PROOF Colbert was funny. PROOF heroes matter.

[nashville_brook]

If you haven't already viewed the entire clip of Steven Colbert giving the keynote Washington Correspondents' address, this link will take you to a good download.

The first day after the event Colbert's address was hardly mentioned in the mainstream media.
The second day after, it's mentioned negatively -- called "unfunny" by some, thus sparking a debate between those who think he was funny, those who think he wasn't funny. It's become a tussle. People are taking sides. Has comedy ever been so relevant? Something hangs in the balence.

I thought, there's got to be a way to resolve this. If we had proof that people laughed, then maybe we could make the case that indeed, Steven Colbert was funny. Or not. We'll let science be our guide.

Reviewing the cspan stream for signs of laughter (indicating funniness), here's what I found:







Looks like laughter to me. Jocularity. Mirthfulness.





This looks like the fun table.








This doesn't look like a fun table. I think they just wanted Laurence Fishburn's autograph.




Colbert had the room on his side as much as one could reasonably expect. Hell, he got this out of Scalia by telling him to go "fuck himself."



But here's the thing. Colbert was just doing comedy up until the Press Secretary video.



That's when it became art. You know that's what has happened, because people got pissed. That's the magic of art -- it shows you something. Suddenly the crowd stopped rattling their jewelry in aprreciation. It's like shining the black light around the cheap motel room.



Ouch.

That's gotta hurt.



But the worst of it:



Here's comes Bush's 19th Helen Thomas nervous breakdown.



HELEN THOMAS: I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet -- your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth -- what was your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil -- quest for oil, it hasn't been Israel, or anything else. What was it?

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I think your premise, in all due respect to your question and to you as a lifelong journalist, is that, you know, I didn't want war. To assume I wanted war is just flat wrong, Helen, in all due respect --

HELEN THOMAS: Everything --

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Hold on for a second, please.

HELEN THOMAS: -- everything I've heard --



(EVERYTHING WE'VE HEARD IS A LIE)



The take away from Colbert's Press Secretary skit is that BUSH CAN'T ANSWER THIS BASIC QUESTION and all it takes is a REAL JOURNALIST to ask it.




I can't think of a more fitting keynote address for the Washington Correspondents.

Thank you Helen. We need more heroes.

[Sydnie]

1. Two questions

Picture number 5 - Wasn't the lovely black woman in the middle of the shot just on Maher's show recently? If that is her, she was articulate and very smart. She got the jokes.

Picture number 8 - Who is the actress on the left side of the screen who appears to have left her sense of humor in her other evening bag?

Great job, btw.

[xultar]

2. Yes, the black woman is with ABC right Michelle something.

I forget the white woman's name. I recognised her but her name escapes me something fierce.

[DURHAM D]

3. Yes to number 5 - I think her name is Michelle Martin

but she goes both ways.

[Sydnie]

5. ROFL

You mean politically, right? ;)

[nashville_brook]

15. see... that's why it's the FUN TABLE

:)

[linazelle]

19. Michelle Martin is a sellout. nt

[pacalo]

4. That's Gwen Ifill of PBS in #5; don't know about #8.

[bear425]

8. Sorry, but I believe that's Michel Martin in #5

Here's her bio:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5201175

[pacalo]

104. I stand corrected.

:eyes: Oops.

[nashville_brook]

thanks! anyone who is good at ID-ing should chime in...

i'm at a total loss except for laurence fishburn. :)

[peekaloo]

18. #8 looks like Mare Winningham.

[Sydnie]

24. Ding Ding Ding

We have a winner. Her name was on the tip of my tongue, but not in my brain at all. :rofl:

thank you!

[Patsy Stone]

99. That's Mare Winningham.

:hi:, Syd!

ed: because, oops, this is a dupe. I see you already got the answer. Still: :hi:

[Sydnie]

101. Thanks Patsy ...

I can't find any contributions by her ... don't know "which side of the fence" she is on.

Any idea?

:hi:

edit - cuz I can't type tonight ...

:rofl:

[Patsy Stone]

102. I found out that she was once

married to A Martinez :rofl:. She was raised Irish Catholic, but apparently converted to Judaism. She has five kids; and briefly mentions Kinky Friedman. I don't know. :)

http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=12462

[Sydnie]

103. That is a riot!!!

Five kids??? Are they his kids??

I can't think of him without the visual of him as the "house boy" in the movie She Devil.

:rofl: I blush just thinking about that.

