Colbert's speech was like Stewart's Crossfire moment

[Kber]

Remember that? When Stewart went on Crossfire to tell those talking heads to "Please, stop hurting America"? He got panned for being "unfunny" at the time too.

[Orrex]

1. What most impressed me about Colbert's performance...

aside from the sheer brilliance of it, is that he wasn't sweating. Even when the audience was mausoleum-quiet, Colbert looked as though he was exactly in his element and having the time of his life. That's because even when his jokes drew no laughter, he wasn't failing. He aimed at every target in the room and hit every one of them exactly as he meant to.

Magical. I know of no performance like it. Even Jon Stewart's excellent Crossfire appearance pales before Colbert's fury, if only because Stewart--through no fault of his own--was attacking only the lowliest of stooges. Colbert, in stark contrast, attacked the biggest stooge of all and did it to his leering, insipid face.

Bravo, Mr. Colbert. Don't stop now.

[autorank]

6. The lack of sweat was a huge signal to me.

My wife said 'he's bombing' and I was worried about the lack of laughter, although distracted form that
by the quality of the material. Then I looked at him and he was 'cool as a cucumber'...NO SWEAT.

I got a big smile and realized that this was high art, brilliant politics, and bravery and patriotism
the likes of which we rarely see by public figures of any type.

He was, as you point out, addressing the culprits, the failed mandarins and power brokers, the people
who fit every insult he levied.

Amazing stuff...

[MuseRider]

8. He amazed me with that.

I turned to my husband and said, "Look at him. Nobody is laughing and he is having the time of his life!"

You are right, it was magical. It must have taken enormous courage to stand on that stage and target the audience like that. He knew it had to be done and he knew he had to do it since very few with enough dignity and honor ever get the stage like that and lately when they do they chicken out.

I will most likely go to everything he ever does from now on even if I hate the premise because I feel we owe him. I could not have done what he did, not in a million years and as you said he did it without breaking a sweat. You just have to love that.

[NYCGirl]

2. Except scripted. NT

[autorank]

3. K&R. It was indeed. A moment of reality that changes everything.

I could not watch xfire after that. Didn't much before but Stewart peeled the bark off of them. It was beautiful.

Colbert did the right thing and he did it extremely well. His words will live on and one and will
spart a near term feeling of total derision for * by anyone who reads them.

full text of Colbert speech

[Renew Deal]

4. That's a good point.

That's what I was thinking about. Are the effects going to be larger and more far reaching than it first appeared? Will other dominos fall like they did at CNN? Will the media grow "balls"?

[SoCalDem]

5. Yes indeedy..probably got some guidance on how to do it too

SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts)

Sun Apr-30-06 04:21 PM
Response to Reply #37

235. He did what Jon Stewart did on Crossfire.

Edited on Sun Apr-30-06 04:21 PM by SoCalDem
His personna was as "comedian", so he was invited on, and was expected to "be funny"..

What Jon did and what Stephen did last night was a trojan horse maneuver. They presented as one thing, and then unloaded on the stunned audience.

Why did they do it?

because it NEEDED doing, and no one esle ever does it. Cable has 24-7 to report on important things, and they NEVER do (unless it's a screaming head confrontation that is all heat and no light)..

The state of news in America is such that comedians and actors feel compelled to throw the dice with their own careers in order to try and get some "truthiness" out there. It HAS to be on LIVE tv since any "unruly" comments can be and are edited out of taped appearances.

No doubt he was nervous last night..Only HE knew what he was about to do..(well his wife and Jon and probably George Clooney knew :)..)




and.....


SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts)Mon May-01-06 12:29 AM

Response to Original message

16. He "Jon Stewarted" them.. It must be done live and there are damned few

opportunities. Jon Stewart dropped the big bomb on live tv with Crosssssssfire when they had obviously invited him to be the comedian and give everyone a few yuks.

The media is SO horrible, that intelligent people are LIVID at their antics, and every time they are given a chance on live tv, you will see them reaching down deep and letting it all pour out :)

Most venues are either so tightly controlled or are taped, so the few live shows are the only hope we have. They may censor the replays, but for that shining moment when iit's live...the "truthiness" escapes..

