Come on guys. It was nice to see him pie the lion in his den but this is not causing any real social change or anything. Bush's falling approval rating has more to do with gas prices (which progressives should actually WANT to stay high) and the Iraq quagmire than any of Colbert's quips.

Actually, I never thought Colbert was as funny as Ali G. But everyone knows who Ali G is by now. Wouldn't you have loved to see him interview Bush? Look for his interview with Pat Buchanan sometime!

"So does you think that Saddams has any weapons of mass destruction or, as they is called, BLTs."
"I don't know if Saddam had WMDs or BLTs. We know he used mustard gas on the Kurds."
"But if the BLTs didn't have any mustard, if they was just plain..."

Sigh...

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The more coverage Colbert gets on this the better.

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I had to admit when I saw the routine at first I was struck not whether it was funny or not, but that this guy was looking Bush in the eye and telling the truth. It really doesn't matter if it's funny, he looked the bastard in the eye and called him out for the phoney he is.
Marvelous political theater of the first degree.

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and discussions critiquing on the merit of his performance as comedy largely miss the mark, because what he did was unleash a blistering and shaming attack from inside the machine, right in their respectively perpetrating and complicit faces. Equally, any opinion that he was rude misses the point as well.. of COURSE he was rude! Civil disobedience is supposed to be rude.

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and I've enjoyed the speach at least 4 times, but this is really much ado about nothing.

The speach was approved by the President.

Now.... if this does become a rally cry for the left... and it does have a big affect... and it gives people courage and gets people to participate...
This was just what we needed.

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I give props to Colbert for this ballsy move. And though his act hasn't created change, I think that is expecting too much. I find it an inspiring act, and so perhaps we can look to it to inspire many more to act to create change.

But is there any comment by Colbert to all of this response to his act? I'm curious as to what he thinks of our collective reaction and I haven't found anything about it.

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I loved Stephen Colbert's performance for a lot of reasons already stated most eloquently, but mostly because it wiped that arrogant smirk off W's face.

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From this article: "The AP's first stab at it, as well as Reuters and the Chicago Tribune tell us everything we need to know: in these reports, Colbert's performance is sidestepped and marginalized, while President Bush is depicted as lighthearted, humble and witty."

From Peter Daou's blog on Salon: "The AP's first stab at it and pieces from Reuters and the Chicago Tribune tell us everything we need to know: Colbert's performance is sidestepped and marginalized while Bush is treated as light-hearted, humble, and funny."

Let's give Mr. Hazen the benefit of the doubt here: Maybe his notes got mixed up. But he should also correct the text and credit Daou.

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After viewing the video I couldnt believe when I logged into the so called Liberal paper "The Washington Post" to see their political commentators denouncing Colbert .
No wonder America is so fu*$ed up. Your whole society is corrupt and like Rome your empire will come crushing down;this time it wont be through hordes of barbarians but through crushing debt .
So long losers.

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This article is right on target; Colbert's brilliant speech is an enormously significant rhetorical event. Even if the mainstream press is downplaying the episode, Colbert's remarks are bound to make their way into many college courses in the humanities (they'll be making their way into mine, at any rate). While comedy by itself is not necessarily political action, there is a long tradition of using satire to expose the hypocrisy of an existing social order and, in so doing, to incite others to take action. Of course we don't know exactly what change may result from the vehement reaction that Colbert's speech has provoked, but one thing is for sure: many of us have not felt this galvanized speak our minds in a long time and (as I am happily discovering) many of us would like to see this president and all the lunatics in his administration finally held accountable for their actions.

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We have a congressional government. But countries with parlamentary governments would not have been so shocked of Colbert's performance. Amused, yes, shocked, hardly.
Anyone who has seen, on c-span, the parlementary debates in countries such as England or Canada, get my point. Both sides go at eachother mercilessly. And so it should be. They call a spade a spade.
In a congressional government, you'll hear things like ''We cannot but reach the conclusion, Mr. president, that we have been misled into this war..'' In a parlement, it's more like ''Sir, you are a liar.''
It's an 'in your face, no-nonsense' approach.
Americans are not used to this kind of truth from their elected officials.
The point Colbert made, to the president's face, should have been made five years ago.
''Mr President, you are taking our country straight to hell in a hand basket and you should be ashamed of yourself..''

