Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner-- President Not Amused?

Editor & Publisher ^ | April 29, 2006 | E&P Staff

[Wormwood]

I don't remember anyone getting annoyed when IMUS skewered Clinton and Hillary at one of these. In fact, we were overjoyed!

Yeah, seems a little different when it's your ox getting gored.

Overall, I thought Colbert was excellent (as usual). But then again, I'm one of those rare conservatives with a functioning humor gland.

[alnick]

It's not a matter of no sense of humor. It's a matter of the "comedian" not being funny. :-)

[212351st]

I'm a fan of Colbert and it is one of the few shows I schedule time to watch, but I was disappointed in his performance at the WHC dinner. I think the opening joke went flat about the bullet proof SUV's and it never recovered.

He comes off much better on his show.

[Sensei Ern]

How much better it could have been had they brought Larry the Cable Guy in instead of Colbert.

[bereanway]

Yeah, when I made the comment about Colbert and the MSM
not exhibiting "truthiness" I meant it in the sense of being connected to the truth. Obviously, truth has very little to do with what they report or fantasize about.

I get Comedy Central and have seen Colbert but have never paid much attention. He sounds like a Dim political hack who uses a thinly veiled comedy routine to peddle his fantasies.

[Sensei Ern]

I don't appreciate the dig.

Colbert was absolutely horrible. When his openning salvo failed, he lost the crowd. Then he just kept digging a hole.

THe best thing to do when digging a hole is to stop digging. Instead, Colbert then not only kept digging, but traded in his failed shovel for a steam shovel.

His twists of "I'm a conservative, just like the President, and I am ignorant of anything relevant" ranting was absolutely stupid.

[74dart]

Here's a link to the whole thing (in three parts):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcIRXur61II&search=Colbert%20CSPAN%20roast%20colbert%20cspan%20AP%20ap

To be fair, some jokes fell flat, but some got a lot of laughs. Scalia seemed to be having a good time.

He hammered the press as much as he went after the president.

[yellowdoghunter]

I wasn't amused either, I thought Colbert's act was really lame. I've seen a few of these events, and I thought Colbert had to be one of the worse comedian at these events i've seen.

I agree. I was very disappointed in Colbert. I think his show is funny, even though I realize he is making fun of people like me. I can laugh at myself so it is not a problem. The President and his sidekick...:) were very funny, my husband and I were laughing out loud.

The DU'ers are acting like Colbert really slammed Pres. Bush. I thought his act was lame and I expected much better. The President can laugh at himself but wasn't given the chance with Colbert's lame jokes.

[george wythe]

C-Span has a link to the Colbert's routine.

Don't waste your time watching it.

Not funny.

[kabar]

Colbert was terrible, both in terms of the material content and the delivery. He showed no respect for the Office of the Presidency and used the opportunity to launch scathing political attacks against the President,who had little recourse but to sit there and take it.

I would have enjoyed seeing the President get up after the Iraq cracks and announce to the audience that he was leaving in the middle of the act because he had too much respect for the Office of President to sit there and tacitly condone such attacks.

The WH Correspondents Dinner is an exercise in self-importance and inflated egos. If I were Bush, I would not go to the next one citing some more pressing engagement. Most of the humor is sophmoric and gotcha stuff. The President deserves to be treated as an invited guest and respect shown for the office.

I also thought that the Imus presentation during the Clinton administration was over the top.

[Minus_The_Bear]

"Overall, I thought Colbert was excellent (as usual). But then again, I'm one of those rare conservatives with a functioning humor gland."


If you think Colbert is funny you obviously don't understand satire. There is a difference between satire and a straw man... something Colbert and his fans don't understand (then again most of them would be happy with a 30 minute sustained "F#%k You" to Christians and Conservatives). But if you want to support the lowest comedic denominator (Colbert, Mencia, etc...) it's your right.

[boulderite20]

People who watch and enjoy the Colbert Report dont nitpick through what you are talking about. It doesnt matter if its strawman or satire because people are watching it for humor, and not for deep insight into political matters. I dont care how many strawmen he sets up because thats what makes the show entertaining. Its taking logical arguments and spinning them so much it becomes completely absurd and comical.

[ozzymandus]

Colbert sucked. He was nasty, smug, and totally unfunny. His schtick as a brainless right-winger is old and tired.

[penowa]

"Helen Thomas is a walking goldmine for jokes, yet she was left unscathed."

That close-up at the end of Helen's face was like something from a horror movie, not exactly anything humorous or from a comedy. Eeewwwwwww!

I can't even figure what it was Colbert hoped to do with the entire thing. It was just stupid, nasty and classless, not to mention boring, IMO.

[Das Outsider]

I can't even figure what it was Colbert hoped to do with the entire thing. It was just stupid, nasty and classless, not to mention boring, IMO.

Colbert's style can be entertaining. In this case, it wasn't. He lacked both the material and presentation.

Had I been in charge of the whole thing, I would have gone after Helen Thomas as well. You know, something simple: White House secretary says to Thomas, after typical screeching, "Thank you, Helen, for bringing that up. I've got to say, that ensemble is striking! Is it Middle Kingdom?"

[EveningStar]

Yeah, seems a little different when it's your ox getting gored.

Overall, I thought Colbert was excellent (as usual). But then again, I'm one of those rare conservatives with a functioning humor gland.

Don't be vainglorious. It's a normal reaction. I'm sure you have your limits too. For the record, I didn't see Colbert's performance at the dinner, but I've seen him at other times and found him pretty funny.

[winner3000]

It never fails to amaze me how classless the left is.

[Mo1]

Thanks for that link

What idiot hired that guy?

[rebrane]

There is a difference between satire and a straw man... something Colbert and his fans don't understand (then again most of them would be happy with a 30 minute sustained "F#%k You" to Christians and Conservatives).

Most people don't have the wherewithal to condemn straw-men in the beginning of the sentence and then erect one at the end. But you, sir, are something special!

[Paul Ross]

One thing that the President needed to hear for himself...was the degree of vitriol...and the contempt with which he is held by the Left in this country. He must not allow this to fester...he needs a real 'offensive' to go after the Colberts of the world and blast them out of their self-made delusions. I don't think it was really sinking in to the President how overjoyed these cretins are over his low-popularity (most all of it self-inflicted because he is tilting heavily against his Base).

But he has to know now. To that extent, although he isn't normally worth the dog crap you scrape off of your shoes...Colbert may have actually done a service if the President realizes he needs to stop, re-orient himself, shift policies to get back in line with the Conservative Majority...and restore his popularity. And then do some serious fanny-wacking against the liberals.