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Edited on Fri Apr-18-08 12:41 AM by hazel_rah
I attended the Colbert Show Thurs April 17.
I was asked to give a play by play of my experience. I've never done this before so please forgive mistakes of memory, spelling and, of course, grammar. I fully admit that I am a proud Obama supporter and that my take will be considered biased upon that fact. Please don't flame me. I think we can all agree it was an awesome show all the way around.
*the wait*
I got there with my sis around 3:40 PM, we were told to be in line by 4 PM. The theater seats 900 and each person was given a ticket with a number on it. The number counted up from 1 to 900 in the order in which we arrived (and waited in line). Sis and I were 525 and 526. While in line I spoke with a few people, my 2 Obama pins and loud discussion of disgust over last night’s debate with sis caused a few others to chime in. The people near me in line were proBama.
There was super tight security (I got wanded *must have been the Obama buttons*) and obvious signs of secret service, I kid you not 1 secret service guy walked around in a trench coat *inside* the building (it was 70+ degrees). The crowd started chanting "let us in" around the 2 hour mark. The loud speaker came on and thanked us for our patience, that was of course met with boos but we settled down. At some point around 6?, someone started the “YES WE CAN” shout. Sis and I joined in. I swear the floor actually shock. Loud speaker, paraphrase “dudes chill, any minute now, we swear”, more boos and then we settle in now that we have made our thoughts (and hearts) known. Finally around 6:40 we started getting seated in a hundred at time.
On an interesting side note Anneberg is set up a little weird with the giant hole with a high wall smack in the center of the entrance hall. When you looked in the hole you stared down into a group of people sitting at long tables all with laptops out who were scarfing down some buffet. Sis and I debated whether they were campaign people for Hillary, the press, bloggers, or Colbert people. Another random secret service guy stood by and muttered "looks like an ant farm". Sis and I nodded politely but were both thinking "wtf"?
*the warm-up*
Random comedy guy comes out to apologize to the crowd for the wait, he was kind of funny and also a bit of a dick. Made fun of UPenn, which went over like a slightly leaded ballon. He said at one point that "I guess you know who is on the show tonight" (thank you tweety), some boos. He sternly reminds us that this is a comedy show and to get people on means no booing by the crowd. He said "they don't care about your disapproval... only your approval", which seriously I thought "bite me". They don't like my disapproval they shouldn’t act like total jerks (did I mention that I'm still pissed about the debate).
Anyway.
People's names were called out who were allowed to ask Steven pre-approved questions. One of the questioners was a young women using a cane, when the comedy guy asked her what happened she replied with "one of my kids hurt my knee, I'm a teacher.... in North Philly", this got amazing applause and laughter which comedy guy did not get. North Philly is one, if not THE, poorest, toughest, fucked over by everyone part of the city. Being a teacher there DESERVES a standing ovation.
*COLBERT ARRIVES*
Steven comes out to answer pre-selected questions: time is short so they don't get to everyone. Tough teacher asks Steven what he liked most about Philly, he said that they let him touch the Liberty Bell very gently and during his visit the Head of Antiquities came out to talk with him and said that even she had never touched the bell. He said something along the lines of that was totally awesome (i paraphrase).
*THE SHOW*
Show starts, massive applause. Ben Franklin joke with toaster oven, ha ha, Steven flubs something (do over), continue on to screen gag. When Hillary comes up I realize that I am surrounded by Hillary people who jump up all happy screaming. The audience gives her a standing O, very nice. I didn't boo but I refused to clap or stand for her. I was SO relieved she wasn't going to get a full interview just a silly kind of unfunny (sorry Colbert) skit. Her thing was a bit longer and they ended up cutting part out, she leaves another big applause.
Steven goes on to the next bit which was about the debate, now here something interesting happened. Steven was doing the flag pin joke but when it came time to show the clip of Obama's response they showed this clip of Obama doing all the "umms" and "errrrrs" he used during the debate. It was kind of funny (biased opinion of a supporter, I know) I felt it was a little mean-spirited. Anyway they stop the tape and say there was a mistake and they need to redo part of the top of the show and the clip bit. Steven says sorry this is what happens when you take the show on the road. Someone shouts out "get hillary to fix it (or something like that), much laughter and applause. Steven even laughs and applauds quick-witted audience member.
Much futzing around, 15 mins at least, while we wait and they re-work and reset. To keep us happy Steven performs a cool hand stand for us as with the assistance of the stage manager.
Okay do over time. At this point I'm thinking "please not Hill again". Steven says please enjoy the jokes the second time around, “it makes them fresher”.
Show starts, massive applause. Ben Franklin joke with toaster oven, ha ha, and . . . stop. Okay no Hill redo, on to the debate clip. Now there is the right clip, as is well (much better). We move on and it is time for Patrick Murphy. He was awesome (but was also cut slightly for time). Almost every time he said, "Barack Obama" I practically shouted "YEAH" from the back row with mad applause. I wasn't the only one, there was much applause from the audience a lot was cut.
*EDWARDS*
Next bit, it's all about the "white man". We see Edwards enter the stage and the crowd loses it. All of us on our feet, "woos" to bring the house down, hands almost bloody by the time we stop. They cut a *lot* of our applause which might make the sit down gesture he did make more sense to you now. We would not stop until both he and Steven basically motioned us to "sit the f down and shut the f up" in the nicest way they possibly could.
Anywho. awesome skit "ed words". We loved it.
I was thinking how cool if this was down to Edwards and Obama. That is one dream ticket I could really believe in. . . but I digress. Edwards is done, another massive standing O. Leaves the stage, we won't stop. Steven calls him back we keep it up until he leaves a second time.
I'm so f'ing happy I'm glowing at this point. And then it happens.
*OBAMA*
The last bit. Obama appears on screen in all his Obama goodness. I lose it, crowd goes WILD. They cut our applause down by so much. Someone shouts out "WE LOVE YOU BARACK!", hell yes we do! The "on notice" board, the understanding of the threat bears, the love for Brady. It ALLLLL rocked.
Anyway, between Edwards and Obama, Hillary becomes a distant memory. Show ends. Last long standing O. Steven: “show was amazing, thanks Philly, and we went looong, someone tell the affiliates.” The apparently choose to cut rather than to go long.
Good time had by all. :hug:
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