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The distinction Don Hazen makes here is absolutely on-target: the split is between the powerful and the angry. The MSM's elite, the pundits, are way too enmeshed in the government, whether it was Andrea Mitchell married to the Fed chair or simply socializing and vacationing in the same spots. They have been coopted and have coopted themselves, and what interests them is keeping their jobs more than doing their jobs. So when somebody points out their cascading failures over the last five years as pungently as Colbert did, they're going to be humiliated. I've authored several books about shame and the lazy, well-fed press experienced a shift from positive affect to negative, and it made them profoundly ashamed--and then angry (a common defense against shame, as is contempt: "He wasn't funny."). Read poor little Richard Cohen's screed in today's WaPo to see how self-absorbed and out of touch this media elite is--and how wounded they were--by a comedy routine!

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Regarding the comments, "Rude? Since when has politics in this administration used the Marquis of Queensbury rules?", I will remain pissed to my dying day for what this administration (OK, their corporate henchmen) did to the Dixie Chicks. This is not to exclude Michael Moore, Joe Wilson/Valerie Plame, Richard Clarke and a host of many others for speaking the truth early. Hell, might of even want to throw Paul O'Neill and the timidity of Colin Powell into that mix. People have stood up before, but were quickly swallowed in the views of the right instead of the news for the people. The Dixie Chicks deserve some real apologies from this administration. More importantly they, and others, deserve respect for questioning the actions and suffering the consequences long before this administration was made a toothless tiger.

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We don't need the mainstream press anymore.

That's why the neo-con hyenas are trying every which way to own the internet.

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Bringing truth to power is a prime responsibility of the Fourth Estate.

I'm forever happy to see people taking on responsibility that they don't have to.

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The biggest problem is that any portrayal at all in the MSM is slanted in terms of funny or not funny. Comedy has nothing to do with the value of the performance. The comedic aspect is just a bye-product of something that is hilariously tragic. Where was the outrage when W cracked jokes about not finding WMDs at the same dinner back in 2004?

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Very pertinent. And rightfully encouraging. Keeping the focus on pounding the mainsteam media with shame and outrage against their obvious collusion by opprtunism, is what is needed. Mr. Hazen's article should inspire us all to continue to do just that.

The niceties of tap-dancing aound the real issues is not a luxury we can afford.

Mr. Colbert's being ignored and spurned by the mainstream media only demonstrates that his criticisms are valid and long overdue.

Steven Wanzell
artist/activist/ex-American
www.wanzellarts.com.ar

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For those who didn't think Colbert's performance was funny, consider this: Maybe he wasn't joking.

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What was so amazing to me was the irony of the fact that Bush has put up all these walls to protect the administration from attack. He has spent billions keeping the critics at bay. And along comes this guy like a computer hacker, walks right through the 'firewalls', and just rips Bush another asshole - in front of the whole world.

There is analogy here with the Katrina, 9-11, etc. Bush pretends to be in control and he uses the media to try and make himself look as though he is doing his job when in fact, he can't even protect his own ass. And it demonstrates not only his absolute failing but the culpability of the press. A press that serves the corporate elite rather than the people.

And that is a serious problem folks. Very serious. This is exactly what happened in Nazi Germany when the press became subserviant to Hitler.

With that said, Colbert alone is not going to change anything. The people need to realize that Bush is not going to leave until you force him out. And so, you have to be mean, you have to get ugly, you have to get physical. And that means that you get off your asses and turn off the computer and take it too the street. And for you homosexuals, you need to go get a couple of dumbells and strenghten up those slack wrists so you can throw some punches. Too many people read and watch what Colbert did, give a resounding cheer expending their energy to really do anything about what is happening around them. For many Colbert's act just placated you. And you are content to just sit there in your false sense of vengence and admiration of Colbert - and continue to do absolutely nothing. So while Bush is a loser and Cheney and Rumsfelt are pricks, the most of you are slack-assed, slack-wristed do-nothings and fit right in with the rest of that filth.

As in the days of Kent State, it is time for rage, time for riot, time for the ruin of the corporate elite. And you sit there all wrapped up in your false sense of warm and fuzzies after this show admiring Colbert for what you fail to do yourself. You are couch potatoes.

You're fucking losers. You like to think your just like Colbert. But you are nothing like him at all. And you deserve every inch of what this Bush administration shoves up your asses.

Ken Boettger

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"I thought some of it was funny, but I think it got a little rough … He is the president of the United States, and he deserves some respect."
--House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

"Deserve" respect my ass. The only respect you deserve is that minimum amount due solely to you're being a human being. Respect for your human rights and civil liberties. Beyond that, any respect you "deserve", you deserve only because you earned it. This bullshit about saying certain people "deserve" respect is just another way of say: Obey blindly! Comply with authority unquestioning! Resistance is futile! You are irrelevant! Comply! Comply!

