Why Stephen Colbert is dangerous — and invaluable

[babylonsister]

http://www.salon.com/2014/04/09/why_stephen_colbert_is_dangerous_and_invaluable/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Wednesday, Apr 9, 2014 01:45 PM EST
Why Stephen Colbert is dangerous — and invaluable
Bill O’Reilly’s latest freak-out helps explain why the satirist is so important for the progressive movement
Joan Walsh


snip//

Colbert captured O’Reilly’s trademark faulty logic and paranoia by making a long list of things O’Reilly will never be “equal” to – he’ll never be “as mature as a toddler,” for instance – and concluded that because the Fox host will never play basketball as well as Shaq, “the top 1 percent should control 40 percent of the nation’s wealth.” It was a jaunty spoof of the way rich Republicans deliberately misrepresent the goals of people who are concerned that we’ve returned to Gilded Age levels of income inequality.

And O’Reilly lost it. He attacked Colbert as “one of the biggest mouthpieces for the progressive movement” and “the darling of the far-left Internet.” (He obviously slept through the #CancelColbert controversy.) He accused him of believing in the version of equality practiced by communist China and the former Soviet Union.

snip//


For four nights a week, over the last nine years, Colbert has calmly and brilliantly inhabited a persona that puts him in the psyche of delusional, entitled, wealthy conservative white men like O’Reilly, bullies who want their country back, and are willing to do plenty of damage as they try (but ultimately fail) to retrieve it. Hey, it’s only humor, but it’s made it clear to those bullies that time, and demography, are their enemies, and it’s made it harder for them to recruit young people, particularly young white people, to their right-wing backward-looking pity party. That’s important.

Those bullies see Colbert clearly as an ally to progressive causes and a threat to their privilege, and that should be just as clear to progressives. Sadly we’re having a moment when it’s OK to suggest we don’t want certain people on “our side,” even if they want to be on “our side,” and that bewilders me. I just know I’m on Colbert’s side.

[liberal N proud]

1. The right is suddenly and really worried about Colbert

His methods can easily fool.

[notadmblnd]

4. I always wonderd how long it was going to take the Right to realize that Stephen

wasn't really one of them.

[brewens]

6. I like to try and introduce right-wingers to Colbert any time I can. It's getting harder

since he's become more well known. It was always fun to have him on and see a Republican friened with kind of like a confused dog reaction!

Who could forget the Tom Delay defense fund website? The freakin' tool running that had Colberts video spoofing support of Delay up for several days before someone clued him in and it got taken down.

[seabeyond]

11. i had someone in RL argue he was a repug. my mouth dropped open. colbert had been around

long enough i did not believe anyone was still fooled. but sure enough. couple years later, i wonder if this woman gets it yet, and remembers that conversation.

i didnt work too hard trying to convince her. i felt if she didnt get it, it would be a waste of my time.

[Dustlawyer]

14. People like that are how Fox News does so well, they are so easily manipulated!

[seabeyond]

15. ha. and i probably thought just that as my mouth was hanging open. lol. nt

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

16. When the show first came out

Almost NINE YEARS AGO! Crap, that's a long time...

Anyway, when the show first came out, I thought, "It's funny but how long can he keep this character going?"

The apparently, is "forever."

[seabeyond]

19. firstly, ya. NINE years, lol. i saw that and was a wow. time goes... i remember the first show

hubby and i watching, and was a meh....

didnt really have the timing and kinda forced at the beginning. now he is so smooth and fast, all over it.

and ya. i did too.

[mountain grammy]

24. I had a hard time understanding him at first, same reaction, just so so.

I loved him on the Daily Show but his new show, not so much. It didn't take long before I was sitting on my couch applauding. He's a genius, and while I'm still a devout watcher of the Daily Show, Colbert is even better.

[seabeyond]

27. everyone in my family, we all agree, including my 16 and 19 yr old sons....

they are simply different in their smart deserving their own compartment in talent.

i am more intuned with stewart and probably respect him more in smarts, how he sees life. i totally do not always agree and would approach certain issues differently. i do his style more. appreciate it more.

but, colbert is a treat to watch because of his out there abilities. and i probably agree with his positions more than stewart, if we get the true discussion with colbert on issues.

[mountain grammy]

79. Oh, Colbert is much more liberal, I'm sure. He was raised in South Carolina

at the height of the Civil Rights era in a family deeply involved in the movement.
I hate to see his show end because he's really getting under O'reilly's skin. Bill-O has always joked about Colbert, but he seems to be really offended lately, to which I say, boo hoo and yippee.