[blm]

6. Media has their storyline and they will stick it to it no matter what.

Colbert is just another victim of the corporate media storyline. Ask Gore, Kerry, Murtha.

[nashville_brook]

10. i may be a little giddy -- i'm root for comedy, the way some people root

for football teams.

but i think this clip has become a phemon. i think that it's going to be remembered. i think it's made a difference the same way Jon Stewart's appearance on Crossfire made a difference. it was the final nail in the coffin....

[6th Borough]

81. especially in 2006...

when it can be distributed amongst millions of people with a single click (usually 2 clicks, but I digress...).

I know it's on my hard drive.

Is it on...YOU'RS?

(ps...since when has amongst not been a proper English word? Damn crazy spellchecker...it knows Kyrgyzstan but not Broward County, Florida)

[nashville_brook]

93. it's on mine!

there's something here like -- if i can't laugh, i don't want to part of your revolution... :)

[robbedvoter]

26. But now they are obligated to defend themselves against the blogs

I saw several MSM sources getting huffy about accusations of conspiracy of silence. They are starting to get it that they are by far not the main source of news to people. Something did happen since the previous story lines.

[nashville_brook]

27. this is so important -- who can recall even one Don Imus bit?

but, "we're rearranging the deck chairs on the HINDENBERG" is going to live forever.

[nashville_brook]

30. eek! here's IMUS from 1996

http://imonthe.net/imus/ispeech.htm

[Greyskye]

64. oh. my. ghod.

I hadn't seen or read the Imus speech. That was painful just to read - and according to this transcript, he got at least one set of <boos> after a particularly painful 'joke'. What a trainwreck. :eyes:

[dogday]

71. Holy crap Imus is a rude

bastard.... Those remarks were cruel, just cruel and they think Colbert was bad???

[nashville_brook]

73. right out of the gate he calls the press "scum"

Ah, here we go. Good evening Mr. President, Mrs.Clinton, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen, radio and TV scum.

You know I think it would be fair to say, back when the Clintons first took office, if we had placed them all in a lineup -- well, not a lineup -- if we were to have speculated about which member of the First Family would be the first to be indicted... I don't mean indicted -- I meant to receive a subpoena -- everybody would have picked Roger. I mean, been there done that. Well, in the past 3 years, Socks the cat has been in more jams than Roger. Roger has been a saint. The cat has peed on national treasures. Roger hasn't. Socks has thrown up hairballs. Roger hasn't. Socks got his girlfriend pregnant and hasn't... oh no, that was Roger. And as you know, nearly every incident in the lives of the first family has been made worse by each and every person in this room of radio and television correspondents -- even innocuous incidents. For example, when Cal Ripkin broke Lou Gherig's consecutive game record, the President was at Camden Yards doin' play by play in the radio with John Miller. Bobby Bonilla hit a double, we all heard the President in his obvious excitement holler "Go Baby!" I remember commenting at the time, I bet that's not the first time he's said that. <Turns to President> Remember the Astroturf in the pickup? And my point is, there is an innocent event, made sinister by some creep in the media.

[blm]

39. Yep - some in the media are attacking blogs and airing their resentment.

.

[nashville_brook]

49. the beautiful thing that is that no professional journo looks good

attacking little old blogs. we're The People. we get the last bitchslap.

[6th Borough]

82. Screw them...what % approval does the MSM hold in the polls?

I dare say it might be lower than Chimpy McFlightsuit himself.

[hootinholler]

7. The blonde in #3

Looks like she wants to throw down with him right there.

-Hoot

[bear425]

9. That blonde is Valerie Plame...

I mean Valerie Wilson... I mean Joe Wilson's wife... Oh, no. Now I did it. Good thing Patrick Fitzgerald's not here. Tee hee.

[nashville_brook]

13. dodged a bullet, did you?

there's actually much better frames of the Wilson's enjoying themselves.

my impression of seeing Plame... and i'm a woman... but she's right on. she's hot. she was a spy. i wonder if she can kill people with her desk set, you know. she's fucking cool. and pink is totally her color.

[bear425]

23. Whew that was close. And you're absolutely right about

the hot factor. Shaken not stirred...

[electropop]

28. You are correct ma'am

Plame/Wilson is cool, she's hot, and she's a hero - as is her husband.

[nashville_brook]

29. makes you wonder about the real-life of an "Alias"

what a cool couple!

[electropop]

33. I smell Hollywood!

What a great movie they'd make. Actor suggestions?

[nashville_brook]

50. it'd be a great role for someone like Uma Thurman

[Frank Cannon]

42. That's what I thought too

Sydney Bristow lives!