And speaking of the minimum amount of respect, I notice that George the Pathetic, his lackey and bootlickers, and the powers behind his throne, certainly don't show that much. Stupid, sniveling, spineless, and contemptible bastards. What's to repsect with people like that who demand for themselves what they won't give to others?

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What can I say?

13 years in the service including 3 tours in the middle east and I've never seen someone with balls as big as Steven Colbert!

THANKYOU STEVEN COLBERT!

Thankyou for FINALLY shoving a dose of reality right down dumbya's throat! IT'S ABOUT TIME! It's about time SOMEONE confronted this IDIOT in the White House and called him on the carpet.

Steve...you just gained a loyal viewer and a fan!

Peace,

An Old Combat Vet

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All he did was speak the truth. One of these days, Congress will pass a law making truth a felony or maybe package it like cigarettes, with health alerts like Truth can harm your unborn child or In case of truth overdose, go to Fox for Fair and Balanced.

The basic fact is that Truth is anti-Corporate.
America is Corporate, therefore Truth is un-American.

Er ... um ... Truth Shall Make You Free, so I don't quite know what to make of the Land of The Free.

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Vote, but be prepared to fight.

Yes indeed, let’s vote the Rabid Right out of power. But if that fails and they rig another election, what then?

Sometimes revolutions and civil wars are inevitable.

The nazis didn’t become mass murderers overnight, they seized power gradually, step by step becoming more oppressive and evil when they met no resistance. Bush and the Rabid Right are following the tactics employed by the nazis. Read the book “The Mind of Adolf Hitler,” by Walter C. Langer

Some will say I’m a fool to equate the Rabid Right with the nazis because the criminal cabal presently gutting the Constitution isn’t anywhere near as evil as the nazis. We don’t have Brown Shirt thugs roaming the streets terrorizing anyone. Not yet, anyway. But don’t doubt their absolute lack of scruples or determination to so. Nations can go insane just like people. Insane leaders like Bush, Cheney, Rove and Rumsfeld, aided by thousands of sociopathic followers can drive a nation into madness.

Let’s not rule out the possibility that it may become necessary to employ force to remove the Rabid Right from power.

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So to expect them to go out on a limb for anything is just plain
crazy. The media will not do anything that might in the least bit
cost them ratings. It has always been so. Be it newspapers,
radio or television. It is the same. "Keep the costomer satisfied."

Untill the vast majority of the populace starts to raise their voices
in protest, untill Joe Sixpack starts yelling bloody murder (which ain't likely) the press will not say or do anything to upset the apple cart.

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The Corporate contolled Fourth Estate in USA went limp after THAT DAY we call 9/11,

But Independent Muckrakers have been speaking out on the Internet ever since

Seek the truth and the truth will set you free

And then speaking truth to power comes easily:

http://www.wearewideawake.org

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not the people. Media conglomerates, for a lot of us. Educational institutions, if you're lucky, but they want to name wings in our new Life Sciences center after corporations like Monsanto. edu's hands are dirty too. The only way to ensure the future of a "people's network" is OWN IT. An independently owned infrastructure. I envision a future of wireless computer networks powered by the sun. or something along those lines. Without that, the overlords can ALWAYS pull the plug if things get too hot.

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Here's what I haven't seen: who hired Colbert to speak before the Press Club? Someone must have known what he'd say & how he'd say it. Just who was this a) subversive unsung hero or b) person who was confused about the character Colbert plays on his show??

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they ran the clips of Bush announcing Goss' appointment in 8/04 -- "the right man at this critical juncture" blah blah -- and announcing Hayden's appointment Monday with THE EXACT SAME WORDING. Brian Williams admitted "we were not the first to notice this" (ha) and credited Comedy Central's "Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (Colbert's previous home).

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THE NEWS MEDIA IS

DYING PROPERLY

BOO HOO

HOO

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First saw Stephen Colbert on a C-SPAN special on Media & Politics.

He was courteous, thoughtful, observant, unassumiing and when he spoke one thing stood out--he was in CHARGE. No one came close to him, but he was not aware of it. He was just there as a willing participant in a discussion that was run by some clueless skirt from ABC news--Kelly Moran?

Now he has the timing of a comedian so he knew when to strike. He has the intelligence of a good observer so he know how to strike. He has the perception of knowing his audience so he knew WHERE to strike.

Stephen, I am sure, doesn't see himself as a hero, brilliant or a trailblazer--just a Middleclassman, Catholic from South Carolina and a HUSBAND and FATHER. (Funny, another church-going Catholic could be put in the same boat--Michael Moore. What is it about these Catholics anyway?)

