Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner-- President Not Amused?

[Skins24]

On a scale of 1-10 for Colbert, I'd give a 6.5, but where he was good, he was good...

:notworthy

I love Colbert but...this was just OK...

Had more misses than I expected from him. The hits were great though.

[Guest Gichin13]

:notworthy

I love Colbert but...this was just OK...

Had more misses than I expected from him. The hits were great though.

It was all worth the "the Chocolate City with the marshmellow center" line.

[Midnight Judges]

I actually agree that Colbert may not have been at the top of his comedic game. He can be much more hilarious than this but that was not the point this time. His real message is that Americans should not be afraid to confront the President on serious issues. The Democrat leadership can be cowardly because they are afraid of losing their jobs. Members of the media have no excuse. They have been giving in to these liberal media accusations and appeasing those who propogate this theory purely for Republican political gain. The NY Times sat on the NSA illegal wiretap story for a year. That was cowardly and contrary to their journalistic duties IMO. The Washington Post reported on secret torture facilities in Eastern Europe-that was ballsy and I admire and appreciate it. IMO we were not intended to be a country based on secrets but that is what we have become and that is why our beaurocracy can be so weak at times.

Colbert's speech will be talked about for decades. He is the only public personality to have the huevos grandes to stand up to this liar of a President. We don't have a modern day Murrow in the media to stand up for us, instead we have a comedian who assumed the role when no one in the media had the power or the balls to step up to the plate.

Stephen Colbert is a heavy hitter, and on this night he wasn't just a comedian.

[techboy]

I am a conservative/libertarian (half-way in between, probably). I support President Bush slightly more than I don't support him (and certainly more than any Democrat offered so far as an alternative).

I am also a huge fan of Stephen Colbert. I think he's hysterical, though I wish he was still on the Daily Show, because I thought he was even funnier playing off the other "correspondents" and Jon Stewart.

I also think his routine in this case was very funny.

That all being said, what almost all of you seem to be missing is that what he did was inappropriate, not because of what he said, or even how he said it, but where and when he said it. If he had done this act as a stand-up routine, or on his show, I would have applauded him for it. Satire is one of the most accurate forms of political commentary (As an aside, I recommend Yes, Prime Minister to anyone who enjoys political satire and British humor). He didn't, though. He did this at the White House Correspondent's Dinner.

The White House Correspondents Dinner is not a "roast" of the President. It is an event intended to soothe tensions which naturally occur between the media and the administration. This is not new, or applied only to the Bush administration. It has always been this way. Participants are expected to make fun of themselves or their own "side" (like Bush's shot at Cheney), not each other. The humor is supposed to be generally gentle and usually self-deprecating.

Colbert received a cold reaction from the audience not because he was skewering them too, or because he wasn't funny, but because he was completely out of line. He chose the wrong venue.

[EersSkins05]

I believe the government that governs best is the government that governs least. And by these standards, we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq.

Absolutely priceless.

[Winslowalrob]

It was all worth the "the Chocolate City with the marshmellow center" line.

Its a MALOMAR DAMMIT

[Jumbo]

:notworthy

I love Colbert but...this was just OK...

Had more misses than I expected from him. The hits were great though.

Humor wise I was a little dissapointed too. A 6.5 when I think you're regularly capable of 8-9 is not a good rating from me :laugh:

I think all the hype set me up for the dissapointment viewing it well after the event. I used the see the Dail Show regualrly, and loved, it and after the first couple weeks on Colbert's own show, I suspected he didn't have what it took to maintain a whole 1/2hour. But after not being able to see anythng more than flashes of either for months, I started seeing Colbert's again thus last month and it seems like he's really stepped it up and that's the standard I was holding him too.

No, it wasn't that funny, and his balls were huge. That level of chutzpah, I salute, even when it falls flat. There wasn't any "revolting" material (unless you're a political pansy or borderline-nutso reactionary) a lot of it just wasn't funny enough. He started out on a pretty good roll then faded. If you want to be horrifed about such things, be horrifed over the video of John Ashcroft singing about some "free bird flying" or whatever the hell psychotic break that was.

[Predicto]

The White House Correspondents Dinner is not a "roast" of the President. It is an event intended to soothe tensions which naturally occur between the media and the administration. This is not new, or applied only to the Bush administration. It has always been this way. Participants are expected to make fun of themselves or their own "side" (like Bush's shot at Cheney), not each other. The humor is supposed to be generally gentle and usually self-deprecating.

Colbert received a cold reaction from the audience not because he was skewering them too, or because he wasn't funny, but because he was completely out of line. He chose the wrong venue.

That is a very good point.

[Burgold]

This thread has me worried. I suspect he neocons will take the cause trumpeted by some here and propose a bill illegalizing humor. I can see it now-- telling a joke is a misdemeanor, but actually making someone laugh is a felony. If a comic kills, knocks 'em dead, etc. the death sentence will be applicable. Hamurabi rules!

Fan: You killed dude!

Comic: Uh oh!

Electric Chair: Bzzzzzzzzzz

[The Evil Genius]

It may be a good point, but it's untrue.

Look no further than 2002, when Cedric the Entertainer was paid to make fun of the people there (including the President).

CEDRIC the ENTERTAINER. :laugh:

And Jay Leno was the guest comedian in 2004 - and he ribbed Bush with one-liners all night.

But hey, I guess the 2006 dinner was different huh?

[Thiebear]

Didnt Imus do one?

[Henry]

Jesus you're a dip****.

Bang, not necessary bud.

(By the way, as usual, when i get sick of it and say these types of things, i know i'm dancing on the edge of the rules of the board. As usual, I'm prepared to take my suspension if the mods feel i deserve it, and I stand by what I say.)