[nashville_brook]

58. an older, more interesting Bristow

[hootinholler]

53. Didn't recognize her.

Notice the headlight were on though :evilgrin:

A patriotic beauty indeed, which I suspect runs deeper than her outward shell. Am. Wilson is a lucky man.

-Hoot

[Mr_Spock]

79. OMG!! Those headlights were on high beam!!!

I pointed out to my GF (something about sausage n____s) but she wasn't enjoying it as much as I did :rofl:

[Sequoia]

77. What a beautiful couple. They read books I'll bet!

I wouldn't mind setting at their table.

[Hun Joro]

12. Isn't that blonde Valerie Plame?

I guess I am a bit slow tonight!

[BurtWorm]

36. Joe Wilson is right next to her.

That's what tipped me off.

D'Oh!

:patriot:

[6th Borough]

85. Is it just me...

not to change the subject...but...

OMG, she is hot as hell.

And I'm only 26 1/2.

She must also be exceptionally intelligent.

must...destroy...Joe Wilson...

[lovuian]

11. Thank you Thank you for the pictures!!!

I had a friend hang up on me when I tole her Stephen WAS FUNNY!!!

Now I can send her the pictures!!!

[nashville_brook]

14. that's what bowled me over

i watched this no less than 6 times already, showing it to friends who haven't seen it. each time i'm floored at the laughter. he was killing. he did what any good comic does by pushing his hooks as far as they would go. to do otherwise would have made him butt-munch. Colbert's better than that. better than those who came before him.

the other thing is that -- i don't know if you saw Jon Stewart speak after 911. he was teary-eyed talking about the events of the day and if comedy had a place. he described what they do on The Daily Show as indulging a national debate with "the kids in the back of the class throwing spitballs."

i was one of the kids in the back of the class. and i can tell you, i never trust anyone who isn't ready to send one thru a straw.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. giant pixie straw!

remember those? excellent for shooting huge spitballs across the classroom!... ummm not that I ever did of course... O8)

[nashville_brook]

20. i remember those

we also used them to snort RJ8's in art class -- but don't tell anyone!

[robbedvoter]

21. C-Span lowered the volume on the laughter after a while

They could only take that many jokes about W. Their shots of the audience became more sparse too. Creating appearances.

[nashville_brook]

25. this was done at the Academy Awards during Michael Moore's acceptance

...and also, to opposite effect with the "dean scream."

i was lucky enough to go to a high school with a broadcasting curriculum. i learned microphones the wy some peple learn to diagram sentences. the way things are experienced in a room, versus how they are experienced anywhere else is a matter of technology. pure and simple.

i think the location of the televisions in the dining HALL leant to the flatness which this video presentation was received. no matter -- for ONCE, the plebes in plebe land are getting a message just for us. people in the room might have become uncomfortable -- but that's only to their ultimate detriment.

[alcibiades_mystery]

38. Oh stop it

Ridiculous.

[nashville_brook]

60. why?

[robbedvoter]

95. Why don't you watch the video? Pay attention to it. It's how I got it

The first time I paid attention to Colbert, the second time to the laughter. It continued same fullness for some time, but at a lower volume.

[Swamp Rat]

17. LOL! Great!

:D

[nashville_brook]

22. swampy -- you're my hero! thank you.

keep up the good work!

[Kire]

31. K&R

[upi402]

32. question the media traitors!

most are

[nashville_brook]

59. ...and applaud the media heroes

[upi402]

97. yes indeed!

have you seen the new hope?
http://www.iwtnews.com/node/2816

[LittleClarkie]

34. I hadn't seen Helen in a while

as I work nights. I only heard about what she was doing.

God bless her, but all I want to do is iron her.

[IndyOp]

40. You want to iron Helen Thomas? Lol.

That's all I can think of when I see this guy:





:hi:

[LittleClarkie]

87. When he's not 1. campaigning or 2. being treated for cancer

And has had time to fill out a bit, he can be quite fetching.

See?



:hi:

Whereas, bless Helen, there's not much you can do about bein' a senior citizen. I was surprised that she'd aged that much. I still picture her one way, which is probably how she looked about 10-20 years ago.

[IndyOp]

91. Yikes! Being treated for cancer?

Now I feel about as sensitive as the people who kept telling my grad school mentor how great he looked as he was losing weight from chemotherapy for his cancer.

