"Truthiness will set you free!"
Posted by bbtb at May 1, 2006 03:42 PMFroomkin's on it. I've just loaded todays column.
Posted by PwapVt at May 1, 2006 03:50 PMTony snow laughed. Scalia laughed. The Generals laughed. Georgie didn't. What they got that he didn't is that Colbert's prime target was the media - especially FauxNews. Using Bush & company as a satirical punching bag was only a means to that end.
The press corps were laughing the least of all.
Posted by mikeweb at May 1, 2006 03:54 PMAtrios, in his brief cutting way, summed up the WHPC hacks' willing participation in the Great Ruse thusly: Those cocktail weenies sure must be tasty.
Can we start calling these fools the Cocktail Weenies? Please?
Posted by DjW at May 1, 2006 03:57 PMStv, thnks vry mch fr ths pc. Frm yr pnts, lk Clbrt’s styl. Hwvr, hnst nd rthlss trth s lk ls cnn. Fr Clbrt t blz lk rl prvrbl str, h mst trgt th vry fndtns tht th hypcrt prty grs rst: nd ths cld b ‘lbrl’ dls s wll. nly th prsppstns f th lwst cmmn dnmntr f th grp bcms th bndry f trth; nd vn thn thr my b lcns t ‘crss tht ln.’
Th crp mnd-st hs dstryd prpr rspct fr thrs, f nly t prdc dprvty nd psh th bndrs f prvrsty. Hwvr, th scl dstrctn f mtl rspct, fr whtvr rsn, prdcs mltpl cttng blds. Wht m pntng t s tht th lk f Clbrt cld b mst vlbl n cntrng crp mnd-st cnstrctn f nly by ntrdcng cntrng ds tht frc th prcvr dscmfrt, wtht knwng th rl src f gttn: hs srd nd dsnstzd cnscnc!
my t lst mgn hp, gss.
I have a new-found sense of respect for Mr. Colbert.
The shear balls to stand 3 feet away from (*ahem*) the most powerful man in the world and repeatedly push his nose into a big steaming pile of truth!
Bravo!
Posted by Roy Batty at May 1, 2006 04:29 PMThe deck chairs on the Hindenberg was the line of the night.
Posted by Brian Boru at May 1, 2006 04:45 PMThe deck chairs on the Hindenberg was the line of the night.
Karl Rove writing "Karl + Steve" in a big heart on his notepad, the Jeff Gannon button, and Helen Thomas were the best sight gags.
Posted by phidipides at May 1, 2006 05:17 PMReally, could someone get scout some medical help? That made no sense at all.
Steve, I like your tag line, but I sure wish there was some way to keep the ball rolling beyond that.
Posted by Merle at May 1, 2006 05:24 PMI'm with p-dippy on this one, the Hindenberg gag was sheer genius. I could just see Bush puffing himself up at the "soaring" bit then *poof* the balloon is popped. He does this on his show all the time, the writing is amazing.
As Mr. Batty says, he's got the balls, punk, and he's not afraid to use them. I felt like I was watching history. Satire is not dead, thank goodness.
Posted by iamcoyote at May 1, 2006 05:29 PMThe Hotline's Blogometer's discussed the reaction to Colbert's work today. One I found particularly notable:
Righty bloggers were particularly tired of lefty admiration for Colbert's 'bravery.' Bloggledygook: "Similarly, it has become tiresome to hear talk of courage in this case, as if Colbert is in some fear for his life, but chose to stand against the fascist state and mock the president and media. Rubbish. The easiest place in the world to be snarky is Washington D.C. The Capitol virtually runs on snark. I pointed out that courage would be exemplified by an Iraqi mocking Saddam (when still in office) where speaking against the government carried very real danger."
Oh. Perhaps they mean they are looking for someone like Joe Wilson when he was Ambassador to Iraq during the first Gulf war? Last I heard, they thought Wilson was a coward. So when do the chickenhawks get their chance to speak truth to power where it counts?