It's almost a guerrilla operation. People must probably pretend to offer one thing, and then when the cameras are rolling, they go to the real material. You could tell there was some uneasiness at first, and a few titters, but it turned into full blown panic as he went on.

It wouldn't surprise me if he had handed them a totally different outline of his "comments".. :)

loved it.

[donco6]

11. I agree with all you said.

What the hell do we have to laugh about right now, anyway? Colbert was perfect and said what needed to be said.

He's got some brass ones. I don't think I'd have been able to do it.

[Ian David]

7. Colbert was more like Mark Antony at Ceasar's funeral

<snip>

Mark Antony
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On March 15, 44 BC (the Ides of March), Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of Senators, led by Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus.

In the turmoil that surrounded the event, Antony escaped Rome dressed as a slave, fearing that the dictator's assassination would be the start of a bloodbath among his supporters.

When this did not occur, he soon returned to Rome, discussing a truce with the assassins' faction. For a while, Antony, as consul of the year, seemed to pursue peace and the end of the political tension.

Following a speech by Marcus Tullius Cicero in the Senate, an amnesty was agreed for the assassins. Then came the day of Caesar's funeral.

As Caesar's ever-present second in command, partner in consulship and cousin, Antony was the natural choice to make the funeral eulogy.

In his speech, he sprang his accusations of murder and ensured a permanent breach with the conspirators. Showing a talent for rhetoric and dramatic interpretation, Antony snatched the toga from Caesar's body to show the crowd the scars from his wounds.

That night, the Roman populace attacked the assassins' houses, forcing them to flee for their lives.

Antony surrounded himself with a bodyguard of Caesar's veterans, and forced the senate to transfer to him the province of Cisalpine Gaul, which was then administered by Decimus Junius Brutus, one of the conspirators. Brutus refused to surrender the province, and Antony set out to attack him in October 44 BC.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony



See also:
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, approx. 47 BC
By William Shakespeare

Act 3. Scene II
SCENE II. The Forum.

<snip>

ANTONY
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men--
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.

<snip>

ANTONY
But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there.
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men:
I will not do them wrong; I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar;
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will:
Let but the commons hear this testament--
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read--
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.

<snip>

ANTONY
Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable:
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it: they are wise and honourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as Brutus is;
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him:
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

All
We'll mutiny.

More:
http://www.online-literature.com/view.php/julius_caesar/10?term=not%20to%20praise

Stephen Colbert has shown us America's wounds and bid them speak for him.

[Supersedeas]

9. Exactly, like a slit in the backdrop allowing reality to peek through the

Truman show that the media is putting us through with this administration.

[maveric]

10. Jon Stewart killed Crossfire.

By exposing them and the MSM for not doing the job that they are supposed to do.
"I'm not going to be your monkey".

His calling Bow Tie Boy a "Dick" was priceless and unprecedented.

[Shakespeare]

12. Actually, he completely eclipsed Stewart's Crossfire moment.

I can't remember when I've ever seen a more jaw-dropping display of verbal assassination, on national TV, with the target a mere 5 feet away from him. Colbert is my new personal hero.

[stanwyck]

14. That's exactly what a co-worker said

she said her jaw literally dropped. And she said Colbert continually stared right into Bush's face.
Talk about your big balls.

[stanwyck]

13. The response from my co-workers has been

startling. People I didn't even think would know who Colbert is have been repeating his lines and downloading snippets from the internet. Even the Bushies. And the usual non-politicos can't get enough. They're the most rabid.
It's weird.
He has a huge new following -- being fed by the internet.
And the savvy co-worker who recorded the show and is now making DVDs could be doing a brisk cash business if she wasn't such a sweetheart -- giving them away for free.
I bet this mania is being duplicated all over the country.
Meanwhile...not much from the MSM.
But Olberman and Stewart should be interesting. I bet they'll have some kudos for Colbert.