Why Colbert matters

[CatWoman]

Why did Colbert matter?

In trying to describe what Colbert did Saturday night, we have a little sympathy for the reporters who didn't do it themselves. In the core of his performance, standing just feet away from the president, Colbert adopted Bush's phony or just feckless "from the gut" style of talking and thinking, then revealed it for the international embarrassment that it is. You can't say something like that without sounding strident and heavy-handed; if you're a reporter for a major American newspaper, you can't really say it at all. But over the course of 10 minutes or so -- for the president, it must have seemed much longer -- that's what Colbert did. He put the lie to the Bush presidency: Iraq, domestic spying, the outing of Valerie Plame and all the folksy, consistency-and-character crap that's so often used to legitimize it all.

It's hard to explain that in a way that would satisfy a desk editor's balance meter. But that's assuming that anyone wanted to try. As Colbert made clear in a videotaped sketch, the White House press corps -- while showing some signs of life of late -- has, over time, been more than complicit in the Imagineering that surrounds this president. It helped sell his case on Iraq. It covered up for him on the outing of Valerie Plame. It laughs at his jokes when it should be shining a light on an administration that went to war on a lie, turned a massive surplus into a massive dedicit, and stood by idly as a great American city faced death.

In the video, Colbert fantasized that he was the new White House press secretary, forced again and again to confront the question of why the administration invaded Iraq. Bush used to think that was a pretty funny one; at the 2004 Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner, Bush narrated a slide show of himself searching for those wascally WMD all around the Oval Office and under the cushions of a White House sofa. Some 2,400 dead Americans later, it's not really har-de-har-har humor anymore.

What it is is tragedy, and Colbert's video was painful to watch in a what-might-have-been sort of way. There's a moment where Colbert mashes together tapes of old press briefings to make it sound like all of the White House reporters are asking questions at once -- as if the press corps is rising up, as if the administration is being called to answer for all that it has done.

It hasn't happened that way in real life. The Elisabeth Bumillers of the world can't even let it happen in fantasy.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/05/01/colbert/index.html

[rodeodance]

1. so many have just chucked it up as msn 'business as usual'

[Jemmons]

27. WAPO has actually got some decent coverage of the event

focusing a lot on Coberts stunt:
"Colbert was merciless, reserving his most potent zingers for the people in spitting distance: The president who took the nation to war on false pretenses and the press corps that let him do it.

The boozy bonhomie of the annual event is intended to serve as a balm for the often tense relationship between the White House and the reporters who cover it.

Bush largely delivered on his side of the bargain. Colbert delivered something else entirely."


And lots of references to blogs covering the event:

"Colbert's real sin . . . was inserting a brief moment of honesty into an event based upon a lie -- one considered socially necessary by the political powers that be, but still, a lie."

[maxsolomon]

2. why he was the featured entertainment is beyond me

its what he does every night! why is anyone even surprised?

did they not watch tapes of his show?

[TankLV]

43. Because THEY truely believe he was as his character is!

Even some DU'rs WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER believe he is a right wing blowhard! - at least according to their moronic posts, whose comedy obviously went WAY over their heads!

[VolcanoJen]

3. Tim Grieve's been en fuego lately.

Excellent piece.

[henslee]

4. I get your point. But Colbert's performance only matters to those

already on board. Besides that, its yesterday's news.

[AndyA]

5. I thought Colbert's presentation was a surreal moment in time.

It was almost like I wasn't really seeing it, or it was a dream. The words he spoke were true, presented in a tongue in cheek manner that left you wondering if you'd really heard what he said. Did he just say that?!?!?

I think the audience had to be in shock. You could tell some were laughing, but others were no doubt stunned. For Bush and Pickles, it had to be another Mrs. King's funeral moment.

I admire Stephen Colbert so much for doing what he did. Someone needed to. It took guts and patriotism, and he delivered on both.

I loved the final clip with Helen Thomas as the stalker who wants the truth, no matter what. Great entertainment, and I'm so thrilled they picked Helen!

Kicked and recommended.

[KAT119]

31. By the way Helen's e-mail is [email protected] are no doubt

slamming her...bet she would love to hear from us....

[katty]

39. that's exactly how i felt seeing it-surreal & fantastic+Helen

[hanginthere]

6. Get real.

He is an entertainer. He makes a lot of money doing a satire of O'Reilly, and more power to him.

But entertainers, while a nice part of life, don't make the history books in real life

[oasis]

11. Somehow Ronald Reagan made it into the history books in real life.

Or are you too young to remember?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. Sure - there are those w/a caste system.

Comedians and social commentators are incapable of moving people's spirits or engergizing them. because they are mere comics.

How dare they try anything else?

Man, talk about being insulting and close minded. Perhaps it was just a mistake. Or perhaps we have a freeper in our midst.