His gift?

He has written a check, it is up to us to CASH it.

David T. Gray
Claremont, NH

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I loved his roast. For all those who don't like what he said, you know this is a roast. As for me, personally, I really don't have any respect for Bush. You can respect the office and still not respect the man holding it. A roast is like a verbal characture where you emphasize the most prominent featers of the roastee. Right? Well, that's what he did, verbally emphasized Bush and the Capitol's most prominent features: corruption, scandal, disregard for the American citizens, greedy, a well-oiled political machine that keeps getting away with murder, literally, and is lining it's collective pockets at the expense of the fading working class. I think Stephen should get an emmy. I also think the internet should have it's own reward show, much like the oscar, and Stephen should win it for "Best Male Performance in a Leading Role." Keep on keepin' on, Stephen. We love you!

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Good piece, made possible because of the media black out.
But don't be fooled THIS IS ABOUT THE MEDIA versus the American people. Do get that rigtht: the media are the powerful, sycophant, suck up weasels who have kept the Bush regime both in power, and popular with those who still are deluded enough to get their information from the corporate news.
Warren Leming

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Good piece, made possible because of the media black out.
But don't be fooled THIS IS ABOUT THE MEDIA versus the American people. Do get that rigtht: the media are the powerful, sycophant, suck up weasels who have kept the Bush regime both in power, and popular with those who still are deluded enough to get their information from the corporate news.
Warren Leming

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I thought Colbert was funny! Someone standing up to the king?You've got to love it! Rude?No,rude is old women wearing bandaids with purple stars.Rude is claiming McCain fathered an illegitimate black child,when he and his wife adopted an Indian girl.Rude is raping our country over and over again,and the press leiing them do it.Colbert was funny and refreshing.

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Note to the Media:

Starting to feel like a huge Misinfo-mercial?
Everybody hates you now?
Tired of averting everyone's gaze?
Restless sleep?
Irregularity?

You could be suffering from
GNAWING CONSCIENCE SYNDROME.

That feeling that you've been doing something wrong and being paid to say things that no human would agree to for free, and it's just the warning sign. It can get even more difficult to function at work as time goes on...

Unless treated. The remedy?

There's a big sale going on at the SAVE YOUR REMAINING DIGNITY STORE! EVERYTHING MUST GO! WE'RE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS AND OFFERING HUGE SAVINGS ON SUCH ITEMS AS THESE BEAUTIES RIGHT HERE:

!. TELLING EVERYONE YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A LIBERTARIAN.
2. TELLING EVERYONE YOU JUST WANTED TO FEEL SAFE.
3. TELLING EVERYONE YOU WERE WAITING FOR JUST THE RIGHT TIME TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT COLBERT BEAT YOU TO THE SAME IDEA.

AND WE STILL HAVE AN ENORMOUS WAREHOUSE FULL OF - OWNING UP TO YOUR OWN EMBARRASSING MISTAKES AND MAKING AMMENDS -
BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THESE BRAND-SPANKING NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO START OVER.

NO SHIPPING OR HANDLING FEES. JUST SIMPLY DECIDE TO OWN IT AND IT'S YOURS, SO WHY WAIT? ORDER NOW!!!

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Cuz mister colbert sure does distract the political activists from any substantive issues, like progressive taxation, universal healthcare and the welfare state. Hooo, boy, the overclass sure don't like it when those leftist political activists start making THOSE issues the focus of the political debate. They like it when people like colbert can make pure partisan politics the focus. A focus on ideological issues is to sure hurt the overclass.

Long live the new overclass hero, Stephen Colbert!

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In this brilliant performance Colbert played the role formerly assigned to Court Jesters, who were the only ones that could "speak truth to power" in their day, when the power was an absolute monarch. (You know, like GWB thinks he should be.)

That it took a COMEDIAN to speak that truth in a so-called "democracy" in the 21st century is the salient POINT of the performance!

The medium has indeed become the most significant part of the message, and that should provide a wake-up call to EVERYONE LEFT OUT THERE, who is merely asleep rather than dead!

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On April 30 I watched it all day (memorizing it in the process) and made mp4 copies. Google colbert speech mp4 to find them.

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The "courtesy" among politicians is NOT fake. These guys really like each other. They think alike on both sides of the aisle. THAT's our problem, not rudeness or a lack of it.

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I just googled "Stephen Colbert" and "correspondents dinner" I got 1,560,000 results. Not bad.

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Spot on assessment in your article. This event really helped expose the state of the democratic internet and the existing power structures. As more and more people are exposed to news via alternative paths, people will gain a more balanced view of reality.

