Making Colbert go away - Salon

[kpete]

Making Colbert go away
The docile press corps was offended when Stephen Colbert dared to expose Bush's -- and their own -- feet of clay. But how to respond? Voilà: "He wasn't funny."

By Joan Walsh

.....................

Colbert's deadly performance did more than reveal, with devastating clarity, how Bush's well-oiled myth machine works. It exposed the mainstream press' pathetic collusion with an administration that has treated it -- and the truth -- with contempt from the moment it took office. Intimidated, coddled, fearful of violating propriety, the press corps that for years dutifully repeated Bush talking points was stunned and horrified when someone dared to reveal that the media emperor had no clothes. Colbert refused to play his dutiful, toothless part in the White House correspondents dinner -- an incestuous, backslapping ritual that should be retired. For that, he had to be marginalized. Voilà: "He wasn't funny."

This is a battle that can't really be won -- you either got it Saturday night (or Sunday morning, or whenever your life was made a little brighter by viewing Colbert's performance) or you didn't. Personally, I'm enjoying watching apologists for the status quo wear themselves out explaining why Colbert wasn't funny. It's extending the reach of his performance by days without either side breaking character -- the mighty Colbert or the clueless, self-important media elite he was satirizing. For those who think the media shamed itself by rolling over for this administration, especially in the run-up to the Iraq war, Colbert's skit is the gift that keeps on giving. Thank you, Stephen Colbert!

more at:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/05/03/correspondents/

[malaise]

1. Nice article

I sure got it. If they want comedy, they should head to the Improv. They were exposed big time Saturday night and I loved it. Colbert was serious as hell and what was hilarious was their fugging discomfort with the truth about themselves.
Sp.

[MichiganVote]

2. They're right. To them he wasn't funny. But THEY are hysterical!!!! LOL

[phoebe]

3. Why no mention of corporate whoring being done by the press?

That subject is even more taboo than the criticism of Bush and the "power plays" of all politicians.

[Eric J in MN]

18. She mentions it.

"Intimidated, coddled, fearful of violating propriety, the press corps that for years dutifully repeated Bush talking points was stunned and horrified when someone dared to reveal that the media emperor had no clothes."

[Just Me]

4. Okay,....the severity hit my gut so hard that laughter could not leave,...

,...my mouth! Have you EVER laughed THAT HARD?!?!?!

He was so poignant, so precise, so exact while he *giggle* pointed right at the President, "the man he fully supports",...and annointed the "press" with their mindless reverence of total bullshit.

He was PIERCING and made my SOUL wiggle with giggles!!!

He'll NEVER be forgotten, not in my lifetime, or my son's lifetime or his child's lifetime (if he chooses to bring a life in this presently INSANE-DRIVEN society.

[Opusnone]

12. I laughed so hard watching the replay Sunday morning -

coffee shot out my nose!
I felt embarrassed for the right wing elite in the crowd because they knew EVERYTHING Colbert alluded to, poked fun at and eloquently parodied was absolutely true!
Have you seen any rebuts on his performance? Probably not.

[Dudley_DUright]

5. Joan is exactly correct

The shameful coverage of Colbert's appearance just makes his point about the media all the more obvious. I for one have had it with cable news (and I use to be a real CNN junkie) and now get my virtually all my news via the internet.

[wtmusic]

6. Methinks Colbert's scolding will not "go away" for a long, long time nt

[Karenina]

11. Now comes the "slow burn"

of the peat moss. Just showed the clip to some ex-pat friends who have been on a "media break." Their mouths were hanging open. It was like a rousing Sermon.

"Damn! He just handed them their asses on a platter!" I said, "Wait. It gets better." They were both in a bad mood when I arrived due to a personal drama. Colbert REALLY cheered them up!

[wtmusic]

16. It is sweet, isn't it?

I've watched it too many times already.

[DearAbby]

7. That was an awesome review.

Stephen Colbert must be so proud of this, as he should be. It was a piece of art. Heres to truthiness! :toast:

and another :toast: << avoid the backwash

[otohara]

8. Apparently The MSM Thought We Wouldn't Notice

AGAIN in the case of Colbert.

I worked in radio and unfortunately the "make it go away" syndrome works very well. That was before the "internets" became such an an amazing tool to bite back.

Still over and over we witness the MSM doing their damnedest to pull one over on their listeners, readers, viewers.

[SoCalDem]

13. they have all been watching Janet too long..lalalalalal

[zippy890]

9. Yeah- good article

"Colbert's deadly performance did more than reveal, with devastating clarity, how Bush's well-oiled myth machine works. It exposed the mainstream press' pathetic collusion with an administration that has treated it -- and the truth -- with contempt from the moment it took office."

very well put

[Kber]

10. It seems his critics aren't "It getters" nt

[emulatorloo]

14. Oh, they get it. They just don't want to . . . EOM

[gratuitous]

15. Naturally the media chuckleheads didn't think it was funny

The subject of a vivisection isn't ordinarily laughing.

And Colbert sliced 'em and diced 'em like a Ronco Slicer and Dicer, uhm, Thingie.

[chookie]

17. SNIFF! SNIFF!

This opinion piece is a burst of oxygen.

Joan Walsh is an "it Getter".

[ShortnFiery]

19. This Salon Article is spot on! eom

[AuntiBush]

20. If he Wasn't Funny, Why am I still Laughing?

Every time I watch the clip I smile and laugh still.

The smiles are joined w/my thumbs-up and clapping as Colbert gave us all hope, big-time.

[Spazito]

21. Another good article from Salon

Thanks for posting the link. The defensive posture of the media on this truly is 'the gift that keeps on giving". Had they simply reported his performance with a few quotes that covered both bush and the media instead of pretending Colbert didn't exist at first and then, when that didn't work, pretending he didn't hit home with his arrows, this story would have had a 48 hour life span.

I want to thank the MSM for their total lack of perception and increasingly defensive posture, it is positively delicious in how it is keeping the issue alive and growing, lol.

[slay]

22. Only good? I'd go with VERY good.. Great even

I'm just sayin... :P :)

[Spazito]

23. LOL, point taken!

It was VERY good!

[JNelson6563]

24. Seems to me the people saw it otherwise

and think it WAS funny. That would be because it was very clever, witty and accurate.

Julie

[Mandate My Ass]

25. kicking

great article, the best yet on this topic IMHO.

[indeterminacy]

26. Masterful Satire

It's curious that the media is taking the irrelevant approach to argue that Colbert wasn't funny. They have no other choice. You can't attack his piece on the basis that it wasn't good satire. It fits satire's definition to a t. Except in one point. Satire usually exaggerates the truth to make a point. Colbert didn't exaggerate, he presented the truth as is, making each and every point irrefutable.

Theoretically the media could argue, "Well it's not good satire because it didn't exaggerate the truth. All it did was repeat what we all know but are afraid to say."

Colbert's speech was more like a state of the union address than anything!