We'll talk.

[Predicto]

It may be a good point, but it's untrue.

Look no further than 2002, when Cedric the Entertainer was paid to make fun of the people there (including the President).

CEDRIC the ENTERTAINER. :laugh:

And Jay Leno was the guest comedian in 2004 - and he ribbed Bush with one-liners all night.

But hey, I guess the 2006 dinner was different huh?

Hmm. I did not know that. I retract my agreement then.

[Henry]

That guy is a great Bush impersonator. Everytime he's on Leno it cracks me up

In case anyone was wondering, this is what a sense of humor looks like.

[Jumbo]

Didnt Imus do one?

Yes, and his stepped out harder at times than Colbert's and wasn't funny (comedy quality wise) in a lot of spots. I kinda smile when I read some of the responses here taking the "big picture" of this event. I've watched them for about thirty years and trying to define what they are about or "supposed" to be about is not always clear or even reflective of what actually happens. BTW, there was a "mission statment" written for this event sometime after WW II and it emphasized "automony" and "candid commentary in the service of classic wit and humor", not civility, in the "roast" aspect.

If you wish to know more of "classic" wit, read Oscar Wilde and know that in his time, social celebrities like him were invited to speak to the leaders of the world knowing they'd be on the recieving end of stuff Colbert will never appracoh. Some of these past roasts have been well-orchestrated, almost rubber-stamps with very mild humor, others have been very confrontative and even mean-spirited during segments.

They are different in intensity and "feel" depending on the political climate of the day, the tenor of the exisitng relationship between the press corps and the administration at the moment, and the actual personalities involved. Obvious enough, I guess, but apparently not to all.

[techboy]

It may be a good point, but it's untrue.

That's my understanding of the purpose of the event. I'll admit that I've never paid much attention to the thing, and until this year only the President's speech has generally been covered in the wider media, so I can't say that I saw Cedric the Entertainer speak. I saw Clinton make fun of himself several times.

I would submit, though, that the previous events may not have had caustic humor like this one, since if they had, wouldn't it have been covered like this one? Jay Leno, for instance, even on his show is generally sharp but good-natured. I imagine his routine was similar.

And so, I maintain my position (Please don't retract your agreement just yet, Predicto. From what I've read, this may be the only time we agree on anything...) The jokes are supposed to be gentle, and the atmosphere one of bonhomie. That's what I've always read and heard, anyway. President Bush has always been notoriously closed about appearances. Why would he show up if this kind of thing was routine, or expected?

If you'd care to present actual evidence otherwise (perhaps a transcript), I'd be happy to reconsider my position.

[techboy]

They are different in intensity and "feel" depending on the political climate of the day, the tenor of the exisitng relationship between the press corps and the administration at the moment, and the actual personalities involved. Obvious enough, I guess, but apparently not to all.

Well, that's two, and I have no firsthand knowledge myself. Fine. I take it back. I guess Predicto and I get to agree after all.

I don't know why people don't think it was funny, though. I thought it was hilarious.

[Bang]

Bang, not necessary bud.

.

You're 100% right, and to the board I'll apologize for stepping over the lines. I know you didn't ask me to, I figured it was the right thing to do.

But I'll still stand by my opinion of that clown.

~Bang

[Jumbo]

Well, that's two, and I have no firsthand knowledge myself. Fine. I take it back. I guess Predicto and I get to agree after all.

I don't know why people don't think it was funny, though. I thought it was hilarious.

I didn't find it funny because I am always deadly serious.

[EersSkins05]

Lewis Black did it last year and kissed a little more ass than I expected. Still funny though...

And I don't know who these people are that are saying that Colbert's speech wasn't funny. I read the transcript before I saw the video, and it was funny then. But when I watched the video and saw him relentlessly zinging these barbs in as unamused, confused Republicans looked on, it became something of an early cult classic.

[Jumbo]

Lewis Black did it last year and kissed a little more ass than I expected. Still funny though...

And I don't know who these people are that are saying that Colbert's speech wasn't funny. I read the transcript before I saw the video, and it was funny then. But when I watched the video and saw him relentlessly zinging these barbs in as unamused, confused Republicans looked on, it became something of an early cult classic.

Myabe I should re-read it or re-watch. Because my "not that funny" take certainly isn't about my political sensitivity level, and I'm a big Colbert fan. I'm envious Die Hard got the first sig :laugh: .

[AJ_Skins]

The guy acted like an a-hole and nobody there thought it was funny. You'd think I kicked somebody's dog for basically just stating that fact. As usual, liberals have to get personal when their ox is gored. Standard M.O.

[Midnight Judges]

The guy acted like an a-hole and nobody there thought it was funny. You'd think I kicked somebody's dog for basically just stating that fact.

Nobody cares that you think Colbert is an a-hole. You went wrong when you made this unnecessary statement:

That's what liberals are...petty, mean-spirited, whiny, hateful little people.

Surely, you realize a certain percentage of the folks on this message board consider themselves to be liberal and by extension, you were calling them all "petty, mean-spirited, whiny, hateful little people."

[AJ_Skins]

If the shoe fits...I was talking about Colbert, though. I made no remarks concerning another poster. I'd like to think most of the people here aren't a part of the small group of fanatical Bush-hating wingnuts who would cheer this kind of thing on, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Predicto]

The guy acted like an a-hole and nobody there thought it was funny. You'd think I kicked somebody's dog for basically just stating that fact. As usual, liberals have to get personal when their ox is gored. Standard M.O.

You never stop do you? Just about every single post you make is an attack on the evil libruls, combined with an accusation that the liberals are "getting personal." Orwell would be proud of you.