[notadmblnd]

58. That's what I told my political science professor

the class was talking about The Daily Show one day and how funny Jon Stewart is. I said Jon Stewart is funny, but Stephen Colbert is genius. My professor was a liberal, but he gave me a real confused look and I didn't elaborate on my statement. So, I think at the beginning Stephen even fooled some liberals.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

73. I remember his first episode.

He seemed nervous and a bit rushed, but it didn't take long for him to absolutely command that persona. I don't know Colbert, but I gotta say I'm "proud" of him. And I cannot believe it's been 9 years!

[7962]

46. Anyone who thinks or thought he was a republican obviously never WATCHED his show.

Either that or they're easily duped. Like back when Limbaugh endorsed Bill Clinton in '92. He really did.

[DebJ]

49. Actually I know Republicans who did watch, and several years into it, still didn't get it.

[7962]

57. After going back and listening to the Limbaugh clip, I think you're right!

They didnt get what he was doing either.

[bitchkitty]

51. You're shittin' me!

Limbaugh endorsed Clinton? Damn, I must have been on drugs at the time...LOL

[7962]

56. HA! Here's a link for you:

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/08/01/from_the_grooveyard_rush_endorses_clinton_in_1992_and_then_denies_it
Here's a youtube clip:

Jump to 5:00 for the actual statement, then go to about 8:15 to hear the callers go nuts.

He endorsed him, and then as soon as people called him on it he denied it. He was trying to point out things that Clinton and said and done in the past and then denied it ever happened or blamed it on being younger.
But the funny thing is, just like with Colbert apparently, how SO MANY of his listeners didnt realize what he was doing and they went nuts.
I worked for a guy back then who used to play him on the radio in the office and I actually heard it. My boss got the joke right off, but a lot of other people sure didnt.
And on a side note, thats 20+ yrs ago. The Limbaugh you hear today seems like he just says stuff to get in the news. Doesnt even sound like what I heard back then. I guess the pills got to his brain!!

[zeemike]

63. It should have been obvious from the opening credits.

When the American Bald Eagle came at your face with his tallons...but again Republicans don't get shit like that.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

64. Well, my Mom is a lefty and couldn't stand Colbert because...

she thought his alter-ego was the real deal!

[awoke_in_2003]

66. Remember when he spoke...

at one of Bush's press dinners? They didn't get it until it was too late.

[notadmblnd]

69. I watched it again. Someone posted it below

There were a lot of people cringing during it.

[awoke_in_2003]

70. And Stephen was cool as a cucumber. nt

[SummerSnow]

76. Remember when they thought ...

" March to Keep Fear Alive" &"Rally to Restore Sanity" in 2010 was pro conservative? Then they realized it wasn't and they were being satirized.

[callous taoboy]

2. O'Loofa has always reminded me of Frank Burns.

[Adrahil]

28. LOL, good call! NT

[el_bryanto]

3. Well Salon has been taking potshots at both Colbert and John Stewart

So I think Joan Walsh wants to underline that in general they support Colbert.

Somewhat justifiable potshots it must be said.

Bryant

[seabeyond]

12. hey... i didnt catch the "cancelcolbert" thing. i saw it but didnt read about it.

i thought it was a joke. was it not?

[Kelvin Mace]

21. No,

a lot of dudgeons were elevated to dizzying heights over a Colbert remark posted on Twitter out of context to the original sketch.

The irony was that one side was annoyed about "white people" over-generalizing about non-whites, while making sweeping generalizations about "white people" (Then getting VERY mad when this was pointed out).

There was some legitimate points made, specifically that "white men" cannot understand what it is like to be female and/or non-white and/or non-heterosexual and discriminated against. While it is true that I cannot internalize that kind of discrimination the way an actual victim would, that does not mean I cannot empathize about it.

I am a straight white guy, and while I only know the world from that perspective, I have experienced harassment, ridicule and even violence over my views that women, non-whites and non-heterosexuals were people like everyone else, and entitled to the same rights and respect as the "white male patriarchy".

And, yes, I am aware that it doesn't happen to me almost all the time, but I am certainly more aware of these hostilities and try to defuse them as best I can.

[seabeyond]

26. gotcha. i will have to check out the tweet. both colbert and stewart will go to male privilege

with women. especially colbert. i recognize it and am not a fan. i call it out, with those around me. we discuss. i have the most insightful conversation with my 19 yr old white upper class male, lol, true privilege, my son, just yesterday.

i appreciate the way you express it in your post. i get that.

and when we chat in awareness, in privilege.... and acknowledging, just as with women's anger... and acknowledging, i feel that allows progression. forward.

thank you for replying. gonna check it out to see what was said. but then, i google poorly. so... some kind sole reading this, if you have an easy link i will always appreciate.

