Stephen Colbert

[Andail]

The moon, up your mother's ass (Mr. Show), some parts of the Sahara and Gobi deserts...

Hm...are you suggesting that these are the only places with more freedom than the USA?
You need to travel more, matey

[voh]

Being from the Netherlands, where satire is at a high at the moment, it's nothing special to me. Our royal family gets a lot of lip from comedians, and it's there where you expect it - on nationally subsidized television. The government gets even more lip, and that's just the way it should be. The media is coloured - yes, but when something is clearly wrong, it's shown to be.

This "roast" was weird for me, as I didn't expect it in America. Though it's the "land of the free", and so many Americans still have pride in that, I can't help but feel that political correctness is too strong there - as if the Media have their own agenda and select their news on that agenda.

But I'm uneducated in the workings of America and/or the American press. That's just what it seems like to me.

And the audition tape bit was just plain lame. Safe. While he did address some issues, it was still very, very mild. Perhaps the situation in which it was said makes it more ballsy, but this is mild compared to what the Dutch government has to live with

[Anarcho]

I think the audience wasn't sure if they SHOULD laugh.  The entire situation was so awkward.  NOBODY has confronted the president like this, through satire or other means.  But as other people have stated, I think the value is in what Colbert said and who he said it in front of, not whether or not it was funny.  The NY Times has finally covered this story, but they sorta framed it as, "Was he funny?"  My opinion is...well yes, he was funny, but the point is...he just called out the President on all his sh%t, right to his face.

For those of you who suggest Colbert was mild in his speech...I think you need to understand the culture surrounding the President and media right now.  The press rarely ask him tough questions, he gets offended if they do.  They get called "Liberal" if they ask him anything midly confrontational.  Colbert was saying some hardcore stuff if you ask me.  My jaw dropped on hearing some of his speech.

Finally, I don't want to start a pissing match on whether or not Bush is a good president, or the worst in history...but why should anyone automatically give a person respect?  Respect is earned.  This man hasn't done a single thing to earn my respect.  Sure, he's the President, but that doesn't entitle him to a free ride.

[bspeers]

Hey, of course he deserves your respect.  It's not as if becoming president is all about having a dedicated "liberal" press, powerful financial backers, the support of your dad who was the president AND the head of the secret service.  That's the kind of stuff that would happen in Soviet Russia!

Bush personally fought an army of terrorist ninjas on rollerblades riding manta-rays led by Kerry, flying straight into the undersea white-house with his arms tied behind his back and lime (the stone kind) being rubbed in his eyes by his jealous brother.  Remember, Dubya came up in this world FROM NOTHING, literally a zygote, and he had to win the election without even getting the popular vote.  That's hard.

And he did it all with a learning disability!  Not even Ronald Regan can say that.  Of course, he's dead, but that doesn't detract from the president's achievement.  After all, only he could have done it, not just any warm body capable/incapable of handling talking points could do it.  Like, my friend's hispanic--that never would have flown.

[MrColossal]

Wow Bspeers... I can't believe you got that so wrong...

God appointed George Bush and everyone knows it!

[big brother]

The moon, up your mother's ass (Mr. Show), some parts of the Sahara and Gobi deserts...

Hm...are you suggesting that these are the only places with more freedom than the USA?
You need to travel more, matey

You missing the point, buddy.

If you want to quibble, I compete in the fencing World Cup circuit a few years back... which gives me more international travel experience than most Americans (and more mileage than most Europeans).

What places are you talking about?

[lo_res_man]

Canada!
Were we throw pies inÃ,  two our prime ministers face, one TWICE (Jean Chretien, Paul Martin
Were a former prime minister got Egged while walking down the street. ( Pierre Trudeau)
Were the national sport is criticising the government.
Were we have one of the worlds highest comedians per capita

I have never quoted myself before, but I thought it was  a good idea. this is a place with more freedom, but admittedly not much

[Matt Brown]

The whole bit (and even the one with the twin bushes), was hysterical. Surely, the only thing worth watching on CSPAN for quite a while

[2ma2]

How come "liberal media" is frowned upon in the land of LIBERTY..

[lo_res_man]

Rhetoric my good man, (or woman)itÃ, is the art of packaging bullshit so people WANT to buy it. "Land of Liberty" my star spangled ASS.

[Matt Brown]

How come "liberal media" is frowned upon in the land of LIBERTY..

There is no "Liberal Media". US Conservatives created its myth, so they wouldnt be accountible to the press.

[evenwolf]

You guys and the argument that Colbert was SOOOO contraversial are forgetting this particular pattern:


2005 White House Correspondents Dinner:


Laura Bush makes contraversial jokes about herself and her husband, about her being a desperate housewife and about her husband jacking off a horse.