[hanginthere]

34. I agree, that he is a funny guy.

I watch him all the time, and I think he earns every penny he makes.
But does that really make him worth hero worship?

There are a lot of people working really hard to make the this country better, and for the most part, they don't get near enough support.

But, I agree, let people pick their own role models.
But I do reserve the right to agree with your choice.

Does that make me bad?

[CatWoman]

36. enlighten me, please

who are all these "people"?

and did they talk truth to power in Monkey Man's FACE? For the world to see and hear.

Much unlike the King Funeral, where criticism was pretty muted IMHO.

Colbert went after the press as well.

Who fucking else did that?

Who fucking else is doing that?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

40. we sorely need heroes. & this is not worship, but respect.

What is wrong with promoting someone who is out there doing some remarkable, and tough, things? Even if he is being "paid for it".
Look, a whole lot of us are donating time, money, and talent to making the country a better place. Unfortunately, we have few catalysts to deal with and fewer obvious answers. Of course the current state of the media helps not at all. And the current state of some of the Democrats in office is actually harmful, although seeing almost a million people march around the country, seeing the disarray in the GOP and feeling the heat from their own supporters has caused some marked improvement in the Democratic side of the aisle.

Symbols, heroes, and rallying points (including some moves by some people) all are important. I just don't understand why you dislike the fact that Colbert was so effective, so accurate and so entertaining, all at once.

[Master Mahon]

22. RE:Somehow Ronald Reagan made it into the history books in real life

Yes he did didn't he.
He was the first of the modern day era 'brain dead'
GOP presidents! And he will always be remembered
for that! :+

[hanginthere]

33. maybe so, but

Young?Not by a long shot.

But really, Do you think people in a hundred years will even know who he is was, much less that he made "B" movies

[oasis]

38. The OP started a thread about someone she believed made an important

contribution to the current dialog. In a hundred years no one will know that a comment by Kanye West helped to bring down this president,but we are seeing the results of his speaking out.

[TankLV]

45. Ahh, another "pearl of wisdom" from another anonymous poster!

:sarcasm:

They sure are coming out of the woodwork now!

[TankLV]

44. Who knows - that poster is a COWARD - his profile is disabled.

What do you expect from a COWARD?!

[insane_cratic_gal]

12. Jon Stewart? Regan? Arnold? Clooney

Jon took on Cnn's ideology of The Situation Room and handed them their asses.

Regan I'm sure your aware of his role in History and Arnold's too.

Princess Diana

Audrey Hepburn

Entertainers do make a difference be it good or evil .. they still do make the history books.

[CatWoman]

13. Did you watch the 60 Minutes segment on him?

Speaking of "getting real".........

[rocktivity]

15. Steve Colbert is just an entertainer

and Rosa Parks was just a seamstress.

:headbang:
rocknation

[hanginthere]

35. I can't even believe you're making that comparison

It took some kind of guts for a black woman in pre-Civil rights South to do what she did.

Steve is clearly one of those talented few who get to make a lot money doing what love.
Talented? Yes
Funney? Yes
Brave? please.
Important? If you think he is that significant, you're ignoring a lot of people doing the really important stuff.

[CatWoman]

37. So it didn't take guts for Colbert to call Bush and the media out

while he was surrounded ENTIRELY by those he was calling out?

Have you been paying attention?

People are getting arrested just for wearing a fucking tee shirt that offends this buffoon.

People have been fired from their jobs for not agreeing with this buffoon.

People have recieved death threats and threats of economic ruin just for criticizing this buffoon.

And, PS: Rosa Parks was in cahoots with the NAACP. She did not act "alone".

See how history fucks with us?

[rocktivity]

42. The real "significance" of what Rosa did is what evolved from it.

And I'm sure she'd have been the first to tell you that she didn't have any more "guts" than the next person.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Joe Chi Minh]

52. "But really, Do you think people in a hundred years will even know

who he(Reagan) was, much less that he made 'B' movies".

You even manage to get that wrong... If he'll be remembered at all, it's because he was a second-rate 'B' movie actor (known among his fellow thesps, despite his physical stature, as "little Ronnie" ), whom the louche Republican power-brokers somehow contrived to elevate to the office of President. Maybe also for the reckless criminality of his administration, egregious up to that time, even for Republicans.

[TankLV]

46. And Paul Revere was just a silversmith.

We could go on, but I doubt it would penetrate their gray matter.

[tom_boy]

48. Isn't that the point?

He wasn't just a silversmith.

I remember something about him and a horse and the British Army.

Right now, Steve is getting a lot of chuckles at Bush's expense. It will be interesting to see what he does with all this momentum. But so far, he is amusing rather than significant.

[Joe Chi Minh]

53. If that were so, the mainstream media wouldn't have, at least,

tried to pretend he wasn't even there. But more to the point, it would have been hilarious, but frivolous, if it hadn't been so truthful; while, on the other hand, satire or black humor gives a matchless cutting edge to truth, and is like garlic to a vampire to politicians.

