Colbert was not telling jokes

[Marymarg]

His intent was not to get laughs. He was dead serious. He knew his audience and the only way to get by with revealing the evil in the room for what it is was the way in which he did it. No one knew what to think or how to react. I think they were mostly in shock.

Like press conferences where the answer does not matter, the point being to get the question out there. I think Stephen's intent was to confront his audience with the truth in a way in which they could not take offense without admitting that they recognized themselves as the incompetents he was targeting.

[brentspeak]

1. No, I think he was just trying to roast Bush, like he was paid to do

and do it in a way that would have some bite to it. Nothing more.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. He did both

The first part of his routine was entirely directed at the Press Corp.

The second part was directed at Bush

The third part was the video with him and Helen Thomas, which was a brilliant move of Colbert's part because one, Bush was forced to sit on the same stage as Helen and in the end Steve went straight to Helen and showed the world who really deserved to be honored.

[Clarkie1]

2. He was doing the job he was paid to do and he did it well. n/t

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Really...? I was LMFAO!

[Marymarg]

7. Not, not funny

I did not mean he was not funny (to some of us). But I think being funny was secondary. When the audience responded in a lukewarm way or did not laugh, he did not switch to an alternate script (as someone suggested that he might have done). He went right on as if expected the coolness and did not care since it was irrelevant to his message.

Just what I think.

[caledesi]

10. Agree. He didn't care. Just got his message across and I for one

loved it. Stephen Colbert should be our press secretary...LOL!

[politrix]

8. He Wasn't Telling Jokes

He used the event as an opportunity to tell the truth no media will say.

He had to wrap it all up in 'jokes' to squeak it pass them. If he was just trying to get paid, he wouldn'tve made an ENEMY of the the most powerful man in the world - he wouldn'tve humiliated him globally.

He took a HUGE risk and went for broke to cover some topics that may ultimately cause him harm in his career. A roast is supposed to make the roastee laugh at himself.

What Colbert did went WAY beyond good-natured humor. He showed that the Emperor had no clothes - in front of his entir kingdom and the world at large.

He deserves a medal.

The media shills are the ones just trying to get paid and it shows.


He didn't tell jokes, he dropped BOMBS on Bush - to his face and made the world have to laugh at the idiot criminal. Some of the bombs were funny. Some were just bombs.

[Left coast liberal]

4. I agree, well said. He was completely serious, and...

really hilarious.

When has Bush ever had to listen to a dissentor?

Last night was precious. And, I will always love Colbert for it.

Cheers!

[Junkdrawer]

5. Those were good times, as far as we knew.....

But the rest of you, what are you thinking, reporting on N.S.A. Wiretapping or secret prisons in Eastern Europe? Those things are secret for a very important reason, they’re super depressing.

And if that's your goal, well, misery accomplished. Over the last five years you people were so good over tax cuts, W.M.D. Intelligence, the affect of global warming. We Americans didn't want to know, and you had the courtesy not to try to find out. Those were good times, as far as we knew.

But, listen, 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.


Ouch...

[Mr_Spock]

9. It was billed as an episode of his show. It was close IMHO.

It really was kind of like an episode of the Colbert Report.

He did what he always does - confront political truth in a sardonic fashion as to mask his true intent. That's exactly why some of the real meat-headed Freepers don't understand that he's making fun of them. I have criticized him in the past for being excessively sardonic, but that's his shtick!!.

He did what he does best and I thought he was WAY more ballsy in doing it than I had expected going in.

I expected to be disappointed and I was rolling on the floor laughing. This was everything I ever wanted to say to Bush and Scalia and the dumb generals and Faux "news" all rolled into one.

It was pure beauty.

[madame defarge]

12. Agreed...

What a week for Colbert... Started out the week with a warm-up act on Bill Kristol and then finished with Clueless George.

We need an army of Colberts...

[graywarrior]

11. Dimson is the joke. Colbert told truths.