When did Kerry have cancer? :(

[LittleClarkie]

92. February of 2003

Right at the beginning of his campaign. Hey, don't feel bad. You didn't know. It's okay. I'm not sure when those photos were taken that you showed. They look to me like they could be from that time, or from later in the campaign when he lost some weight. But I do know that after the campaign, when he had a chance to eat properly and get his weight back up, that he looked tons better. Which is why that whole "botox" thing really pissed me off. Drudge took a photo of Kerry during cancer treatment and compared it to one a bit later, and tried to say Kerry was using Botox. Bastard.

Not to worry. I just notice these thinks because I'm a Kerryophile.
:hug:

[fooj]

35. My first impression...

What a fitting and wonderful TRIBUTE to Helen. Honor the REAL journalist. Colbert hit the ball right out of the park!

[nashville_brook]

57. it's extremely good form. he paid it forward.

[NewJeffCT]

37. I remember Fishburne, Wilson & Scalia laughing

And even thinking that, "wow, at least Scalia has a sense of humor..."

Joe Wilson seemed pretty amused, too. Larry Fishburne thought it was hysterical.

And, of course, Helen Thomas had a laugh, too.

[Crankie Avalon]

41. At the end, it even seemed like Helen Thomas had been laughing so hard...

...that she was wiping tears from her eyes. She might have been feeling quite moved, as well. Stephen Colbert really honored her (and in a sharp, funny, creative way rather than the usual shmalzty tribute), I thought.

[nashville_brook]

56. i saw that too. what a treasure she is.

[Cocoa]

96. I remember Peter Pace too

in pic #6.

I remember him laughing big at the "accepting Jesus" joke, and not laughing at the joke which implied Pace was only supporting Rummy because he hasn't retired yet, and I remember thinking Pace probably wasn't laughing because it was too true.

[annabanana]

43. The Blonde in the first picture. . . .in jeopardy?

They showed her a few times, I think. In one clip I remember her putting her hand to her mouth, like she might get in trouble if she was caught laughing...
(anyone else remember that?)

[Crankie Avalon]

44. That picture is of her reacting specifically to when Colbert said...

..."I believe the government that governs best is the government that governs least, and by the those standards we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq." I remember that very well. Can't remember her putting her hand to her mouth, though. :shrug: :hi:

[nashville_brook]

51. yeah, she also pulled her wrap tighter, indicting she felt exposed

[Eurobabe]

45. Go back to the beginning and post the photo of Georgie Porgie

getting ready to have a hissy fit, that first pan to him was priceless. He obviously was NOT having fun.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD, now take that mother fucker! He was about to implode.

[nashville_brook]

61. i wish there was an all-Bush video

i'd love to see his expression thru the whole thing!

[meowfire]

46. This clip makes me happy

I have seen it at least 5 times now, and surely will many more. It felt reminiscent of watching Stewart on Crossfire. I don't think I'm going to be able to watch Bush speak again without thinking of Colbert putting Bush in his place for the entire world to watch and cherish.

<3 Colbert

[nashville_brook]

48. welcome to DU meowfire! hae you seen the YES MEN?

you'd love it. documentary of two guys who... well, here's the website...

http://www.theyesmen.org

[Infomaniac]

47. The people who thought Colbert wasn't funny, think Rush is a hoot

What a bunch of tight-ass jerks these people are who are going about whining that Colbert wasn't funny. Hell, yes, he was funny. He was fucking hilarious. These are republicans, for chrissakes. Not having a sense of humor is an element of the republican condition. It should be on the voter registration card. Can you make fun of yourself? If no, check repuke. What was that study that found whiny children turn out to be conservatives? What a surprise! Not.

Oh Rush can go on about libruls and feminazis and the chickenhawks think that's a stitch. We're accustomed to being accused by the Right for our "political correctness." Put the shoe on the other foot, though, and you get the Tight-ass Factor otherwise known as the Twelfth Commandment: Thou shalt not laugh at republicans.

[nashville_brook]

52. lets not forget Ann Coulter

you know -- when i was in school, the only weapon against bullies was ridicule -- the kind that went over their head. Colbert is Bully Ninja.

[Loge23]

54. ..those who laugh last...

...laugh best! and we will all have a big belly laugh soon! The people who put our country in this hole will hear us all very soon!! (sorry, couldn't resist that one)
The "respectful silence" was classic. Colbert virtually broiled just about everyone in the room.
His performance will be analyzed for years by those who study satire and journalism.
His dismantling of Bill Kristol last week followed by this incredible performance cement his reputation as the leading commentator of political culture in this country now - even surpassing his mentor Jon Stewart.
Let's face it, the moronic rants of O'lieilly and Limbaugh provided an easy set-up for this type of comedy. Add in the clumsy criminality of the current administration and you have some great material here.