Posted by Mary at May 1, 2006 05:42 PMMrl, wrt th bv fr r hst; t ddn’t ccr t m tht y wld b ntrstd. Hwvr, f my hmbly rphrs my pnts: Clbrt ws bl t pnt t vrs pltcl hypcrss nd prdxs f ffcl prcdrs. Lttl Bsh, nd fw md whrs, wr ncmfrtbl bcs, sspct, f thr cnscnc, whtvr s lft f tht cnscnc. Fr Clbrt t prck th lstnr’s dscmfrt, h wnt slghtly bynd whtvr th cllctv xpcttns wr fr th vnng. t ws t tht pnt thy lrnd frm thr ‘dscmfrt,’ nd thy hd th pprtnty t lrn bt thmslvs. Whch ws lst bcs thy vwd Clbrt wth th dntcl dsps tht thy wr flng twrd thmslvs, (th rslt f cnscnc).
Trth cn strk t bynd prty lns. Clbrt cld hv, r prhps dd, dn’t knw, rch t t th Dms’ lck f chrctr. Psychlgcl hypcrsy s nthr wy f vwng fls prd. Clbrt s wr f ths trt, nd cld rch t n vrs drctns pntng t th rslts f psd-prd. spclly fls prd tht dstrys nt nly r pst, bt ppls’ f th prsnt.
Th md flks r crprtn srvnts: thy rprt th crp plcs, cnscsly r ncnscsly, jstfyng n ths wy r tht, nd thy ndrstnd lttl bt hw t pls thr dtr. Ths css thm strss, f nly fr th flng f ‘sllng t t th hghst bddr.’
Ths, w s r md spprtng crprtn ndcd scl stndrds dsgnd t prdc scl chs: cmplt dstrctn f tr Chrstnty; dvrc, nbrn nfntcd, wmn xpltd n th wrk frc, mckry f mrrg stndrds by lgtmtng hmsxl/pdphl ‘mrrg,’ prn, vlnc, trtr, r-mkng f pltcl prcdrs, tc.
Nw, hlf f th bv s cnsdrd ‘nrml’ by r ‘prgrssvly’ md prgrmmd rhd vtrs. Th thr hlf f th bv s cnsdrd ‘nccptbl’ by th sm chs nrmlcy stndrd, bt f tdy. s lt sd, tmrrw w wll llw nrstrctd srvllnc. H ws rght; nd tmrrw, ll f th plcs tht css dscmfrt tdy, wll b cnsdrd nrml. Ths s th dsrd gl f r crprt lrds, f nly t crt ngh scl cnfsn tht w wll nly trn t thm fr gdnc. Thr gl: wrld dmnnc, (y knw, prft nd pwr).
Nw, Clbrt s bl t ndrstnd mst f th bv; h hs th knck f ndrstndng cmbnd wth th knck f mkng t fnny. Th lk f Clbrt hs th blty t strk t t ny pltcl hypcrt, f ny prty prssn, snc th nly wy t srvv n pltcl chs, s t mbrc hypcrsy. Hypcrts bnd n DC, jst s thy d n ny rgnzd chrch f r dy.
Pls, lt m knw f y hv frthr qstns.
What I love best is the Reactionary Right's critical pronouncement that Colbert was NOT FUNNY. Yeah, not too funny, only laugh-out-loud-when-you're-readin'-the-friggin' transcript funny. I can't conceive of an intelligent person not finding this satire explosively hilarious.
If you don't think this is funny stuff, you're a real basket case. And you're disallowed from describing yourself as having a "great sense of humor".
The presentation of the Colbert character as a Bushman is of course the entire key to the humor, and for a chilling reason. The Bushi Movement has perverted, mislead and imbecilized a huge segment of our population, rendering them immune from reason, hostile to reality, and unfit for the duties of enlightened citizenship as envisioned by the Founders.
Colbert, with his absurd, deluded, privileged white male Bushman thus foretells our doom. Just as the Berlin caberets accurately mocked the pieties and pronouncements of the Thousand Year Reich, art gets to the bottom of the monstrous political lies that a perverted society gorges itself on.
Posted by euzoius at May 1, 2006 06:32 PMbumper sticker slogan of the week:
Stephen Colbert speaks for me.