The grandparents of the former leader of the UK Conservatives, Michael Howard, immigrated from Transylvania. A Tory colleague he'd got on the wrong side of, called Anne Widdicombe, once commented, "There is something of the night about him...". He didn't last long after that, with the papers usually depicting him with fangs and blood dripping from his mouth.

Likewise, David Steele, former joint-leader of the Liberal Democrats observed that his depiction on the TV show, Spitting Image, as a weak wuss brow-beated by his side-kick, David Owen, broke his career.

Ever thought of immersing yourself in areas other than politics, Tom_Boy?

[tom_boy]

54. wha??

I get the feeling I am either being talked down to or being insulted.

But your tangential foray left me dazzled. Are you ADD?

To answer your question"Ever thought of immersing yourself in areas other than politics, Tom_Boy? "
Yes, for a while I wanted to be a cowboy.

However, I suspect you weren't really asking a question, but were just being snarky.

So there.

[madmark]

18. who cares about history books; insightful criticism now is more important

The primary target wasnt even bush; it was the press corps. Especially when he harkened them back to the days when they were not reporting on the deficit or questioning wmd. The decider decides, the press secretary announces, the press types.

[jberryhill]

19. Uncle Tom's Cabin

...was just a novel. As was "The Jungle", and countless other works of fiction which inspired change.

[Ms. Clio]

23. what about the governator?

Ahhhnold?

Surely that's a current enough reference for you?

but you hanginthere for as long as you can, eh?

[Bandit]

24. And where did you learn this wonderful bit of wisdom

Ever read or heard of Gulliver's Travels or any of Mark Twain. Or how about Thomas Paine? Ever heard of Common Sense? Satire has been the leading edge of change forever...All from "entertainers"

[PegDAC]

41. Speaking of "Gulliver's Travels",

how about Jonathon Swift's "Modest Proposal"?

[deutsey]

25. Yeah, Lenny Bruce would be a good example

:eyes:

[VolcanoJen]

49. I'll bet Arnie Schwarzennegger makes it into the history books.

Yeh, he makes a lot of money doing satire.

Too bad the press corps aren't better sports. Sore Losermen, as you might say.

[rocktivity]

7. It took me all day, but after taping the CNN replay

and reading through the 100 posts on the subject, I downloaded the video and found a streaming video player that could play it. It's going in my collection right next to James Galloway's testimony!

:headbang:
rocknation

[DURHAM D]

8. Does anyone know if the 60 Minutes bit on Colbert

that was on last night is available somewhere?

[SeattleRob]

9. right here....

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/60%20Minutes-Colbert.wmv

[helderheid]

10. thank you!

[DURHAM D]

17. Thanks in advance of viewing. n/t

[emulatorloo]

14. Nice Piece by Tim Grieve - thnx - kick and nominating EOM

[madmark]

16. i hope SC still is able to get rw guests; its not as fun with the lw ones

[Kurovski]

21. "The Elisabeth Bumillers of the world can't even let it happen in fantasy.

That's because they're card-carrying members of the funky-assed corporate whore-pool.

And one hell of a bunch of lousy Americans.

Edit: There,their,THEY'RE.

[Ms. Clio]

26. I read her whole piece and really it kind of scared the hell outta me

How, simply as a journalist, can she possibly justify not mentioning his name at all???

It's the equivalent of putting your fingers in your ears and chanting, "nyah, nyah, nyah, I can't hear you!" Or putting your hands over your eyes -- if you didn't see it happen, then it did not occur at all.

Freaky.

[Kurovski]

28. Remember when Colbert did that very thing during the "Press Secretary"

video? You brought me a giggle, here!

And speaking of "freaky"...remember this? C-Span, Janet Parshall in a "discussion" with Randi Rhodes:

[Ms. Clio]

29. Did he?? I missed that bit while someone was yakking at me

Too funny, and even more freaky, now!

And yes, that was exactly one of the pictures I was thinking of -- it's still mindboggling -- an "adult" woman!! LMAO.

[Kurovski]

30. Oh, Ms. Clio, You just gotta see that video bit again!

It gets better with each viewing.

[Ms. Clio]

32. I Tivo'd it and plan to burn it to a DVD, so I will!

thanks for the tip!

:hi:

[Voltaire99]

47. No wonder the NY Times is losing money.

Good line by Grieve, that one.

The increasing irrelavance of MSM lickspittles is a good sign, and one we should all welcome.

[hanginthere]

50. I dunno

I grew up with my Dad reading the paper every day.
And watching Cronkeit every night.

Somewhere, something has been lost.

And if you believe the pollings, most of the people working at MSM are progressive.
I guess they will be unemployed progressives in the near future.

[johnlal]

51. This was truly an "Emporer has no clothes" moment...

This could go down in history as a watershed event.