2004 White House Correspondents Dinner:

George W. Bush roasts himself for not being able to find WMDs... in his oval office, using a slideshow.


2000 White House Correspondents Dinner:

Just for fun!!!!!

Bill Clinton's self-depracating short film including Kevin Spacey.



These dinners are ALL about roasting the president.  Yes, Colbert kept a straight face and burned his ass...... but the only reason why is that G.W.  had ALOT to be burned about.  Everything recently has been negative.

[Andail]

You missing the point, buddy.

If you want to quibble, I compete in the fencing World Cup circuit a few years back... which gives me more international travel experience than most Americans (and more mileage than most Europeans).

What places are you talking about?

For the record, I've been to some 25 countries on 4 different continents, and I've been involved in exchange student organisations since 2001.

When it comes to freedom, it's a matter of what you value. For me it's a sort of freedom being able to walk in a school or a street without risking being gunned down.
Then again, last time I was in the Sahara desert I was part of a convoy surveyed by armed policemen, which wasn't very free at all.

[DGMacphee]

Watch this clip

That's how retarded the criticism against Colbert is.

"Boohoo! Colbert mentioned the word "Tuesday" and Sept 11 happened on a Tuesday and I'm going to hold it against him even though this relation I've made is completely arbitrary! Also, I recently saw Colbert eating M&Ms and I was eating M&Ms when Sept 11 happened, which must mean Colbert is making a disgrace out of our nation's tragedy! Waawaawaacryboohoo I'm a fucking idiot!"

[lo_res_man]

Well I agreeÃ,  it is pretty stupid.
BUT freedom is the right to believe something someone else believes is wrong.
and it works BOTH ways.
So they are Neo-Con-Bible-Belt-Flag-Waving nutcases?
you might be a Commie-Evolutionist- Flag-Burning psycho
or a Bland- Molly â€"Coddleâ€"Milky-Toasty wimp.
All sides must be allowed there say for this to be democracy.
So you don't agree with them, fine.
But you don't have to be rude.
(But you can if you really WANT to be )

[big brother]

For the record, I've been to some 25 countries on 4 different continents, and I've been involved in exchange student organisations since 2001.

When it comes to freedom, it's a matter of what you value. For me it's a sort of freedom being able to walk in a school or a street without risking being gunned down.
Then again, last time I was in the Sahara desert I was part of a convoy surveyed by armed policemen, which wasn't very free at all.

This is nice, but you're still missing the original point. I'm not trying to have a tourism competition with you (I only wanted to know I'm slightly more traveled than your average Yank). In fact, I've already admitted I'm not as traveled as most Europeans, so you win!

Of those 25 countries you've been to, which ones have more freedom (your definition) than the US (assuming you've spent a few weeks here)? I for one, have never been gunned down walking on the street (in fact, the only place that this possibility occurs to me in the slightest is the ghetto NJ area in which I live).

If we assume I didn't say "parts of the Sahara and Gobi", what about the other two options?

[DGMacphee]

So you don't agree with them, fine.
But you don't have to be rude.
(But you can if you really WANT to be )

cuz freedom isnt free

buck oh five

america.... FUCK YEAH!!!

[lo_res_man]

I think what is sad about the US of A right now is not its lack of freedom,(America still has more freedom then say...China) but the DECRESE of freedom. for "Security"
an American statesmen said it best, "People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both" That is what is wrong, this loss of freedom.
And what make it so sad is that it was "voluntary"
So sad.

buck oh five

america.... FUCK YEAH!!!

   what does this mean, I do not understand your lingo, I am sensing a feeling of anger about america, but not much else, please clarify

[Kweepa]

It's from the film Team America - World Police. And it's awesome.

[Andail]

Big Brother:
Let's recapitulate. Somebody tried to present the fact there exist places with more freedom than the USA, to which you reply

The moon, up your mother's ass (Mr. Show), some parts of the Sahara and Gobi deserts...

After this statement, immature in diction as in sentiment, you seem both amused and surprised that I didn't get your "point" (but please, pretty please, feel free to enlighten me about this point of yours).

Freedom is of course subjective, and it's also a question of give and take. Most Americans claim to be free since they have the rights to own weapons, but this in my opinion takes away from the freedom of feeling safe.

You have the Patriot Act and several other more or less known survellaince programs, often heavily focused on organisations openly debating everything from veganism to anti-war issues to abortions (no matter how peaceful they are). People who look just remotely arabic can be held captive and sustained without cause, trial or attorneys.

If you ever partake in movements more politically provokative than fencing, you might experience this too.
And this doesn't happen in most western European countries today.