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 Truthdigger of the Week: Stephen ColbertPosted on Jan 27, 2012
Yes, he’s a funny guy, and granted, he’s a celebrity and thus already commands an absurd amount of attention and bandwidth, but we’re quite serious about our pick of Stephen Colbert as this week’s Truthdigger. Why? Well, reviving the Cain Train, however fleetingly, was an artful trick, as was outstripping Jon Huntsman in the run-up to the South Carolina primary, but we would respectfully submit a bigger, better reason—plus, those other stunts have already spun out the other end of the news cycle. Though South Carolina’s foremost satirist no doubt has some ratings-driven motives for staging showy antics in his home state, there was, as per usual, an earnest impulse of civic service behind Colbert’s latest pranks on a political system that all too frequently veers into self-parody without any help from the good people at Comedy Central. Announcing that he was running for president (again) was one way to demonstrate, by simple insinuation, that any clown with the requisite money and vanity could buy a chance to become this season’s hanging chad (with a follow-up book deal and a stint as Fox News pundit in the bag). And attempting to sponsor the S.C. primary was a witty strategy to point out how branding and voting are disturbingly codependent activities in this, the America of the 21st century. But pondering these electoral object lessons now obliges us to get to the point: We think Colbert deserves the laurels this time for the work he’s done to share his platform with the unfunny problem of campaign funding gone berserk. Establishing what is now known as “The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC,” thanks to a mysterious induction ceremony involving Colbert, his lawyer, Jon Stewart and intentionally bad special effects, was a deliberately confusing way to bring the Supreme Court’s scary Citizens United ruling into focus on a national scale. Certain operatives from all points along the political spectrum would do well to fixate less on crashing their fellow Americans’ commitment ceremonies and instead channel their energies into busting up the unholy marriage between money and politics over which our enrobed friends at SCOTUS presided back in 2010. Got that? Good. Because from the look of it, loosening up the flimsy campaign finance regulations that still hung over the body politic like a cheap camisole has made way for some pretty bald and bawdy power grabs by parties with deep pockets but questionable intentions toward our civil liberties. So, although he may not be president anytime soon (or Herman Cain, for that matter), mockery might make for good policy if Colbert can make his super PAC play money talk in the preferred language of our country’s prevailing corporate politicians. —Kasia Anderson Advertisement
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By severed2009, January 31, 2012 at 10:20 pm Link to this comment
This country controls dissent mainly by persuading most people to avoid or
ignore it rather than by suppressing it directly. The Smothers Brothers and Bill
Maher were not arrested and tortured, or beaten up by government goons, but
merely forced off the mainstream air. These days they would be exiled to an
obscure cable channel and have a cult following. Very frustrating, but better
than no following at all.
I do not think the basic changes we want will come about because a determined
minority organizes, gains power by hook or by crook, and rams them down the
throats of the rest. Such things rarely end well. There will probably be a
lengthy period where we keep the old system going even though an increasing
number of us find it absurd, unjust, self-defeating, etc. We keep it going
because a bad system is better than utter chaos.
At the same time we try to figure out what different systems would look like,
Report thishow to make sure they would really work, and lastly how to make changeovers
without winding up with neither old nor new working. In other words, chaos.
This is what we should be doing, but we do not know how. So our starting
point must be to figure out how to get started.
By John Poole, January 30, 2012 at 8:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
To Leefeller: again my opinion is that it is too easy to go after clownish politicians.
Report thisI did find it “funny” that Cain has thrown in with Gingrich. If you saw THE IDES OF
MARCH you’d know a spookily similar event happened in the film. I still maintain
that the mocking of the system by highly paid entertainers is allowed to go so far.
Will SNL do a spoof of a Lockheed Martin private board room meeting where little
cocktail napkins proclaim, “Our company’s goal is to make the entire globe a high
threat environment to insure handsome profits for decades”. It would be like that
horrific paint brand logo with paint dripping and flowing down from the North pole
with the implied “promise” that soon their brand of paint will cover (smother?) the
entire earth.
