<p>Comedy Central’s faux-Fox Stephen Colbert recently addressed the National Press dinner for President Bush. The blogs are buzzing!!</p>
<p>NYT’s belated coverage:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/arts/03colb.html?ex=1146801600&en=b953727404f0926d&ei=5087 [/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/arts/03colb.html?ex=1146801600&en=b953727404f0926d&ei=5087 </a></p>
<p>The complete transcript of Colbert’s speech:</p>
<p><a href=“Myspace Blog”>Myspace Blog;
<p>Or watch it : <a href=“Page not found | Crooks and Liars”>http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/04/29.html#a8104</a></p>
<p>Much better than reading, as timing and expression are important in comedy. The audience reaction is just as interesting as well.</p>
<p>“This was predictable, Bush-bashing kind of humor,” Ms. Matalin, who was there, said in an interview. Of Mr. Colbert, she said, “Because he is who he is, and everyone likes him, I think this room thought he was going to be more sophisticated and creative.”</p>
<p>Clueless as usual. If she watched his show she would know that his monologue at the dinner was no different than the humor on his show - the only difference is that Bush was a few feet away. Stephen Colbert is an aquired taste in my opinion - I used to say he was not all that funny when he first started but either I’ve gotten used to him or he’s gotten better. Either way there isn’t a Bush loyalist who will appreciate him.</p>
<p>Matalin’s knee jerk criticism of Bush bashing begs the question, “When is criticism of this administration considered valid?” Only when Bill Kristol or retired generals do it?</p>
<p>Irony…</p>
<p>If I were 20 years younger, I would want to have Colbert’s babies. Pure genius and the guts and audacity to pull it off. Quotes from the speech, from the Wikipedia article on Colbert:
Speaking truthiness to power. Right on.</p>
<p>Comedy Central is often on at my house–all the kids watch it. I think Jon Stewart is really funny, whether he’s whacking on Republicans or not. Colbert, on the other hand, strikes me as a purveyor of what has become very strained schtick. It’s all the same–whether he’s doing the Mr. Goodwrench commercials, The Colbert Report, or events such as the Press Club dinner. Dan Ackroyd was a much funnier and more versatile “conservative” commentator on the old SNL—“Jane, you ignorant slut…” </p>
<p>Jon Stewart would have been a better choice for the recent event, partly because he is funnier and more versatile, but also because I think he would have shown a bit more self-restraint. The Press Club dinner is a fun event (or can be) because people take good-natured shots at each other and have a good time. Anyone who has ever been “roasted” at an honorary event knows what I’m talking about. It can get embarassing, even outrageous, but there is still a line that doesn’t get crossed in a well-done roast, and I think the Press Club dinner is supposed to be that–a mutual roast. The line gets crossed when a roast moves from good-natured, if biting, “irony” into cruelty directed at a person who really has nowhere to escape. For the record, I think Don Imus crossed that line back in the 90s when, at the same event, he delivered a similarly cruel broadside at President Clinton, with his wife sitting at his side. I would have cheered if Clinton had gotten up and decked him. Instead, he sent a cruise missile into his backyard tool shed.</p>
<p>Colbert can “speak truthiness” on his home turf all he wants, as can anyone. It requires class and maturity to recognize that one has been invited into a demilitarized zone and act accordingly, even in the presence of one’s political “enemies.” Colbert failed on this count.</p>
<p>it was really funny…I love how he can take Bush’s own words, and the words of his people, and just by repeating them, its funny</p>
<p>With the majority of people in this country dissatisfied with Bush, I say the more the merrier</p>
<p>What Stephen Colbert says reminds me of Groucho Marx with a totally different delivery. </p>
<p>Mootmom, all of the quotes you listed are great. That backwash comment…:)</p>
<p>Watched it on C-Span. But I thought the funniest thing was the video he made of his playing the part of press secretary and Helen Thomas grilling him about Iraq and then chasing him down the street was hysterical.</p>
<p>“Speaking truthiness to power. Right on.”</p>
<p>Good one Mootmom.</p>
<p>Actually Driver, in some way I agree with what you said. I was laughing and wincing the whole time I was watching and wondering if he wasn’t crossing the line but at the same time glad he did. Bush has been insulated and I think he deserves the full force of criticism Colbert leveled at him, funny or not. To those of us who are tired of this administration getting away with murder it was a much welcome kick in the pants. With any other administration I would probably agree with you but I think Bush deserves this, as does the press core.</p>
<p>lizschup, thank so much for that hyperlink!</p>
<p>Liz, the fact remains that the event is what it is (or was what it used to be), and behavior that turns it into a food fight will lead to its demise…this is why there was discomfiture on both sides with Colbert’s bucking of the unspoken rules. I would agree that Bush Derangement Syndrome played a large part in this. I’m sure that Ann Coulter will be a very funny guest, in the same sense, at the same event if Hillary ever gets elected. But a nice old tradition will have been lost.</p>
<p>There was discomfort on both sides because neither side was spared.
