onegoodmove

Steve Colbert... the king!

Favorite line:

It's like boxing a glacier.

Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is.

This is downright Subversive! He is the King!

Woaahhhhh!!!! Thank you SO much for this! I've never seen anything like this before! :-0

Can't imagine that Bush was too happy with all this!

Wow

The funny thing is.. what are they laughing at?? O_0

Colbert you're the best...XD

Greetings from Spain...

Wow. That looks as though it really took (as Colbert himself puts it) "balls". Did you see Bush's expression? It's like: "Who hired this guy? I want him killed tomorrow." Man. Tough crowd. It's amazing he did it. LMAO the whole time.

wow. i can never really figure this guy out. But he really went to town here.

Couple of those jokes were absolutely hilarious and got *no* reaction from the crowd. Think he might have cut too deep into their sensitive skin. Good job, Mr. Colbert.

Love,

Hanna

Just brilliant work, don´t know the background as to how he got to speak there though?
Fantastic performance though :)

sadly, I only understood few of the jokes.

But I was wondering what Bush will do after this.

Is he going to ask Dick Cheney to go on a duck hunt with Stephen?

This is priceless and it was interesting to note the very clever jokes that got silence or a few embarrassed chuckles. Bush sitting there with his face turning colors. Waht a riot.

What nerve, especially on the part of the person responsible for hiring him.

Holy shit, that was amazing.

What are the chances Colbert gets a really good going over by just about every federal agency.

Who selects the talkers at this dinner, if it turns out to be someone in the whitehouse they need to start looking for a new job. If it's the corresondents then you would want to keep it secret you voted for him or you will never get to ask a question again.

He was surprisingly brutal. I was waiting for them to drag him out & lynch him.

I loved the uneasy faces in the crowd. Some folks were pissed & others looked like "er.....is it OK to laugh??"

Funny that he won them back when he let up on the President & attacked individuals in the crowd.

"Washington D.C.: the chocolate city with a marshmallow center"

So what are the odds Bush goes on Colbert's show on Tuesday?

Heh, heh.

The audience reaction says a lot. Incestuous lack of responsibility doing their job. Its like waiting for the vaudelville "hook."

They got told they weren't wearing pants either.

that was a full frontal attack barely masked as humor. It was scathing and brilliant!

Look at Bush's face. That is absolutely priceless.

For any of you who saw "V for Vendetta", I found an eerie similarity between Colbert's performance and that of Stephen Fry's, who eventually incurs the wrath of the Chancellor for his pointed rib-poking. If anything, Colbert'll probably never perform around Bush again.
The ribs are very close to the gut.

Scaaaaaaathing. Bitching! Took some balls to keepgoing when the audience sat there in stunned silence. I'm wondering if the administration will use some of those lines to their benefit; they do have a way doing that.

Holy...shit. I thought this was a joke at first. Is it customary to turn this event into a roast?

That was painful to watch. I've never seen such a disconnect between comedian and audience. HUGE balls for Stephen to even accept the invitation to speak there!!! GOPs must've had no idea who they were inviting.

I could only think of what happened to Deitrich (Stephen Fry) in V for Vendetta. Scary.

That might not be Bush sitting there. Steve Bridges, a Bush double, was at the event and spoke there as well.
http://www.speaking.com/speakers/stevebridges.html

It was the president Steve Bridges did a bit with the president just before Stephen. They had two podiums up with them standing side by side. Steve was much nicer to the President than Stephen.

Can someone explain to me what the joke was with the "justice sculley", around the last quarter of this clip? Does he speak like that or something?

Scalia's Gesture

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002236937

Aha! Thanks norm :)

I guess he figured if he gets even a little bit acerbic he'll never be invited back again, so he might as well go full blast.

What's amazing to me is that Colbert isn't sweating. If I had the chance and the balls to make fun of the president to his face, I'd still be sweating like a maniac. And maniacs sweat a lot.

