Jump Down, Turn Around, Pick A Bale Of Truth
I didn't think it was possible, but I now love Stephen Colbert even more. He spoke at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner over the weekend, and unleashed a fierce barrage of jokes aimed at the Bush administration, delivered in the character of the blowhard newsman Colbert portrays four nights a week. Colbert stood less than ten feet from the leader of the free world and didn't hold back. He's got balls of titanium. Radioactive titanium. With spikes. He told truth to power. Some of Colbert's quotes from the evening:
On the topic of aircraft carrier landings and New Orleans visits: "No matter what happens to America, she will always rebound with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."
On the topic of the White House: "Everybody [in the press] asks for personnel changes, so the White House has personnel changes. And then you write, 'Oh, they're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.' First of all, that is a terrible metaphor. This administration is not sinking, this administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging deck chairs on the Hindenburg."
It becomes clear early on that some of the people in the audience are plainly shocked at the roast Colbert is putting on, which is pretty stupid; what did you expect from a guy who hosts a show on Comedy Central that lampoons the president and conservative media? Anyway, the video's well worth watching.
[UPDATE: Some interesting coverage on how various news outlets covered Colbert's performance, or failed to do so.]
Part one:
Part two:
Part three:
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