[Kelvin Mace]

36. Here is a link to a Variety story

with links to the original posts and the video clip of the original setup.

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/stephen-colbert-accused-of-racism-with-cancelcolbert-campaign-1201149494/

[seabeyond]

39. thank you kevin. you are the man....

i even created an OP with the hope, lol.... easy would be provided. thank you. i will check it out.

[Kelvin Mace]

13. The recent dig at Jon Stewart

seems more related to what I am discussing below about context.

It can also relate to differences in perception. Some people don't react well to sarcasm, not matter when used or how. I have a friend who sees fierce rebuke in a comment which I see as a mild admonishment. One co-worker's comment to another of "Well, look who decided to come into work today." can be meant ironically about another the person who is usually quite punctual, but the object of the comment is taken as a serious criticism and expression of annoyance, totally missing the "faux snark" in the tone.

Then again, we all have bad days, and can overreact. We need to cut each other some slack.

[a kennedy]

5. and I don't want Stephen to move into the "late show" mode.....

he needs to stay at comedy central, and keep on doing what he's doing. He and Jon do such a great service to thinking people.

[Brainstormy]

9. I worry about that, too

What a monumental waste that would be!

[seabeyond]

29. i have been thinking about that. i think you would lose that caricature, but... natural progression

i can see a true value of colbert progressing to self. and isnt that odd, that is what he has created.

do a decade with colbert caricature then colbert.

[Fla Dem]

53. I agree. Will not be able to satire the RW anymore. Have lost an important voice. nt

[Kelvin Mace]

7. I think there are still a few folk

who don't understand that Colbert is satire. Same thing happened with Archie Bunker, some people didn't realize the point of the character was to ridicule Archie's bigotry, they saw nothing wrong with his pronouncements.

Sadly, All in the Family could not be made today (nor could Blazing Saddles) not because of objections from the Right, but objections from the Left.

Sadly we’re having a moment when it’s OK to suggest we don’t want certain people on “our side,” even if they want to be on “our side,” and that bewilders me.

I assume you are referring to the Colbert-Park dust up. I read her interview in Salon and she lost me when she said that context was not important is the controversy. Context is not just important in language, context is EVERYTHING. Without context, language becomes very ambiguous and breaks down as a means of communication. Context applies to what is said, who said it, to whom it is said, where it is said, and the tone or voice/body language present when it is said. This is especially true given human's weird habit of declaring some words "out of bounds" or "profane"

"Ass" is okay in the context of "Mary road in on an ass." or "The law is an ass.", but "He has a nice ass" is rude/improper/profane.

In the UK, you can have a "bloody" nose, but the use of "bloody" as an adjective in a metaphorical context is impolite/profane.

"Fuck" can get you a fine from the FCC, but you can substitute "frack" for the same contextual usage and it is fine. Hell, just the "fuck" word by itself can be an expression of awe, frustration, or annoyance depending on tone, who says it whom and the circumstances under which it is said.

You cannot judge a person by the words he uses in isolation to the context in which they are used. Unfortunately people do precisely that all the time, especially in politics.

[Liberalynn]

23. I had a similar conversation

with my cousins. For instance I asked since shit and poop mean the same thing why is it wrong to say shit, or piss versus pee? They said because one is crude and the other isn't. Personally I wondered who gets to decide these things. I will be the first to say "words" are important but I will only judge you for them if you are using them to deliberately degrade or deceive someone else, in an actual harmful way. I confess sometimes I like to swear. It's a relatively safe way to release emotional pressure.

[Kelvin Mace]

38. The differences between the words

you cite arose out of class distinctions. Since the "lower classes" used a word, it became necessary to come up with other words instead of the ones the proles were using.

[jeff47]

60. Most of them are from the Norman invasion.

When talking about English, most of the "rude" vs. "polite" words come from the Norman invasion.

The rich and powerful were suddenly French and speaking French. Over time, they drifted towards English, but French-like words started being used when one wanted to seem rich and powerful. So "Fuck the Penguin" became "Intercourse the Penguin".

Meanwhile, the poor folk kept using the old words.

Fast-forward a few centuries, and the old words are now labeled "profane" while the "rich and powerful" version is not.

