Stephen Colbert - you bloody legend
Unless you're interested in such things, you may have missed the news about the speech given by the Daily Show's Stephen Colbert at the annual Whitehouse Correspondents' Dinner. This event has been running for many years, and is usually celebrated with a couple of comedy performances, gently ribbing the President of the day, sometimes by the President himself.
"It was balls-alicious," Jon Stewart said. "Apparently he was under the impression that they'd hired him to do what he does every night on television"--that is, make fun of conservatives, public officials and the press in the guise of an O'Reillyesque talk show host.
"We've never been prouder of him, but HOLY ----," Stewart added.
He also described the annual dinner as "where the President and the press corps consummate their loveless marriage."
Stephen Colbert gave the speech of a lifetime with George Bush only a few feet away. If you haven't seen it, go now and read the damn transcript.
Or watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcIRXur61II
MEDIA IGNORES SPEECH
The most interesting result of Colbert's appearance is the media's decision not to make a mention of it. Hardly a blip in the day after, a particularly surprising move when you consider that Colbert delivered much of his speech directly to the President, who was sitting a few steps away, in front of an audience of 2400 members of the media and guests.
BUYING INTO THE RIGHT WING GOOD OL GEORGE NARRATIVE
Chris Durang - "The media's ignoring Colbert's effect at the White House Correspondents Dinner is a very clear example of what others have called the media's penchant for buying into the conservative/rightwing "narrative."
From Colbert's speech: "Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know -- fiction."
Durang continues: "In this instance, the "narrative" is that President Bush, for all his missteps, has a darling sense of humor and is a real regular guy, able to poke delightful fun at himself and his penchant for mis-using and mispronouncing words.
Who cares if he lied to start a war? (Or chose to ignore all contrary opinion, which as far as war-starting goes, is pretty crummy.) Who cares if he declares he's above the law, and according to the Boston Globe yesterday there are something like 750 laws he's decided don't apply to him as "Commander-in-Chief"?
The Globe article's first sentence: "President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution."
If the President doesn't obey the law, what the heck is he? He's a dictator in a coup, I think -- but no matter, according to the media, he's A-DOR-ABLE!"
THANK YOU STEPHEN COLBERT
Many people who felt that the media ignored one of the most important moments in comedy history, have decided to send thanks to Stephen through a website: http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/
20,000 comments and counting....
"It was balls-alicious," Jon Stewart said. "Apparently he was under the impression that they'd hired him to do what he does every night on television"--that is, make fun of conservatives, public officials and the press in the guise of an O'Reillyesque talk show host.
"We've never been prouder of him, but HOLY ----," Stewart added.
He also described the annual dinner as "where the President and the press corps consummate their loveless marriage."
Stephen Colbert gave the speech of a lifetime with George Bush only a few feet away. If you haven't seen it, go now and read the damn transcript.
Or watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcIRXur61II
MEDIA IGNORES SPEECH
The most interesting result of Colbert's appearance is the media's decision not to make a mention of it. Hardly a blip in the day after, a particularly surprising move when you consider that Colbert delivered much of his speech directly to the President, who was sitting a few steps away, in front of an audience of 2400 members of the media and guests.
BUYING INTO THE RIGHT WING GOOD OL GEORGE NARRATIVE
Chris Durang - "The media's ignoring Colbert's effect at the White House Correspondents Dinner is a very clear example of what others have called the media's penchant for buying into the conservative/rightwing "narrative."
From Colbert's speech: "Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know -- fiction."
Durang continues: "In this instance, the "narrative" is that President Bush, for all his missteps, has a darling sense of humor and is a real regular guy, able to poke delightful fun at himself and his penchant for mis-using and mispronouncing words.
Who cares if he lied to start a war? (Or chose to ignore all contrary opinion, which as far as war-starting goes, is pretty crummy.) Who cares if he declares he's above the law, and according to the Boston Globe yesterday there are something like 750 laws he's decided don't apply to him as "Commander-in-Chief"?
The Globe article's first sentence: "President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution."
If the President doesn't obey the law, what the heck is he? He's a dictator in a coup, I think -- but no matter, according to the media, he's A-DOR-ABLE!"
THANK YOU STEPHEN COLBERT
Many people who felt that the media ignored one of the most important moments in comedy history, have decided to send thanks to Stephen through a website: http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/
20,000 comments and counting....