Posted by susan at May 1, 2006 06:32 PMDirty tricks ala Rove is OK, and pretending to look for WMD under your couch is a riot, but some dry cutting irony that hits too close to home, NOW you have gone too far. Colbert's audience was at home, and he knew it. Good job, or GREAT job? The latter, thanks Stephen.
Posted by TIKI AL at May 1, 2006 07:12 PMAnd then when he was all over the blogoshere: He was on '60 minutes' last night to boot!
What a refreshing treat!
The Hindenberg line was classic. But I suggest that an even more wickedly funny/cruel meme was implied by the glass is 2/3 empty joke.
"Backwash Republicans".
pass it on.
I prefer the Hindenberg line. The backwash line was great. It told us that Bush's remaining supporters are not, shall we say, the most savory substance.
But the Hindenberg line essentially said:
CHIMP, YOU'RE GOING DOWN!!!
Posted by Herman at May 1, 2006 08:06 PMon behalf or my principled conservative brethren, i am appalled at the attack on our media, which we all know did an exemplary job in scaring me and my fellow bedwetters in the exciting run-up to the war in iraq and are ready to do the same in iraq.
Posted by another forgotten troll at May 1, 2006 08:42 PMiran, that is.
Posted by another forgotten troll at May 1, 2006 08:42 PMTIKI AL, you are right. As long as they are making the jokes, it's funny. Laughing at pictures of the pResident looking for WMD under the WH furniture is funny, but telling the truth isn't.
Posted by Judith at May 1, 2006 09:34 PMBut the Hindenberg line essentially said: CHIMP, YOU'RE GOING DOWN!!!
Actually, what I thought this line might refer to is Bush and his administration going out in a flaming ball of fire - highly appropriate for people who have created a hell on earth for millions with their arrogance and fecklessness.
Posted by Mary at May 1, 2006 11:00 PMi loved the hindenberg line but talk about an embarrassment of riches... it's so hard to choose a favorite.
i thought 'joe wilson, the most famous husband in america since desi arnaz' was inspired. i haven't seen many people mention it. maybe it's just me but i thought layering a sitcom reference on the wilsons' 'situation' was especially brilliant. nice shot to the right's "he wouldn't have had the job without his wife."
Posted by irene at May 1, 2006 11:39 PMI thought the Hindenburg line was a symbolic reference to the Bush neocon Nazi regime about to experience the fires of the Biblical end times.
My favorite: DC = A chocolate city with a marshmellow center and a crust of corruption.
Stephen showed the stone faces in the WHPC audience on his show tonight. He gets it.
Posted by TIKI AL at May 1, 2006 11:43 PM...as if Colbert is in some fear for his life...courage would be exemplified by an Iraqi mocking Saddam (when still in office) where speaking against the government carried very real danger...
Wow. One of the dumbest points I've heard in a while.
Whenever someone does something impressive, there's always a squadron of immature twits threatened by the accomplishment ready to belittle it. Whether it's in the schoolyard or White House, some jealous wannabe will leap at the chance to say, "That's not impressive! There's someone somewhere in the world who could theoretically have done something more impressive, so what you did doesn't count." Face it, you right wing, Faux News-watching, delusional losers, Steven Colbert got you, and he got you good. It was delightful irony - an unexpected sucker punch that you somehow managed to deserve.
Poo-poo the "courage" it took for Colbert to do what he did all you want. When's the last time that the easier-said notion that "there's really nothing to lose" actually helped YOU overcome the butterflies in your stomach? Did it get you to ask out the girl you've only admired from afar, but are too afraid to approach? Did it enable you to stand up to the supervisor at work whose been clearly taking advantage of his position vis-a-vis yours? How about the courage to simply be honest with your friends or family about something that's bothering you?
Steven Colbert looked right in the eyes of President Bush and his adoring press and called them on their bullshit. For an artist who had to expect nationwide coverage, it took guts. That his life wasn't in danger isn't the point.....
Wait a second....
Steven Colbert looked right in the eyes of President Bush and his adoring press and called them on their bullshit. Is his life in danger?