[annabanana]

59. Goes back to Saxons vs Normans in English history.

The Saxons lost and their "four letter words" for bodily functions became "rude" (shit piss fuck) while the Norman (French) terms were accepted language.

Interesting stuff.

[Enthusiast]

62. Yeah. And it just goes to show you that the little guy has been getting fucked over for a long time.

Poop and pee, lol!

[nikto]

81. I can't account for the Saxons, but...

[elias49]

8. There is NO-ONE like Stephen Colbert..

period.
But I must say that I wish the "Stephen, Stephen, Stephen" chant would stop. Just saying.

[Brainstormy]

10. The "Colbert can be dismissed as clueless"

line in O'Reilly's rant is one of the finest examples of irony I've ever seen.

[IronLionZion]

17. Does he still get invited to speak at GOP events?

I remember when he was speaking at a Bush event and just bravely tore everyone apart. From the looks on their faces, I feared for the poor guy's life.

[NewJeffCT]

20. That was awesome

that was the annual White House Correspondent's dinner in 2006 where some RWers still thought Colbert was really a RWer. The look on Bush's face was priceless - he was at least smart enough to know he was being mocked.

[mountain grammy]

25. I never get tired of watching this. Thanks.

[Orrex]

31. That was probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen on TV

DU's dicussions about it at the time were terrific, too.

The pureset beauty of it IMO is that he seems to be flopping, but he's calm and steady and fearless from start to finish, without even a drop of perspiration on his forehead. He was utterly in control of his material and his audience.

A masterful performance by any measure.

[seabeyond]

32. i remember that i was impressed, but i have not watched since. i am gonna have to see it again...

but that was very interesting being a first to go the direction he did, in this manner, and people tread lightly if they talk about it.

i think that one had a real under the radar effect.

[seabeyond]

33. same with his testifying, where? committee....

media snarked it.... but i think it was effective for its time...

[ybbor]

72. But the best was the freepers reaction.

They were FREAKiNG out. I immediately went to see what they were saying and it was almost as comical.

Oh memories.

[The Wizard]

40. The performance at the White House Correspondents dinner

was a masterpiece. He not only lampooned Bush, but pilloried the compliant media that kowtowed to the Bush cartel from day one, essentially calling them stenographers.
"This administration is soaring like the Hindenburg. " Surprised Bush didn't order a hit on him for that.
And the media in attendance hammered him saying he wasn't funny because he shined the light of day on their low standards.
If only the media seriously questioned the Bush sales pitch for invading and occupying Iraq, as is their duty as journalists, that entire tragedy could have been avoided. But hey, there was no stained blue dress.

[7962]

47. Nothing was gonna stop Cheney. I dont even think Bush has anything to do with him now.

I think a lot of people are now seeing that they were used by Cheney. Remains to be seen how many will talk about it in public.

[TNNurse]

42. Onre of my favorite things EVER!!!

The people who thought he was the right choice and those who were there to hear it, deserved a large dose of understanding. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

[90-percent]

65. Colbert at the 2006 Correspondents dinner

That was simply one of the most awe inspiring displays of MORAL COURAGE of the entire GWB dark ages.

It was a great man being great. It's a shame all our institutions have had their great people displaced by selfish mean elitist animal sociopaths.

It is fitting Stephen will carry on Letterman's legacy.

-90% jimmy

[calimary]

68. That was EXQUISITE! Better than chocolate truffles that don't make you fat!

Watching bush sitting there slumped back in his chair like some fat-ass would-be Roman emperor was the only Ick-moment. And I'm not entirely sure he knew he was being mocked. I don't give him that much credit for intelligence. Not with all the brain cells he's killed in his life!

[zazen]

35. I most remember that SCOTUS Justice Scalia was in hysterics, which frightened me even more

The fact that he could comprehend that Colbert was eviscerating right-wingers right in front of them, and that he had the wits and security to just howl with laughter at it, made me realize that Scalia knows exactly what he's doing and isn't insecure about it in the least.

What do you do when a person whose strategies/policies/jurisprudence you consider elitist, harmful and complicitous in evil is perfectly capable of laughing at their behavior and then continuing right along with it?

It still creeps me out!!

[NewJeffCT]

48. Yes, he knows exactly what he's doing

and, I know he'll hang on till death, or a Republican president, on the Supreme Court.

I also remember him mocking people who accused him on a conflict of interest on something several years ago - so, he's certainly aware of day-to-day goings on as well.

[annabanana]

61. He became my hero that day.

Jonathan Swift has nothing on him!