Colbert’s satire was brilliant. Sometimes truth trumps tradition. Those of us who feel our country is currently being run into the ground by madmen and incompetents with the mainstream press and the Dems in Congress pretty much standing by, feel that every bit of discomfort is well-earned and long overdue.
Inviting Colbert was either a subversive act by someone in the press corps, or an incompetent one from those in charge not knowing what they were getting. Colbert was true to his show persona.
Satire is not meant to be a feel-good, funny ha ha experience for its subjects. It makes no sense to invite a satirist with Colbert’s style and politcal slant and then be incensed when he does his job.</p>
<p>While I’ve seldom posted “me too” comments in any online fora I’ve haunted over the past 20+ years, I shall break with my tradition to say here that your post sums it up completely, A.S.A.P. Your comments are right on the mark.</p>
<p>I thought Colbert was just brilliant. I loved watching Bush’s face too. Priceless.</p>
<p>Connected musings (in my mind anyway)…</p>
<p>Did anyone hear Chris Matthews Hardball last nite? He had on two, very recently retired, CIA officials in the “know” who said this administration used WMD to make their case. They knew that Saddam had not tried to get yellowcake from Niger…that Cheney and Libby knew exactly what they were doing when they tried to discredit Joe Wilson. Cheney is the one who choreographed this whole thing… was the message last nite. Very, very powerful information was stated last nite… not anonymously… I get the sense that this thing is starting to pick up some speed/density/size…and am definitely expecting more shoes to drop. </p>
<p>Gallileo used to use famous dead people in plays to speak his truths… as a way to anchor them without him saying it and getting exposed to a charge of treason with the church… </p>
<p>Our generation uses humor/Comedy Central for the same purpose of taking on the “system” at large. </p>
<p>Anyone else find it interesting that the guys who are the big leaders in political humor, Don Imus, Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert all feature authors on their shows? One needs to be well-read to satirize today, perhaps?</p>
<p>Reading? Gee, isn’t reading elitetist? Gosh, darn, phooeyy ;)</p>
<p>I think that the real focus was not on Bush. Bush is what he is, and everyone knew it when he was elected–twice. The issue is the lap dog press corps.</p>
<p>The issue is the lap dog press corps.</p>
<p>Good point!</p>
<p>There was this reporter on some program yesterday who was critical of Colbert’s performance - said it was as flat as David Letterman when he hosted the Oscars a few years ago.</p>
<p>What the media did not like was Colbert taking them to task for being so docile during much of Bush’s presidency. </p>
<p>As it happens I just finished watching “Good Night and Good Luck” and I could not help thinking that if Joe McCarthy were around today, there would not be anyone like an Ed Murrow or Fred Friendly to challenge him.</p>
<p>i know, and it took some time during the McCarthy hearings for people to see what what going on…scary stuff</p>