By Leefeller, January 30, 2012 at 7:15 am Link to this comment
Yes, John Poole I am aware they; Colbert and Stewart are in the one percent, just like Elizabeth Warren, which has nothing to do with the price we pay in disenfranchisement and unfairness sponsored by the Koch Brothers or ALEC, who as the highest bidders purchase their agendas against the best interests of the 99 percent! There are 1 percent people who are compassionate and empathetic, it is the selfish ones who are the problem!
Colbert focused attention on the absurdity of the super packs and just because he does it by using parody and with humor does not mean it is not real, if one does not understand or appreciate it so be it! What I see is some people live with a sort of humor envy or just plain jealous folks who feel like they are the butt of the joke. My cat far as I know cannot laugh, so when I laugh at him, he always become pissed off.
People need to laugh at themselves and the situation they are forced to realize they are in,(works for me) for some people it may mean only then can they resolve their situation.
Lighten up folks, your stiff upper lip looks as if it is going to crack and fall off, yes I remember the Wealthy Twits on Monty Python, but I also realize there are unwealthy twits and from what I see, they happen to be propitiating like assholes, bigots and sexists at a GOP convention!
Report thisBy they call me the working man, January 30, 2012 at 3:45 am Link to this comment
Why aren’t the people who are complaining about others not having a sense of humor making any jokes? Do you realize how weird and cultish you sound? Lighten up, especially if you are going to ‘defend humor’ or whatever it is you are trying to do. Is Steven Colbert tied up in your basement? Let him go, he’s funny!
Report thisBy Leefeller, January 29, 2012 at 9:33 am Link to this comment
Of course the brilliance of Stephen Colbert evades and makes parody appear more real then reality itself, which obviously evades the imbeciles which seem to view reality and life while wearing a full time wedgie!
Listening to the audience in South Carolina call Stephen Colbert a “Charleston Dandy” showing just how crippled segments of people can really become to exist in their myopic societal clicks and just why Stephen Colbert calling attention to the ludicrousness of Super Packs and the ignorance which provides this opportunist breeding ground for political powers to exist with such fawning dysfunctional support is listed right here in some of the Simple Simon posts.
Folks Obama is not the problem, ....it is you,... yourself and the comprehensive bigotry, ignorance and stupidity which permeates from you and a part of this nation and deserves Stephen Colbert or anyone to parody using a firehouse flushing the constant seditious slime off the walls of your towering houses of cards!
If Criticizing Stephen Colbert is the only thing you can grab out of your ass as an offer,.... you are pathetic in the least and I will not tell you want in the most!
Report thisBy John Poole, January 29, 2012 at 6:32 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Leefeller: You ARE aware that Colbert and Stewart are one percenters aren’t you?
Report thisThey are the so called progressive equivalents of Thomas Friedman who is also a
one percenter with a huge carbon footprint on his baronic estate outside DC. Keep
‘em laughing and the pitchfork slips from their hands. They’re too busy slapping
their knees to want to slap the faces of the idiots running for public office hoping
to shake them up. It is way too easy to mock politicians with tongue in cheek.
By they call me the working man, January 29, 2012 at 1:24 am Link to this comment
Cry if you want, and try to claim the humor high ground, whatever that is anyway… This is the most huffpo piece I have seen here yet.
Report thisBy ??????????, January 29, 2012 at 1:08 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Anyone who is calling Colbert a “court jester” or a “distraction who [is] ‘allowed’ by the 1%” has not seen the video of him at the White House Press Corps dinner. He’s tolerated because the 1% are more addicted to the money he makes for them than fear the doubt he causes.
Report thishttp://youtu.be/BSE_saVX_2A
By Inherit The Wind, January 28, 2012 at 9:41 pm Link to this comment
Oh, goodness, the humorless idiots are back and posting.
Report thisBy elisalouisa, January 28, 2012 at 7:27 pm Link to this comment
I agree. Good choice.
Report thisBy Michael Cavlan RN, January 28, 2012 at 6:56 pm Link to this comment
Oh annd by the way, this is what you call truthdigging. For real.
Can you dig it? As in TruthDig it?