WTF? Were the only correspondents in the audience from Fox News? Stephen's lacerating routine had me in stitches and the crowd was deader than Valerie Plame's career. What gives? I thought it was just brilliant.

I woke up early this morning and turned on Fox to see if they had any reaction to Colbert's Bilmore presentation.

Not one single world! His name has been removed from their vocabulary just like O'Reilly has removed the name Olberman on his show.

Fox is very adamant about giving the enemy even a name on their channel.

In my opinion Colbert was way over the heads of his audience.

eh ... is it not obvious that this is just clever editing?

Colbert wasn't really addressing that audience.
Nicely done though.

Colbert has had a reputation for not having a "democrat" agenda - just wanting to do comedy and not be partisan. As Bill O'Reilly said - he isn't "mean" in his humor.

Wonder if he has that reputation any more? Will any more republicans come on his show? Is he now a democrat?

I couldn't have asked for any more from him - brilliant and gutsy!

Even though the comedy was great it was hard to ignore the king elephant in the room he was making fun of.

If I were there I would have been quiet, too.

Unlike Stephen's television show, the dinner didn't have microphones scattered around the audience to get their reaction. The only times you heard laughter were when the sound was so loud that Steven's own microphone picked it up. Many times the camera cut away to the audience, and you can see a number of people are enjoying themselves.

Even though the comedy was great it was hard to ignore the king elephant in the room he was making fun of.

If I were there I would have been quiet, too.

Nice to see someone with balls stand up and say what everyone is thinking, even if it was comedy.

I was a twitching, nervous wreck in my own living and Stephen's hands were as steady as a surgeon.

What a show of fearless bravery!

Actually think I'm swooning a little.

this video should be in Wikipedia under "Huge Brass Balls"

was it all just editing/staging or was Colbert actually up on the same podium as President Bush?

someone please clarify bob wood's previous comment:

eh ... is it not obvious that this is just clever editing?

Colbert wasn't really addressing that audience.
Nicely done though.

Holy moly. Give that man an award.

Can comedians receive the Medal of Freedom?

Yeah I'll clarify, bob wood doesn't know what he's talking about. Colbert really did this in front of Bush, a little something called reality, not editing.

Thank you, Colbert, for your "truthiness" at the most perfect venue!!!

was it all just editing/staging or was Colbert actually up on the same podium as President Bush?

Colbert was actually on the stage with W. The part that was editing together with footage was the segment that shows Colbert acting as the Press Secretary.

I doubt it was staging. There is at least one shot that included Stephen at the podium, and included a view of Bushing looking at him. Maybe it was an altered shot -- I wasn't looking for it at the time myself -- but even Jon Stewart referenced that Stephen was going down to Washington on Thursday's Daily Show, as did Colbert on his show. There was editing done to achieve the "highlights", as Norm said of course.

Bob Wood is one of those who believe like the moon landing this was filmed in on a hollywood soundstage. It is the real deal.

Looks like Helen Thomas was one of the few people there with a sense of humor.

Also, there's three parts on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcIRXur61II

For whoever said it was all editing.. It wasn't. He was really there, cutting deep, making people mad.

He DID do a little clip that was faked, but that was only the last 1/3 or so. The first 2/3 were just plain funny.

Seriously, who thought it would be a good idea to invite him to the event? I mean.. it was awesome, but somebody is going to lose their job over this

Big. Brass. Balls.

I first saw the clip when there was no news elsewhere on the net about Colbert speaking (yup, I googled it).

So I assumed it was the very same format that The Daily Show normally uses - i.e. satirical tongue-in-cheek fakery.

Subsequently the news stories came out; but still it is unbelievable that Colbert spoke as he did.

I can help thinking that those shots where GWB is also in the frame do look somewhat touched up. I must take a look at footage of the last Correspondent's dinner to see if I recognise GWB's pained expression being re-used in these new clips.

Additionally there is something about Colbert's manner as he speaks that makes it seem "staged" in the sense of not addressing a live audience.

It sure looks convincing. But even the audience interaction looks craftily done, but not quite convincing.

