A Letter to the Editor of Editor and Publisher
(NOTE: E&P is the trade publication for the journalism industry. The letter is in response to this article.)
Have any of the parties offended by Stephen Colbert’s presentation at the Washington Correspondents dinner looked up the word, satire?
Using wit and irony to jab those in power is an ancient tradition, not a political bias. It wasn’t only fictional Lear who trusted his jester to carry the truth, many cultures prized the court clown. That the Bush administration, its supporters and the press have no tolerance for humor is a reflection of their response to criticism.
The media, the press, those who claim the right to do what Colbert did, must realize that by disuse and abuse of their powerful positions, they have inadvertently opened the door and allowed sharp, fresh air into their closed rooms. One cannot clamor for freedom, cannot toss freedom around as a talking point without allowing people the liberty to talk.
The phrase, “speaking truth to power,” was coined by the American Friends, Quakers, in response to the political assumption that military force can bring about peace. Colbert brought truth wrapped in truthiness. I suspect those who did not laugh have mistaken the wrapping for the gift.
Surely the event organizers hired Mr. Colbert precisely because of his satirical work. They are to be admired for inviting the Fool to Court.
Mary McFadden
San Francisco, Calif.
“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.” — Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner
Part One (current number of views as of 5 p.m. – 585,850)
Part Two
Part Three
My thoughts? It is clear that Colbert has seen Good Night and Good Luck, and has taken the words of Edward Murrough to heart. I laughed a few times, during Colbert’s speech, but mostly I was stunned that someone was allowed, on national television, to expose Bush to another viewpoint. What straightforward words could not express, satire did.
Bush’s iron curtain of support was parted for just a moment, and Colbert reached for the brass ring.
The consensus of those who were there is that Colbert “just wasn’t funny.” Maybe that’s true, but as far as satire goes, it’s the best thing I’ve heard, on any topic, in a very long time. It may be under-reported in the usual media outlets, but E&P’s article has received more hits than any other article they’ve ever written (according to their Letters page), and you can find Colbert’s speech on every viral video web site. It’s a Top Download.
Watch the speech. Talk about it, here or elsewhere. Form an opinion.
I also can’t believe Bush’s handlers allowed him to go into an environment where he’d face criticism. If I were Stephen Colbert, I wouldn’t travel by small plane anymore.
I gather they expected the criticism to be gentle, fluff meant to show him as human, like the impersonation earlier in the evening. A contrivance, and I’m sure his people were telling him what a great job he did at spoofing himself for the cameras.
God forbid Bush be exposed to reality, eh?
God forbid Bush be exposed to reality, eh?
I gather they expected the criticism to be gentle, fluff meant to show him as human, like the impersonation earlier in the evening. A contrivance, and I’m sure his people were telling him what a great job he did at spoofing himself for the cameras.
I also can’t believe Bush’s handlers allowed him to go into an environment where he’d face criticism. If I were Stephen Colbert, I wouldn’t travel by small plane anymore.
i swear i thought it wasn’t real till last night on the daily show
i swear i thought it wasn’t real till last night on the daily show
Actually, I found Bush’s bout with the impersonator on YouTube, and found it rather funny. I thought it exposed him slightly more than I would’ve thought he’d willingly subject himself to.
Stephen, on the other hand, basically ripped him a new one. I’m not saying it was bad, but I don’t think he cared if everyone found it appropriate or funny. He was clearly not allwing himself to be intimidated by his surroundings. Someone made the mistake of inviting him, and he took full advantage of it. I loved it, but I was also shocked at his chutzpa, for lack of a better word. I think only a true liberal could have found most of that material funny, though.
I can see why the White House is trying to keep this whole thing quiet, and I’m glad it’s not working nearly as well as I’m sure they would like. Freedom of Speech is a very good thing.
I guess I’m exposed for what I am. Because, wow, I thought that was top-class comedy.
Biting, yes, even ascerbic. But in these times, oh so necessary.
I guess I’m exposed for what I am. Because, wow, I thought that was top-class comedy.
Biting, yes, even ascerbic. But in these times, oh so necessary.
“I think only a true liberal could have found most of that material funny, though.”
I’ve seen the point made in a number of places that we tend to intermingle “comedian” with “satirist”.
I believe it was only marginally funny. But that’s generally what I’ve thought of his shtick. That’s okay, because he’s not simply trying to be funny. He is funny, with a point, and that point stings. *shrug* It stings for me and for you, because he points out the illogic that we allow ourselves (and I count me in there) to follow.
In other words, in order to pretend that everything is okay, we have to suspend our disbelief, be less skeptical than normal, accept certain things as true that we KNOW, concretely, aren’t. He does a great job of pointing out how absurd we are, and that doesn’t feel good.
That is true. I don’t think they knew what they were getting themselves into when they invited him. Probably because they, too, don’t know the difference between comedy and satire.
That is true. I don’t think they knew what they were getting themselves into when they invited him. Probably because they, too, don’t know the difference between comedy and satire.
“I think only a true liberal could have found most of that material funny, though.”
I’ve seen the point made in a number of places that we tend to intermingle “comedian” with “satirist”.
I believe it was only marginally funny. But that’s generally what I’ve thought of his shtick. That’s okay, because he’s not simply trying to be funny. He is funny, with a point, and that point stings. *shrug* It stings for me and for you, because he points out the illogic that we allow ourselves (and I count me in there) to follow.
In other words, in order to pretend that everything is okay, we have to suspend our disbelief, be less skeptical than normal, accept certain things as true that we KNOW, concretely, aren’t. He does a great job of pointing out how absurd we are, and that doesn’t feel good.
Actually, I found Bush’s bout with the impersonator on YouTube, and found it rather funny. I thought it exposed him slightly more than I would’ve thought he’d willingly subject himself to.
Stephen, on the other hand, basically ripped him a new one. I’m not saying it was bad, but I don’t think he cared if everyone found it appropriate or funny. He was clearly not allwing himself to be intimidated by his surroundings. Someone made the mistake of inviting him, and he took full advantage of it. I loved it, but I was also shocked at his chutzpa, for lack of a better word. I think only a true liberal could have found most of that material funny, though.
I can see why the White House is trying to keep this whole thing quiet, and I’m glad it’s not working nearly as well as I’m sure they would like. Freedom of Speech is a very good thing.
I didn’t see any of it as funny… and I strongly doubt the Stephen intended any of it to *be* funny. He got his moment, and he took it. He would have been an idiot to have let that moment pass him by, and Stephen is anything but an idiot.
Not much of it was original — any of us who have been reading liberal or progressive blogs for the past five years already heard most everything he said. But what made it different is that he said it standing eight feet from the President, basically to his face. With this brief performance, Stephen Colbert shot past Jon Stewart as The Preeminent Satirist of the Generation.
Nothing about this Administration or President is funny. Stephen Colbert knows that, and let Bush know that. Stephen is Da Bomb.
I didn’t see any of it as funny… and I strongly doubt the Stephen intended any of it to *be* funny. He got his moment, and he took it. He would have been an idiot to have let that moment pass him by, and Stephen is anything but an idiot.
Not much of it was original — any of us who have been reading liberal or progressive blogs for the past five years already heard most everything he said. But what made it different is that he said it standing eight feet from the President, basically to his face. With this brief performance, Stephen Colbert shot past Jon Stewart as The Preeminent Satirist of the Generation.
Nothing about this Administration or President is funny. Stephen Colbert knows that, and let Bush know that. Stephen is Da Bomb.