[NewJeffCT]

18. Funny how the right likes to pull out China as a bad example

but, leading RWers like Newt Gingrich have been advocating we be more like China in terms of capital gains taxes (0 in China) and child labor laws (not really enforced consistently in China, if at all.)

That led to a great comeback by Jon Stewart a few years ago - "So, the only way we can stop Obama's socialist machine is to become Communist!"

[mckara]

22. Colbert is Great!

[mountain grammy]

30. When I was still working for my stupid foxhead right wing boss (happily retired almost 4 years now)

I said something about Colbert. She said "oh, he's so funny." I thought, you don't even know he's making fun of you.

In 2008, when my boss's hero, John McCain, chose Palin as his VP, she was clapping her hands and saying "oh goodie, we have a women candidate who cares so much about children's issues." I said, please, she's an anti choice woman who doesn't seem very bright. I think ole John made a big mistake. Kind of gave her the vapors, me contradicting her, but she knew, at that time, she couldn't run that place without me.

[The Wizard]

34. Colbert puts a magnifying glass

on absurd right wing positions. Right wing rubes are the last ones to get satire and irony. He makes right wing buffoonery on steroids his trademark. His fans figured him out immediately. The right wing, as usual, is behind the curve.

[zazen]

37. was it Colbert or Franken on that C-SPAN panel with Molly Ivins who eviscerated O'Reilly?

Even Boondocks did a cartoon on it. Damn, that was hilarious.

[mascarax]

75. Franken

Another video to find and watch!
Watching Molly during it was a bonus.

[IkeRepublican]

41. Darling of the far-left

Anybody who doesn't wrap their lips around the GOP's schizophrenic phallus is "far left" according to those bastards.

There hasn't been a "far left" in decades.

[The Wizard]

43. One of his funniest bits

was on the Daily Show as a news correspondent and he said his real name was Ted Hitler, spoofing gay male prostitute James Gukert (Jeff Gannon) who apparently had the freedom to come and go as he pleased in the Bush White House disguised as a journalist.
Still wondering who in the Bush White House was the bottom he was servicing.

[Bobbie Jo]

44. Colbert is freaking brilliant.

K&R

[1StrongBlackMan]

45. Wow, Bill ...

Like many ideological fanatics, Colbert is misguided in the extreme … He’s a true progressive believer playing exclusively to other believers. Colbert can be dismissed as clueless, but the guy does do damage because he gives cover to powerful people who are selling Americans a big lie that this country is bad.

Change three words ("Colbert", "Progressive", and "Bad", and it becomes clear ... this is projection, in its most clear form. I have to believe that Bill recognizes that he is a conservative ideological fanatic playing to other misguided, clueless ideological grievants, giving cover to the 1% (in the most derisive meaning of the word), who would have his audience to believe that "all for them and none for you" is the natural and true state of America.

[Zorra]

50. K&R nt

[Fuddnik]

52. Bad News... BREAKING, RIGHT NOW COLBERT TO REPLACE LETTERMAN....

NO JOKE...FOR REAL.

[Gothmog]

54. Colbert will be great on the Late Show

I am going to miss the Colbert Report

[Flatpicker]

55. Which is probably

part of the reason they moved him.

It's a promotion into a less effective position.

[northoftheborder]

67. He'll be terrific on the night show!!!! BUT.....

NO ONE can replace his brilliant, witty, sharp, hilarious persona on the Colbert Report. I will certainly miss that. The man is a genius, one of the greatest comedic minds of our time.

[alarimer]

71. Unfortunately, at the Late Show, he will have to play it safe.

He will not be able to skewer right-wingers the way he does now by pretending to be one of them.

They hate it because they know the portrayal is spot-on.

I am not happy about this at all.

[Cha]

74. Colbert has so calmly and brilliantly inhabited this "persona" that

the bush WH invited him to be the host comedian at the WHCD.. where Stephen preceded to reveal the truth about them. Who can forget that!?

[Shankapotomus]

77. Seemed to me Letterman

has been tougher on Right Wingers than Colbert. You could tell when interviewing people like Trump or O'Reilly, Letterman had very little enthusiasm for humoring with Righties. I will miss that.

[slingsam]

78. I wonder if might be possible

for the Colbert Report to co-exist with The Late Night gig? Or is that impossible? I hate to lose that persona.....Coal Bear, I mean!!!!

[mucifer]

80. Letterman is endorsing the decision. Makes sense.

[yuiyoshida]

82. I wonder if Bill O'Reilly is miffed about

Not being chosen to replace David Letterman. On the other hand... WHO the freak CARES ...