News > Politics > W and Colbert, Face-to-Face

news
MONDAY MAY 1 2006 6:23 PM

Stephen Colbert has made a small name for himself in recent years, moving from a spot on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show to having his own show in character as an over-the-top parody of Bill O'Reilly. Someone, somewhere, decided it was a good idea to invite him to be the closing speaker at the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Colbert accepted, and the excreta collocated with the fan.

The right wing blogs are saying Colbert bombed, and in some ways that's not wrong, the gathered audience wanted and expected something lighter - but that's what makes the appearance so startling. It's very witty when you read the text; but actuality as Colbert says these things to the President's face, it's very uncomfortable. Watching it, It's like Hamlet forcing King Claudius to watch the play that accuses him of murder. Or it's like a man asked to be Court Jester who shows up and tells the king exactly what's wrong with him, and gets out of the building before they can behead him.

Footage of the speech is fascinating. The audience starts out laughing at Colbert's jokes, but by the end, few chuckles are heard. W, sitting a few chairs away, struggles to keep the smile on his face good humored and sincere.

Contrary to liberal media complaints, Colbert's speech has been widely covered, being the subject of almost as many articles as those on weighty issues like Anna Nicole Smith's inheritance case.

Transcript

PAGE:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

... 7

Comments

fictionalsounds

Alva, OK

April 2004

MAY 01, 2006 06:36 PM

i saw this and was amazed at what i was watching. f$#@ing strange. colbert is great, and whle it wasn't his strongest material/performance, it was still good stuff...and it was just something you had to see to really appreciate.

the whole "i can't believe i'm watching this, this is actually happening" kinda thing.

Autrix

San Francisco, CA

January 2004

MAY 01, 2006 06:39 PM

ouch.

ckdexterhaven

USA

December 2005

MAY 01, 2006 06:46 PM

Bush was a pretty good sport to not just walk out on the thing. His nuts were roasted for sure.

acetracer

Hollywood, FL

January 2004

MAY 01, 2006 06:47 PM

fictionalsounds said:
i saw this and was amazed at what i was watching. f$#@ing strange. colbert is great, and whle it wasn't his strongest material/performance, it was still good stuff...and it was just something you had to see to really appreciate.

the whole "i can't believe i'm watching this, this is actually happening" kinda thing.

It was a lot like Jon Stewart on Crossfire, only even ballsier.