight has to be put on our sorry state in every way reachable. We know that not everyone is listening to our representatives in Washington and at our capitals. Shock and awe comedy might help.

Truthiness. Truth can be painful.

Here we are after two weeks of our leaders pounding the drum for bombing Iran and all the reports that our troops are being positioned.

[dragonlady]

45. In normal times it might have been over the line

But these are not normal times. We're fighting for the existence of the United States as a free and democratic society. Whoever has a chance to advance the cause of freedom must grasp it and ignore those who are too timid to appreciate it.

[Yupster]

52. Nah - not over the line

The WHCD speedch is expected to be edgy and in the president's face. It is every year.

This one wasn't as in your face as others have been. Imus for example was something else. Franken was very funny and very in the face of the Republicans in attendance when he had his turn.

[Hippo_Tron]

46. Colbert wasn't as funny because he was out of the studio

When he's doing the show he has the ability to use the Colbert Report set, visual aids, and props to do basically whatever he wants. It's like seeing a broadway show without sets, props, and costumes. Do you think that Faux news would be on the air right now if they had to try and deliver the "news" without their flashy effects, colorful sets, and loud music? Colbert's job is basically to mock Faux news and mocking them involves mocking the surroundings just as much as the characters.

Also, Colbert was confined to talking about the same thing for about 20 minutes (not counting the video) which is basically duration of an entire show minus the interview. On the show he talks about 4 or 5 different subjects for only a few minutes.

[cali]

47. You outrage over

people not finding Colbert funny last night, now that's funny.

[readmoreoften]

50. No, I outrage over progressives missing the point.

And privileging their selfish need for personal amusement over all else.

[Midlodemocrat]

57. I sincerely doubt that there is a progressive on this board

who 'missed the point' and used Colbert as 'their selfish need for personal amusement'.

That being said, he was damn fucking funny. Those scenes with Helen Thomas were priceless.

[readmoreoften]

61. you didn't read my OP

I'm wasn't talking about people who "selfishly used Colbert" for their personal amusement. I was talking about the people who were complaining that Colbert wasn't "funny enough" for them, complaining that he took the initiative to "speak truth to power" instead of focusing on "the laffs".

[Midlodemocrat]

65. I think there is a possibility that people expected him to be funnier

but given the situation in the world today, what he had to say wasn't exactly humorous as much as sad.

Although, I think that stuff with Helen Thomas is pure gold.

[Sydnie]

67. I thought that was the best way to showcase what he does

It was a way to show them (those who might not be sure if he was "for real" or not) that they had been part of the joke.

It was, dare I say it, BRILLIANT!

[lonestarnot]

48. That crowd must be freeped! or nuts.

[undeterred]

49. I thought he was excellent myself

and if that's how well he does on a bad day, he must be even more awesome, funny, and to the point on a good day.

[demobabe]

53. Colbert was nothing short of phenomenal

It may not have seemed like it to everybody - different people have different opinions of what is funny. I remember a paper we had to write on humor in my college English class. We read a short story from Truman Capote, and there was one guy in the class - who was quite intelligent - didn't write the paper because he couldn't see the humor in the story. It wasn't "Dave Barry" enough for him.

I'm careful to judge humor because often humor I don't find funny is very well received by a lot of people and vice versa. And that's fine.

What really amazed me about Colbert's performance is that he was actually saying these things - it was tense, unpredictable - and he had Dubya as his captive the whole time. There was no escape.

There he was, saying these things to a guy who has absolutely no sense of humor - especially when it comes to criticisms of him. This in a time where a guy went to jail for making a joke about a "burning Bush" in a bar. His whole schtick was a huge risk.

And this comes on the day where we're looking at reporters being able to be jailed as spies regarding sensitive government information.

I also don't think it's fair to judge this performance against his show where he has all his props and video monitors and produces short segments. This was a long form, which required completely different pacing, and therefor was slower with each punch delivered methodically.

THIS was all out war, and I'm just hoping they don't make Colbert pay for this one.

[Hardrada]

70. This is true about humor. I love the Marx Bros.

(and imagine how Groucho ( with his eyebrows and waggling cigar!) would have lampooned Shrub. But a literate quite bright colleague of mine doesn't like their flicks or W.C. Fields either.

[Neil Lisst]

54. Stephen Colbert ARRIVED last night as a heavy hitter.

I've watched him from his first show at TDS, and he's always been funny and strong, and his show has been good. But this was something that establishes a reputation.

I watched his performance twice. There were laughs, but they weren't belly laughs. They were the "OMG, can you believe he said that with Bush sitting right there?!" laughs, the same kind I was having.

It was more truth than yucks, and the humor was in the intelligence and the insight.

[Joey Liberal]

55. I thought it was great! n.t

[AnnInLa]

56. Have been reading the RW sites today for their reaction

to Colbert. To them, the Left, including Colbert and Stewart and Maher, just do not have a sense of humor. I kept seeing that over and over...Colbert proves that the LEFT is humorless. Many said that it is a known fact that the more intelligence one has, the better his/her sense of humor! Now THAT was hilarious, considering the source! (they thought bush was the funniest thing ever.)