Too bad about the skit at the end...it started well but the bit with Helen at the end was way way over the top.

And I'm not sure how mad Bush was. I think much of it went over his (and others?) heads. Probably tired - that's a long friggin show...

WTF Bob. Did you follow the link I posted above. Here is another.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/04/29/national/w200632D04.DTL

It is all over the news now, and you still have doubts?

Colbert did do a light-hearted skit segment of about 3 minutes. However various sources on the internet now assert that the longer video that is rapidly circulating globally is actually clever re-edit with large chunks of PA test footage delivered by Colbert long before the audience filled the room and the first glass of champagne was poured.

Absolute genius viral move by Colbert. Looks like Jon Stewart isn't the only one who can harness the internet.

To have the shake hands with GWB at the end just makes the whole thing sit perfectly together.

Let's see your sources Bob. I think you're a conspiracy nut. I watched the show on c-span last night and tivo'd it. What is being shown is exactly what was shown live last night. I edited a bit but only to keep the size down. What you are seeing is what I saw last night. Are you claiming c-span is in on some sort of conspiracy here.

Awesome. Why DID we got to war in Iraq?

Bob, what are you smoking? Please share it with us.

I watched this LIVE on C-SPAN last night, as did thousands of other people. This isn't a taped skit, it is something known as the White House Correspondents Dinner and it aired live on C-SPAN last night. Maybe you live in the reality with the other 32%-er Bush cultists where anyone who takes the President to task (with him sitting right there) must some sort of faker, but we here in reality saw the thing live.

The full dinner was several hours long and I watched the whole thing- the eating and random chatter, Bushs little schtick, Colberts introduction, his address, and then everyone leaving. It really happened. If you don't believe that, I have yellowcake from Africa I'd like to sell you.

What is about reality that scares Bush supporters so much?

Aww....Bushie isn't amused because Stephen Colbert supposedly doesn't adequately kiss the ring. Well, it would be a little less painful Monkey Boy, if you weren't such a tool.

Bob-and the Red Sox won the World Series in '04 too....it's all over the Internets......and the White Sox in '05. I swear to god (we know he's real...) that them Internet owners (you know MoveOn.org and Al Franken) must have paid some people for that....

Hi Norm,

I toke the liberty to post the full 26 minutes on dailymotion, who keep the quality of the video in opposition to the youtube's crappy encoding :

http://www.dailymotion.com/sensemilia/video/143459

hope that will ease your bandwith issue ;)

Editor and publisher link doesn't work on page; here's the link:

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002425363

PS Colbert was great, and everyone's right--the audience didn't react as much as it might have because it cut too close to home; it wasn't "light hearted" enough.

So i guess the AP is in on it too.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060430/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_correspondents_12;_ylt=AnqsWDSb0WJIDOOLEksnZhhsaMYA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA--

steven colbert is a genius. he gave those idots all they deserve.

i was most impressed with colbert's unflinching poise throughout. what an impressively seasoned performer.

bob wood is an embarrassment to humankind.

GWB had demonstrated his humility to everyone by lampooning himself, showing how he doesn't take himself too seriously and acknowledges his failings.

Then the snake-like Colbert embraces his 15 minutes of fame; as the invited entertainer caberet act he lays into all present with a tirade of unoriginal, hackneyed cheap-shots. We've all heard these gags and jabs before.

Regardless of how one might feel about Bush, to see Colbert in at close quarters ripping his shiv into Bush's exposed underbelly wasn't pleasant to watch.

Colbert is a nasty, opportunistic moron. Observing his attack on GWB felt about as enjoyable as watching the humiliation of a disabled person who had wet their pants. I can't help but think that Colbert's snide, smug performance will leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

GWB is on his way out. This is after America voted him in as president - TWICE. Perhaps some embarrasment is due to GWB himself for his poor record; but the true shame should be borne by the 125 million Americans who voted him in, and the other 125m who couldn't get their fat assses off the couch to get an intelligent alternative together. Fool me once... I don't think so.