[nashville_brook]

55. his ability to stay in character, and respond in the moment

is freaking amazing.

[Lars39]

62. ...Like shining the black light around the motel room."

:rofl: Dead-on description.

[Pacifist Patriot]

63. I think much of the content has been underrated. Case in point.

I've talked to a lot of people who thought "the last 1/3 of a glass is backwash" was funny yet did not pick up on a metaphor for Bushbots.

Heck, I think the whole thing was so beautifully crafted it would make a fascinating piece of work for academic analysis. It's deep man.

[nashville_brook]

65. "somebody shoot me in the face... is he REALLY not here?"

straight out of the gate!

[nashville_brook]

66. "he not only stands for things -- he stands ON things...

things like air craft carriers, and RUBBLE and recently-flooded city squares."

[ProSense]

67. Excellent! n/t

[Alamom]

68. Thank you. I watched it 3 times and there was definitely some

very funny moments in the crowd, along with some nervousness and a "how far will he go" look on many faces.

[etherealtruth]

69. Just listened (again) on NPR's ...

Democracy Now ... lots of laughter.

The more I listen the more I believe Colbert:loveya: possesses comic genius.

[nashville_brook]

70. he's got a movie coming out --- not this character

it's his Strangers With Candy concept with Amy Sedaris.

[nashville_brook]

72. here's a link

http://strangerswithcandymovie.com/

[etherealtruth]

75. Thank you

:loveya:

[Catchawave]

74. What a fun thread !

Thanks for putting this together :hi:

[sonias]

76. Thanks nashville_brook

We knew it was good and only the really stodgy people couldn't stomach it.

Thanks for taking the time to pull these together.

Sonia

[Mr_Spock]

78. Great post. I only remember that black haired painted eyebrow grouch

making a scornful look as the only thing negative I saw in the entire performance. i just assumed she was a RW retard who couldn't stand the truth. You caught that scowling troll in one of your pictures. I saw nothing by smiles & laughter from the rest - except the stern-faced generals who aren't supposed to laugh at their CIC - also not surprising.

I was rolling on the floor laughing BTW, so fuck-face Scarborough and his grumpy-puss guests can shove it as far as I'm concerned.

The more these ass-wipe RWers say it wasn't funny, the more I know that this was a classic moment that needs to be shoved in their faces at every possible turn!!

[nashville_brook]

88. if you're talking about the three 'hair girls' with the semi-updos

everyone i've shown the video to has mentioned them -- as in -- someone thought they might be make-up artists for a network. HAR!

[autorank]

80. nashville brook YOU ARE AMAZING. THANK YOU!!!

:loveya::yourock::loveya:

[nashville_brook]

94. coming from you, that is the highest praise!

thanky!

[BrightKnight]

83. They were all laughing at the chimp. - n/t

[wicket]

84. I love it!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[savemefromdumbya]

86. Excellent round up

[RevCheesehead]

89. This post is a work of art!

Kick and recommended!!! :applause:

[Catamount]

90. Great Job!

Thanks for making me relive the precious moments so quickly!
Another K&R

[peekaloo]

98. Amy Goodman played a good chunk of his speech and there was

audible laughter, kinda raucous at times.

Excellent pictorial!

[progressivebydesign]

100. Darn-it! I STILL contend it's ALL about the sound system!!

I watched a clip of Colbert last night. .and people WERE laughing. The only time he fell flat was the comment about Generals being healthy enuff to stand at a bank of computers and send troops into combat. THat met an uncomfortable silence. Every other comment was greeted with laughter... if you notice the sound at the event, he was picking up ONLY the sound at the front of the room. CSPAN is NOT Comedy Central or anything else, they don't do a whole lot of fancy mic'ing at those events. But ... that really played into the hands of the idiots that claim no one laughed. They laughed, I heard them, I could see them. Scalia laughed heartily at the joke... (he may be a crazyass neo con catholic, but he isn't the prude he pretends to be).

[FrenchieCat]

105. Loved it all....and you reminded me How I loved the part where Colbert

Tells Scalia to go Fuck himself.....and Scalia was just a laughing....not realizing that the joke was on him. I think at some point, the Media Whores understood that the joke was on them, and that's when the it became a more solemn affair.

Thanks for the pics....I was so busy laughing, I didn't notice that the audience was too!