[Judi Lynn]

58. It may be that rightwingers have a limited, rigid view of "humor"

When it serves a less primitive purpose, it probably loses its value to them!

[politrix]

59. I Concur

"But who gives a flinging fuck? He publically and expertly humiliated the fascist leader who is destroying our country for over a half hour."

It wasn't funny to me. It was painful.


And, glorious. He's a hero and he just stepped out on the frontline in this war against Bush.

He'll have powerful enemies til the day he dies for his actions. And, he knows it. He could've just gotten paid and made them all feel good and landed a cushy job somewhere...

[Mr_Spock]

60. I agree with you - the perfectionist freaks here need to get a life!!

Is it jealousy or some other rank emotion that makes folks want to be the one who criticizes the one highlight of my week?

Why do some folks feel the need to be a stick in the mud?

And as you state, what the "F" have these whiners done for the cause besides piss and moan that Colbert was not theoretically "perfect" in his presentation.

It was one of the best public scoldings I've ever seen in my life.

Was it perfect?

No.

Does perfection exist?

:tinfoilhat:

[Maven]

63. AY-MAYEN

Thank you. It wasn't the media coverage or the humor. It was the fact that for the first time probably EVER these people had to listen to the TRUTH.

[johnfunk]

72. Stephen Colbert rubbed Dim Son's nose in his own puddle of "truthiness"

Moreover, Colbert smacked the compliant bedia beeyotches in their most sensitive spots.

I found it hialrious -- especially the near-pressing of the "Gannon" button.

[iconoclastNYC]

73. It was hillarious if you have an IQ over 90

[belladonna]

74. I have to admit

For the first minute or two I was kind of cringing and feeling bad for Stephen. The crowd's not laughing and you could hear a pin drop. But then I realized he had that damn twinkle in his eye and he was ENJOYING the way these assholes were reacting to him. What Stephen did last night was not meant to be rolling in the damn floor funny and I for one am GLAD it wasn't. For it to have been that funny, Stephen would probably have had to compromised and gone slapstick and Bush wouldn't have gotten slammed the way he did.

Make sure you all go thank Stephen for the INCREDIBLE job he did last night http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/

[Shadowen]

85. What I love...

...was how when they showed shots of various persons in the audience--for example Lawrence Fishburne--they were obviously having a grand old time, while people around them were dead silent. I.e., anyone in there who wasn't a whore for the admin was enjoying it. Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame were enjoying themselves.

Plus, he pulled off a few jokes that sounded like they had the room in stitches. I think his biggest laugh was the "boxing a glacier" line, which in context really is the best global warming joke I've ever had.

[redqueen]

92. How could they laugh? They knew he was mocking them, too...

by saying what they would not, he was showing them to be the complacent lapdogs they are.

BRAVO!


p.s. :hi: I've missed you!

[opihimoimoi]

76. He did America a Favor and the World some HOPE

[rman]

77. I think that's the RW's fall-back position,

Since it turned out that "he's hurting the Dems" and "he flopped" won't fly, now it's "it wasn't anything special/didn't take cojones" and "it wasn't funny".
Anything to try and diminish W's opposition.

[YOY]

80. Next time they'll invite Larry the Cable guy

He is more in line with their and the other "backwash's" humor level: I'd say mentally retarded, but most folks with Down's Syndrome are pretty good natured.

[Kurovski]

88. Please forgive me for pointing out that it's "Down Syndrome"

rather than "Down's". Just a friendly correction.:hi:

You're pretty good-natured yourself.

[YOY]

96. Aw shucks Kurovski...yer makin me blush!

:blush:

[Crankie Avalon]

79. Well...

...I guess our society has become conditioned to needing a laugh track to go off in the background to let us know if we're watching something funny on television. So, when there was stone silence from the "studio audience," maybe some instinctively mistook that for "not supposed to be funny."

But, for anyone with a brain and no vested interest in suppression of the things Colbert exposed (an interest by which the audience in attendance was obviously tainted), it was VERY funny. Even better (since even lowly fart jokes are often "funny'), it was WITTY. Brilliant.

[ComerPerro]

90. It was hilarous. But the audience didn't laugh much

so therefore, a lot of people (including in reviews I have read) are saying that it wasn't funny.

But, what those people fail to realize is: The people in the audience weren't laughing because the joke was on them...

[redqueen]

91. Who gives a CRAP if it was funny?

WTF is wrong with people?

The fact that he managed to make us laugh AT ALL with such a load of heartbreaking stuff to cover... that in itself is a frickin MIRACLE. He deserves a medal.

$#&* anyone who says otherwise.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

94. Never seen it. Is this sketch on the web some place? n/t

[Kurovski]

97. Try some of the links here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1062760

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

95. Maybe if there was a laugh track behind Stephen, some people would

think he was as funny as he really was.

And yes, funny has NOTHING to do with my adoring this man for his brilliant words, the bravery he showed, speaking truth to power in front of a truly captive audience.