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Things have come to a sorry pass when it takes a comedienne to tell the truth about this administration and its ennabelers in the media. Where is the next Edward R. Murrow?

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The author basically says that the establishment is in trouble, since progressive/independent thinkers have a new avenue. Ommitted from the article, however, are the efforts of the big ISPs to silence this dissent, by crushing network neutrality. What's going to happen if they succeed in once again building artificial barriers to entry into a new medium (the Internet)?

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Mr. Colbert, I and my fellow billionaires can't thank you enough! We billionaires are quite fearful that the progressive taxation and strong welfare state of Europe might somehow be adopted by America. The only way this could happen is if the political activists of the American Left were to somehow realize that these populist economic measures could touch people's lives deeply, across the political spectrum and unite the working classes as they have done across Europe.

This would cut deeply into our profits. Where would my next yatch come from???

So, therefore, we are always eager to find high profile politically oriented people who can GUIDE the American left AWAY from populist left economics, and towards areas of activism that cannot harm us, the filthy rich.

And you have done that for us so very well, Mr Colbert!

Thanks so very very much. You are our god.

Signed, Billionaires for Colbert

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I am really embarrassed that the most read and forwarded Alternet articles are the most hate and invective filled diatribes against Bush. Look, Bush is a moron, and a fool, and a a liar, and a war criminal, but he's not all life on earth. These Alternet writers, myself included, work very hard to bring you good quality journalism about important issues.

But instead of reading the important shit, you read Rolling Stone reprints about Bush, and comment into the hundreds, or you continue this like two week long blather-fest about Colbert, rather than reading the important shit on this site.

Is it me, or are Alternet readers getting dumber by the day?

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I liked and agreed with most of this article, but I must say that one sentence really bothered me: "In a smaller way, but showing similar guts, Cindy Sheehan spoke truth by traveling to Texas and demanding that the president explain, please, just what "noble cause" her son died for."

I am as big a fan of Colbert and his performance as anyone, but to characterize what Cindy Sheehan has done as "smaller" is a gross injustice. Ms. Sheehan has virtually dedicated her life over the past year to speaking truth to power, she has generated far more media coverage, and she has inspired and encouraged many people to greater depths of activism (and all on a smaller budget, without the benefit of her own tv show.) Although she may not yet have been given the priviledge and opportunity to speak her truth directly to Bush's face, by and large she has been a much more powerful figure in the movement to end the gross injustices of the Bush Administration.

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Colbert simply said what many of us have been saying in blogs and on various internet sites, letters to the editor (that are never published), and around the neighborhoods and so often muttering to ourselves in total frustration.

The difference is: Colbert was THERE and was given that extremely rare and wonderful opportunity to throw it in the president's face...and I give him credit for having the balls to say much of what needed to be said. That doesn't make him Superman, but it does put him a cut above for having done it!

But as others here say, this...and what Colbert did...should not be the end of it! It should be the lighting of a fuse to an avalanche to follow of a frightened, worried, pissed-off, angry America that wakes up and now realizes this country is headed for tyranny, a living hell, and God knows what else, unless this reckless, arrogant son-of-a-bitch in the White House is brought down, and everyone else connected with him. We can start with impeachment. But it shouldn't end there! War crimes and treason are not out of the question.

Put me on your mailing list, too, which I'll add to the investigative reporting of Greg Palast and John Kiminsky, and any others I urgently hope to come across. As a former newspaper reporter and editorial writer, I'd like to join them, and you. The mainstream media sucks! And it's a shame the press here is controlled by the same multinational corporate greed that buys and sells our politicians. Our reporters and editors here are monitored and "screened" for that they can (or cannot) report. Just ask CNN. America needs to know just what the hell is going on, but our news media conglomerates and TV networks sit on their blind butts and just follow orders.

And that is why hell is coming...because we don't know any better!

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Before Colbert appeared at the dinner, he had Bill Krystal on his show as a guest interview. Colbert thanked Krystal at that time for his help on his upcoming talk.

I wonder what help he might have received. Has anyone heard anything on that line?

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The audience at the Washington Correspondents Dinner was the target and we just happened to catch the comedic splatter like a bloopers video cut, leaked out with the rough unedited version.

The people who got to feel the pain of ridicule are the power-mongers, liars, and media whores who enable abuse of our Constitution, plundering of the Treasury, and misuse of soldier's lives.