If you are disgusted by Bush and his croneys; you are disgusted by America itself and the way it truly operates. Bush just wasn't as good as other Presidents at hiding the truth of it from the common people.

Colbert is parasitic rat with his rotten 'comedy' teeth deeply sunk into the failing president's jugular. Both will rapidly become yesterday's men.

At least Jon Stewart is smart enough and has the class not to get into such a dirty, peurile ambush as this when the victim is already heavily wounded.

Bravo Mr. Colbert. You've just burst your own bubble; nobody loves a nasty clown.

Oh dear,
Bob Bob Bob.

People love nasty clowns. A great exmple would be the cartoon clown Crusty. A cynical, worldly beast of a clown but he is adored by a fair chunk of the population.

As to 'ambush', what exactly did whoever booked stephen think he was going to do. His primary act is to play the most embarassingly over the top bush supporter who also can be a bit of a bumbler at the same time. Did they expect him to do something different.

As to unpleasant to watch I personally think watching 'Colbert in at close quarters ripping his shiv into Bush's exposed underbelly' would be much worse than the cynical back hander that the president his staff and the press corp suffered. If they had invited any of about half a billion people on the planet you may of actually seen worse than your over the top example.

Also the fact that you continuously refer to attacks on George as the equivalent of attacks on an incontinent cripple really show that someone can be truly ridiculed by unintentioned comparrison as well as praise.

I personally find GWB's own joke from a few years ago of trying to find WMD's in the oval office, as his soldiers were being killed actually trying to find them under the assumption that he had been telling the truth, in much worse taste then anything Stephen did.

I suspect that bob wood was simply unaware that there was such a thing as a White House Correspondents' Dinner and that it is customary to roast the President, be he Bush or Clinton, on this occasion. The vitriol of his most recent post appears to be an effete attempt to mask the ignorance and/or gullibility of his earlier comments on the matter:

eh ... is it not obvious that this is just clever editing?
Colbert wasn't really addressing that audience.
Nicely done though.
Posted by: bob wood | April 30, 2006 11:24 AM

[...] I can help thinking that those shots where GWB is also in the frame do look somewhat touched up. I must take a look at footage of the last Correspondent's dinner to see if I recognise GWB's pained expression being re-used in these new clips.
Additionally there is something about Colbert's manner as he speaks that makes it seem "staged" in the sense of not addressing a live audience.
It sure looks convincing. But even the audience interaction looks craftily done, but not quite convincing.
Posted by: bob wood | April 30, 2006 03:44 PM

Colbert did do a light-hearted skit segment of about 3 minutes. However various sources on the internet now assert that the longer video that is rapidly circulating globally is actually clever re-edit with large chunks of PA test footage delivered by Colbert long before the audience filled the room and the first glass of champagne was poured.
Absolute genius viral move by Colbert. Looks like Jon Stewart isn't the only one who can harness the internet.
To have the shake hands with GWB at the end just makes the whole thing sit perfectly together.
Posted by: bob wood | April 30, 2006 04:12 PM

You are so right Bob Wood! The facts were clearly biased against Bush and to point those facts out to him! What was he thinking!

My god, why wasn't Colbert shipped off to Camp X-Ray (although there is still time). Showing total disregard to how the Media must behave. You would swear he had some freedom of speech or something. I don't think he did, I didn't see any cage around him? Did you? Clearly he is well out of order!

Just remember in all this 68% of US still believe in what Bush isn't doing.

Can't stand by and let the celebratory comments descend into personal attacks. Attack the idea not the person.

Bob has his ideas and feelings as does everyone else. I personally got the biggest laugh at this. But I have to admit I was a little saddened that this does not happen more often and the fact that people think it is so wow, awesome to criticise the Pres. I mean, he is just a man, not a God.

Here's a quote I came across recently:

"Dialogue is a conversation with a centre, not sides"

It was taken from a document on dialogue processes and tools which you can download here

I just want to point out that Bob Wood made this analogy:

"Observing his attack on GWB felt about as enjoyable as watching the humiliation of a disabled person who had wet their pants."