Report thisBy Michael Cavlan RN, January 28, 2012 at 6:55 pm Link to this comment
John Poole and Fearless
You both get it. Like Fearless states “Look at who pays his checks.”
This is real truthdigging.
So I wonder why TruthDig and all the other “progressive” blogs out there seem to have an aversion to articles about say, Rocky Anderson former Mayor of Salt Lake City or Dr Jill Stein?
Both of these noble individuals are running for president, with the Justice Party and the Green Party respectively.
The lack of coverage is a damning indictment of the “progressive” blog-o-sphere. Or perhaps it just exposes it for what its real function.
The same thing as Colbert and John Stewart.
Distractions who are “allowed” by the 1%.
Report thisBy Leefeller, January 28, 2012 at 6:54 pm Link to this comment
The fact sarcasim annoys assholes has never been more apparent from the asshole posts relatively common here on TD! Sorry folks, let me break it to you, it is not about you and you own indulgent selfish proclivities, just like the GOP and the Tea Bags it never has been and never be about ass holes, though they try hard! Hey! This is one of those absolutism’s you can stick where the sun dont shine!
Simple fact I respect Stephen Colbert’s Brilliance shows I do not hate people of faith, I respect his mockery of stupidity, which appears to grate on the stupid!
Stephen Colbert uses philosophy and logic in his humor, which must really twist some peoples panties in a knot!
Good choice this week Truth Dig, Stephen Colbert he shows us just how sick society is and if we cannot laugh, we must cry!
Report thisBy DarthMiffy, January 28, 2012 at 2:47 pm Link to this comment
I would go back to watching Colbert online if MSNBC would drop those
Report thiscompletely annoying ads between every segment. Once at the beginning or
end would be enough (I would have the sound turned off). It’s been going
on for many months. Colbert people, please take note! You have lost this
devoted fan because of this stupid repeat ad bomb.
By strong1, January 28, 2012 at 10:22 am Link to this comment
The republican clowns are the real joke. He is being serious!...or so it seems. Easy
Report thisto use a serious forte when the real thing is so tragically hilarious.
By strong1, January 28, 2012 at 10:21 am Link to this comment
The republican clowns are the joke. He is being serious!...or so it seems. Easy to
Report thisuse a serious forte when the real thing is so tragically hilarious.
By tony baloney, January 28, 2012 at 5:19 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
it took you four paragraphs to say it may be time to get to the point - wonderful reporting
Report thisBy Fearless, January 27, 2012 at 10:13 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Brilliant? Until he confronts the military industrial complex, he is an unfunny shill for the truly sick system. Look at who writes his checks for f*cks sake.
Report thisBy ??????????, January 27, 2012 at 8:29 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Colbert is an avowed Catholic who actually understands the Gospels. Imagine that! He quoted Matthew 25:40 at a hearing on agricultural labourers’ rights, after himself spending a day in the fields: “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
I’d vote for him!
Report thisBy MeHere, January 27, 2012 at 8:26 pm Link to this comment
I agree with the previous posters: S. Colbert is brilliant. No one like him for high quality satire in the US…. at least, not as far as I know. The show with Maurice Sendak was extraordinary.
Report thisBy BrilliantBill, January 27, 2012 at 7:57 pm Link to this comment
His interview with Maurice Sendak this week was one of the finest interviews I’ve ever seen.
Maurice Sendak said of our most embarrassing current political buffoon, Newton Gingrich: “He is an idiot of great renown. There’s something so hopelessly gross and vile about him that we can’t take him seriously.”
Report thisBy John Poole, January 27, 2012 at 6:20 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Colbert along with Stewart are court jesters. They work for the king. Why isn’t that
Report thisperfectly clear? They know how far to push the mocking. They are safe in the
castle. They will not lead the pitchfork proles across the moat. Wake up.
By kerryrose, January 27, 2012 at 5:59 pm Link to this comment
Colbert is more than ‘a funny guy.’ He is brilliant man.
Report thisBy gerard, January 27, 2012 at 4:09 pm Link to this comment
Hopefully, as with a lot of other political shenanigans, making fun of them will ultimately destroy them—but don’t count on it!
Report this