Change must begin with the insiders who have purposefully turned a blind eye on a systematic and criminal abuse of power. They must see that Stephen Colbert is a Hero, and that he is not assassinated, nor cut off from livelihood, nor visited by NSA-CIA-FBI-Secret Service thugs in the night. Rather his popularity will grow, his ratings will climb, and his public success and personal power will increase because he has spoken truth with passion and supreme comedic insight.

America's media can learn a lesson yet, if they can pull their noses out of their asses long enough to take a look around at the very real damage that this criminal administration wreaks on America and the world.

Oh, I wish the camera had panned around the audience during Colbert's brilliant routine.

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The truth seldom is.

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I think the funniest line was the reference to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. I am paraphrasing here. Colbert said, no, that wasn't the case, this administration was soaring. and it was rearranging the deckchairs on the Hindenberg. I laughed out loud when I read that.

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this is a symptom of Bush not acknowledging what is not God.....let him fuss around for a while...meanwhile let me get clear with the other relationships that have meaning for me like -Stephen Colbert-----he is the keypin for pop culture...and my dream boat- but it is over until the next love boat cruise meaders on my shores---i am going on with my life ----but i will never forget you XXXXOOOOO, P


meanwhile the president is not responding to a letter from IRAN and is sitting in the whitehouse like the party animal like you and me.....now if i was running the joint i'd say "get the hell out all of here" your a bad influence, but budddy boy bush has a better interest, the family of bushes and corporate contribritors......this is the truth....


funny...wake up...you are the bright sunshine....funny ..you are the ones who keep us going unless funny you can play music on the streets, which would be better.........

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No doubt there is plenty to criticize when it comes to our country, and the press is certainly deserving of a good deal of such criticism – yet I wonder why this poster is so bitter. I suppose criticism from abroad is far more palatable when it comes from an actual desire to help rather than deride.

Big assumption here: the poster is British, Canadian or Australian. If I know anything of the history of these countries, I do not see the moral authority anyone from there has to sit upon their high horse and judge the United States. I also cannot fathom the anticipatory gloating over the assumed demise and economic collapse of the world's largest and strongest democracy, when if such were to occur the entire world would be brought down along with it. Our society is no more corrupt than any other. We have some inept leadership and an amazing amount of debt, it is true. However, we have gone through worse and emerged all the better. I have not given up hope for my country, and I resent any foreigner telling me otherwise.

Lastly. we Yanks don't mind being called Yanks. I think the poster is just an envious sort who takes some pleasure from his self-righteous and hateful diatribes. Regardless of our problems, we still live in a great country that harbors the potential for being greater still. So sit in your pious corner and pout while we rebound after our next elections and stew in your hypocritical contempt for us while we lead the rest of the world.

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I just saw the clip of Stephen Colbert at the presidental roast in April. Just wanted to say, 'Great Job Mr. Colbert--Way to Go!' Your comments were factual, forthright and entertaining. Isn't it about time American citizens stand up and speak their minds? Yes, but thankfully for those of us who can't or won't, you said it as tactfully and truthfully as we ever could. Thank you.

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This does beg the question of, "what were they expecting from a character like Stephen Colbert", who satirizes a right-wing blowhard for a living? Either this was an organized jab at the President from our cowed and intimidated media or they mistook Colbert for the real thing. The first assumption gives the American media more credit for courage then can be believed these days, and the second assumption is telling us all how stupid our media and/or right-wing leaders really are. It definitely looks like somebody didn't have a clue. As for Stephen Colbert this will probably boost his ratings and lots of stupid right-wingers will probably get him now and not mistake him for a replacement to an aging (drug-addicted) Rush Limbaugh. Or perhaps Stephen Colbert is about to go down the same road of blackballing that Bill Maher was forced down for a politically incorrect, (but frankly to the point), joke on his long gone show called, "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher". At least Colbert isn't at the disadvantage of belonging to a major network in the government's pocket.

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For those who didn't think Colbert's performance was funny, consider this: Maybe he wasn't joking.
RyanH

Why are people with high definition color TV leaving their boob tube for the internet? The reason is that you can get rid of spam with a click of your mouse.
gramps

"...not just comedians, but satirists. ... The aim is not laughs, but squirms."
Longdream

The truth is that both parties are run by the same corporate establishment. We can't vote the corporate establishment out of power. Until we take control of both parties we'll be trapped in the status quo.
Lincoln fan

I still hear people talking about finding someone in the establishment that will save this country. When that type of nonsense stops and the people quit looking for a saviour in the system then, and only then, will the light shine at the end of the tunnel....
albiegf13

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

" ...he has the timing of a comedian so he knew when to strike. He has the intelligence of a good observer so he knows how to strike. He has the perception of knowing his audience so, he knew WHERE to strike....He has written a check, it is up to us to CASH it.
davidt


"That it took a COMEDIAN to speak that truth in a so-called "democracy" in the 21st century is the salient POINT of the performance!"
fool-on-the-hill

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WARNING: THIS IS WHY CONGRESS IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF PASSING A NEW LAW GIVING INTENET SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE ATT AND VERISON THE RIGHT TO CENSOR WHAT YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO ON THE INTERNET. AND WITH WHICH POLITICAL PARTY DO YOU THINK THEIR LOYALTIES LIE?