Posted by Liveliest Crib at May 1, 2006 11:50 PMSince "colbert" is probably now on the list of people to be bumped from commercial plane flights, I hope he has a tour bus available. I wouldn't be getting on any cropdusters if I was him.
I really enjoyed Scalia guffawing at getting told off Sicilian style. I don't agree with most anything about the man, but that was nice.
Posted by Sharon at May 2, 2006 04:59 AM20,761 thank you's to Stephen Colbert so far. If you haven't had the chance and want to thank him for putting their own crap back on their plate to see how it tastes, do it now. Go to colbert press club video and thank yous @ http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/
Posted by oppressmenot at May 2, 2006 05:33 AMSharon sez: I really enjoyed Scalia guffawing at getting told off Sicilian style. I don't agree with most anything about the man, but that was nice.
Indeed. Scalia's always had a sense of humor about other people; it was good to see he could laugh at himself.
As to Colbert: Folks, that shit wasn't that funny. It was outstanding satire, but it wasn't funny. Think Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal--you may laugh a little, but the primary intent is to use humorous devices to produce a deep, profound sense of unease. Colbert succeeded at that spectacularly. But there's no sense in saying that the guy was knee-slapping funny.
Posted by dj moonbat at May 2, 2006 05:43 AM"Steven Colbert looked right in the eyes of President Bush and his adoring press and called them on their bullshit. Is his life in danger?"
Liveliest Crib, Bush's need for revenge is legendary. Colbert may want to hire a body guard.
I wouldn't be surprised if his name somehow ends up on the No Fly List and he finds himself taken aside for "special handling" next time he tries to fly somewhere.
Posted by snark at May 2, 2006 06:28 AMCan't agree, DJ.
You seriously don't think contrapoising the (expected) Titanic with the (completely unexpected) Hindenberg is not laugh out loud funny? And the remaining "1/3 of the cup" as backwash? sheesh, you're a tough crowd.
This is serious satire even if people laughed at it. Modest Proposal, indeed, did not (and does not now) generate "laughs". But Colbert did. And the fact Colbert's attack is actually enormously (I do not say continuously) funny does not mean it is not satire.
Nor does it mean that if a work is serious satire it cannot be laugh out loud amusing. We don't need to be tied to rigid "definitions" of satire.
And TIKI once again, I love your comments---I had completely missed Colbert's link to the Nazis via thr Hindenberg; great catch, you are an attentive wit, sir!
Posted by euzoius at May 2, 2006 06:31 AMimo, hindenberg - funny, backwash - funny, mallomars - funny, the rest only patriotic and ballsy.
and where are the trolls defending the press against colbert's attacks? (the press is on the side of the backwash 32% - what a surprise)
Posted by benjoya at May 2, 2006 06:55 AMNot to belabor this, I understand what DJ means, and of course he has a point.
Whole paragraphs of Colbert's routine are running mockery, like when he starts talking about Nero Jr "feeling" that America "exists", that Nero trusts his guts over his brain, "I'm a simple man with a simple mind", etc. This is more "serious" satire.
But I think you will see that at the end of each segment of mockery there is a clear laugh line--the one above ends with "reality has a clear liberal bias" (LOL!) And I submit these are pretty funny. And giving Scalia his own "Sicilian" treament: "I'm talkin' to my paisan"? funny.
No more from me on this, I promise.
Posted by euzoius at May 2, 2006 07:12 AMIt was deeply, satisfying, and lastingly funny. I'm still laughing! Adding to the fun was the spectacle of the saucer-eyed audience with their hands covering their mouths.
Posted by Harold at May 2, 2006 07:46 AM...and the lady who wide-eyed grabbed for her pearls (I never really noticed that people did that before) and just found her scarf and tugged it for comfort. Funny stuff.
Posted by Sharon at May 2, 2006 08:04 AMThank you, thank you, thank you. You are a man of courage and great humor. I am so grateful. It felt so good to hear someone finally say all the things we all wanted to say to the "decision maker" for so long.
Posted by susan gill at May 7, 2006 06:48 PM