Which makes the the President out to be a disabled pants-wetter.

He has to be pulling your legs, he's good at satirising the necon apologists though I'll give him that.

I was never too much of a fan of Colbert's O'Reilly shtick. But if all he did since having his own show was to lead up to this performance - it was absolutely worth it.

This has got to have been one of the most painful critiques to the Bush White House and the callous press corps that made it all happen. Way to go, guys! The most corrupt president in a century and you all slept while he was tearing apart the world. Colbert shows you how that looks from the outside. It hurts, right?

Oh, and Bob: Never mind. Uncle Dubya will survive. He'll have another 1000 days to trash another country, don't worry. Speaking of ambushes...

Christopher, you caught me.

I couldn't let a momentous occasion like this go by without being l'agent provocateur in some guise. Stupidity always attracts more attention than wit.

My blog-trolling aside, credit where credit is due. Colbert didn't waver in his mission; what a glorious roasting. Pity he diluted it with some silly capers and the odd clanger of a dud punchline. But there were enough chuckles and rabbit punches at Bush to keep the footage torrenting for weeks to come.

http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/

That was very impressive; I've had some pretty 'loveless' moments on stage, but I don't think I could go 26 (!) minutes like Mr. Colbert did with absolutly no reaction from the crowd!!

Can anyone invite me to demonoid? I can't download it.
Thanks

I really like what www.transbuddha.com said:

"Take note, dear readers, because this performance is going to go down as the greatest (and bravest) stand-up bit in history.

If this doesn’t make you want to lay down and make sweet constitutional love to the First Amendment, I will fight you."

SEAN

I think I just choked on my sandwich.

omg that was so funny! He really is the king! I wonder who invited him there?

the courage it took to tell bush the truth was inspiring. I hope everyone get to see this incredible performance. God keep you safe Mr. Colbert. May be we will be able to find American, it is somewhere between the pacific, atlantic and the bush lies.

Wow you get a high five from us!! Way to go you gave it to them like I prayed you would. Watch out for the Fox police I hear Oreilly has connections. Great job

He has redefined "balls." Who says there are no more heroes? You get the sense that Bush had no idea what was happening. I bet Laura had to explain it to him the next day.

Stunning, brilliant, knockout performance. How did karl rove allow this to happen? They're all losing it!
"Shoot me in the face" - man, he obliterated them! A bit of catharsis for the thinking American for a change. I suppose that's how he got in. Colbert's right wing pundit shtick is subtle, yet the right wing people are not. They are dull and limp of brain. So maybe someone saw a few minutes of his show and said, sure, fine, he sounds ok. Done deal, though, he blew their minds out the door.

This is the most ironic thing: people shouldn't be arguing over whether this was funny or not. It really wasn't. And I was laughing through most of the jokes.

This was not funny because, as my favourite line of the presentation went: "It's like boxing a glacier. Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is." Why isn't that funny? Because its the truth. And there were people in that room, not to mention any names, who were not laughing, not taking it seriously, and have all the power to make a significant difference.

Its not funny - because the damage Colbert was talking about is REAL. And all the powerful people in that room have done little-to-nothing-to-making it worse.

And when it takes the court jesture to tell the king the truth, we have a problem. Go read king lear and see how wonderful that turned out.

At first I thought it was lame that he actually hosted this crap...but then he just ripped him apart. Genius!

Boom. Headshot.

Colbert 1, Bush 0.

I cringed, i'll admit it. I said "ohhhh damn!" numerous times. I didn't laugh at everything Stephen Colbert said but I understood what he meant. The press corps allowed the President to walk all over them time and time again. THE PRESS CORPS IS OUR WATCHDOG, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT. The correspondants there didn't laugh through half of this because they were realizing this "fake" news person has more GUTS than any of them have had for 5 years (minus Helen Thomas she for only 4). Maybe this will be a wake-up call for the press. maybe not.