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Fascinating read!
It is a real weight off my chest to see someone commenting so succintly about the media's reaction to Mr. Colberts performance, which to myself and countless others, was nothing short of a Revolution.

"...SINGE, but not BURN"...
I've heard that comment as a critique of Colbert's performance, OVER AND OVER again from these a**-bags. Reading their sub-par critiques of a medium (satire) and a man (super-Wild E. Cayote-type-Geeenyous) that they can't begin to understand--borders on the absurd!

It's truly amazing to me that these same self-serving members of the major news organizations, these pedantic pu**y-pundits, can dish out their bull by the barge-load but they can't take a lil' glycerine-Colbert shot to the arm.
TWO FOR FLINCHING, COHEN!

LOVE to hear how the internet community (no doubt, this one imparticular) is proving to be a real force to contend with; organized to seek alternative sources for news and entertainment--instead of News AS Entertainment...
....and it's SCARING them.
Very encouraging.

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Well, we certainly know why your in the med-biz, and it sure ain't that little something known as altruism, now is it?

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Why is it that immediately after every major event on the part of the left or "the people" we have cynics and naysayers assuring us, "Nice ... but it won't change the world". After millions turned out to tell the U.S. and the world their feelings about immigration issues we had the usual dubious and all-wise sages informing us, "Yeah, but weeks later nothing's changed." As if the only purpose of protest or political satire is to bring about sweeping legislative change or tectonic shifts in national/international relations. The massive immigration protests sent shivers of terror up the spines of many a conservative politician up for re-election this November. And the effects of those rallies will be felt for some time to come.

The sweeping change cynics seem to need - immediatlely or else - comes in successive waves, over time, and with a huge amount of popular effort. You think the Civil Rights Act happened merely because of one or two highly persuasive rallies on the part of leftists, blacks and anyone else caring for this crucial American right? Get real. Colbert never intended to change the president, the Congress, the DC press or the nation. He's a political satirist not Che Guevara. You really think they'd let someone get up there for half an hour, at this kind of event, if their intention was to make society change once and for all? Please. Colbert did what he wanted to do: seriously skewer the president, the press and all the spineless jellyfish who make the power rounds in DC, making sure nothing ever really changes.

He most definitely stuck it to the Man. And the Man didn't like it (you may have noticed that after Colbert really got going, the camera ceased in showing the president's stone-faced, frowning disapproval. We did get to see Laurence Fishburne and Justice Scalia cracking up though!).

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People like Colbert can stand up there all night long and show what a hypocrisy the American system is, but at the end of the night everyone will drain their Heinekens, get in their SUV's, and go home and sleep it off. It will just be a couple of good chuckles come morning time.

Most Americans are much more concerned about the price of gasoline, than justice for the downtrodden.

Murder in Iraq? OKAY. Regime change all over the world? OKAY. Invasion of sovereign nations to keep oil supply at maximum? OKAY. Price of gasoline at the pump? NOT OKAY.

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While I applaud Colbert for speaking truth to power, especially in front of the cowards who won't, he didn't go far enough. He could have "congratualated" Bush for "winning" in 2000 despite losing the popular vote and congratualed the press for waiting for over a year to report that Bush lost FL in 2000, and thus the election. He could have go on to talk about how in 2004 even tho the US successfully led the charge in Ukraine on the basis of exit polls, & got a new election, with opposite results, Bush was able to cow the press into ignoring the exit polls, massive voter suppression, lack of machines in poor areas, and massive evidence of hacking to "win" the 2004 election, when the exit polls clearly showed he lost by millions of votes. He could have "congratulated" Bush on thus becoming the twice occupant of the White House without ever having won a presidential election. That would have truly shamed Bush & Co., which includes the Mainstream Media present at the event. It also would have alerted millions to the destruction of democracy by this "administration".
Kenfolk

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I watched Colbert's performance in its entirety. In all honesty, I didn't find it all that funny because it was all too true -- or if I was laughing, it was only to keep myself from crying because what he said is only too true. The fact is that what has been happening in our country for the past several years is anything but humorous. I've watched several segments of 'The Colbert Report", and I have a lot of appreciation for his commentary -- I think he's brilliant. His approach of pretending to out-neocon the neocons highlights just how insidious a lot of their motivations are and how flimsy their rationalizations are. Let's face it -- this country has become a place in which it's not entirely safe to criticize the administration. This President doesn't take criticism well, not does he tend to take it lying down -- if appearances are anything to go on, he's not above taking revenge. Colbert deserves a lot of respect for having the courage to confront the administration directly and publicly in a way that very few people in the media have had the guts to do over the past few years -- even though that's their JOB. We need more people like him.

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Yeah. I think "Shock & Awe" was a tad rude, too...

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Comedy Central's web site had the link to The White House Corrspondants' Dinner on the front page of The Colbert Report page, pardon the redundancy. It is suddenly removed and buried in the pages of the site. This so far leaves C-Span.
Their link to the Correspondants' Dinner under Audio/Video, doesn't work. But, they want web sites showing it for free to remove it from their sites. Maybe they fix the link at C-Span. It is still the weekend. I dropped them an e-mail about the broken link. If it is still broken when people read this, why don't you folks also drop them a line, too.
We need to show them we're serious about wanting to see it. They need to know how serious we are, too.

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http://www.livescience.com/blogs/author/anthony

Shooting the (fake) Messenger: Daily Show Bad for Democracy
Posted on May 15, 2006 @ 09:37:15 EDT
Author Anthony Duignan-Cabrera
In the latest issue of SAGE’s American Politics Research magazine, it’s been reported that ”young Americans’ political views are negatively impacted by watching the popular The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which airs late night on Comedy Central as a ‘fake-news program.”

The researchers, two assistant political science professors from East Carolina University, chose The Daily Show due to its popularity among 18-to24-year-old college students. Previous studies had shown that a large portion of this group — 47 percent – get most of their news from what are considered “soft news” programs (Oprah Winfrey Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with David Letterman), while only 23 percent of the group watched traditional news programs.

Based on their study, the researchers put forth the theory that during the 2004 campaign, appearances by presidential candidate John Kerry on The Daily Show were more likely to leave a bad impression of the candidate on the viewers due to the show’s negative jokes and attitudes towards the political process and the candidates themselves.

“If young Americans learn about candidates via Jon Stewart,” the researchers conclude in the article, “it is possible that unfavorable perceptions of both parties’ nominees could form, ultimately keeping more youth from the polls.”

No wonder Steven Colbert — a Daily Show alum — went down like a lead balloon at the recent Washington Correspondents Dinner. Those speaking truth to power, albiet in an allegedly humorous manner, have more political capital then they let on.




I personally share this opinion. I think it applies to all you posters as well. You have this feeling that you're doing something by posting but you are full of shit. dr dre said "I'm the one that's doin it while these other nigga's talkin bout it." And that is basically it. You are talkers, you will never do anything but talk, you will never change anything. Talkers watch the doers do. Next time you are patting yourselves on the back for some oh so eloquent post you proffer, remember that you are a loser reducing cognitive dissonance. If you wanted to change something you would do it, bitching about problems behind the scenes is the game the man wants you to play, while he plays you like the tools you are, btw I'm on your side:)

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The proper function of satire is to expose laziness and injustice. The U.S. has been sleep-walking to disaster allowing a bunch of no-hopers and ne'er do wells to run America's foreign policy. This has been happening for years as we all know e.g. What exactly was the Vietnam War all about? But a great performance by Colbert serves to re-energise opposition to Neo-Con Arrogance. From our perspective in UK Anyone who pokes fun at these crazies has a Big Gold Star. Clinton was no Radical but he actually did good in Northern Ireland and the former Yugoslavia. Bush's legacy is measured in tears and Blood and will leave a cloud over what the rest of the world perceives as US motives for ever !

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Victor Frankl's quote, "What is to give light, must endure burning" seems appropriate here. Go ahead and burn Colbert with criticism, it doesn't put out his light, in fact it only makes it shine brighter. We need more among us who are willing to endure burning.

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The right's done everything to suppress negative reports in the past but I guess they didn't see this one coming. It's extremely depressing for me to realize that I'd trust a comedian with this country's well-being over... well... ANY politician currently in office. It seems the Republicans and Democrats alike are complicit in this rapid mutilation of the middle/lower classes, the civillians of the Middle East, the environment, free speech, equal rights, civil liberties, human rights,... I'll stop right there as the list is probably endless. I just hope it isn't too late for this planet.

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