So Not Funny [Richard Cohen Slams Colbert]

Washington Post ^ | May 4, 2006 | Richard Cohen

[West Coast Conservative]

First, let me state my credentials: I am a funny guy. This is well known in certain circles, which is why, even back in elementary school, I was sometimes asked by the teacher to "say something funny" -- as if the deed could be done on demand. This, anyway, is my standing for stating that Stephen Colbert was not funny at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. All the rest is commentary.

The commentary, though, is also what I do, and it will make the point that Colbert was not just a failure as a comedian but rude. Rude is not the same as brash. It is not the same as brassy. It is not the same as gutsy or thinking outside the box. Rudeness means taking advantage of the other person's sense of decorum or tradition or civility that keeps that other person from striking back or, worse, rising in a huff and leaving. The other night, that person was George W. Bush.

Colbert made jokes about Bush's approval rating, which hovers in the middle 30s. He made jokes about Bush's intelligence, mockingly comparing it to his own. "We're not some brainiacs on nerd patrol," he said. Boy, that's funny.

Colbert took a swipe at Bush's Iraq policy, at domestic eavesdropping, and he took a shot at the news corps for purportedly being nothing more than stenographers recording what the Bush White House said. He referred to the recent staff changes at the White House, chiding the media for supposedly repeating the cliche "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" when he would have put it differently: "This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg." A mixed metaphor, and lame as can be.

[nutmeg]

ping

[martin_fierro]

Never thought I'd agree with Cohen on anything.

[speedy]

Somewhere along the line Richard Cohen saw the light. Or at least saw some light. He used to be as bad as any other whacko leftist. This column is spot on, and his description of the rudeness -- taking advantage of the President's own sense of fair play -- is perfectly stated.

[silent_jonny]

ping

[MikeHu]

They're starting to embarrass each other -- when they recognize themselves trying to be outdone.

Let the gnashing of teeth begin! May they encounter themselves a thousand times before they realize they are dead.

[roses of sharon]

Why this huge column to say that Colbert's routine was a DNC convention speech? He sounded ridicules, like every other Hollywood liberal.

Simple.

[jazusamo]

I am not only surprised Cohen wrote this but how well he described the rudeness of Colbert.

[MikeHu]

They're causing their own revulsion -- seeing themselves as others see them. It's not a pretty sight.

[hsalaw]

Colbert was not only rude, he was painfully boring. I heard his screed on a replay on C-SPAN, and was cringing through the whole thing. There was almost no laughter and very little applause. When he sat down, the woman beside him rubbed his back - as if consoling him for being such a failure. It was just embarassing.

[jazusamo]

There were many at the dinner that saw themselves as others see them from the silence of the crowd.

[jazusamo]

I saw it and you're right, saying it was embarrassing is right on.

[Junior_G]

Is Richard Cohen known for something other than his columns? I've never heard of the guy.

[Txsleuth]

Dang...Richard Cohen just spoke "truth to power"...LOL

[Schwaeky]

well Cohen may be a RINO, but he puts the R first at least and is at least a believer in Reagan's 11th Commandment..

[Dick Vomer]

he's canadian... in every sense of the word.... i'd suspect he would be french-canadian which would be completely explain the ass-hat colbert..

typical smirky cynical "intellectual" humor machine...

i can still remember Jon Stewart nearly crying about the twin towers but months later exhibiting the same liberal "we made them do it" mentality of all the typical eastern elite b#tches that are safe thanks to the bravery of much better men.

[woofie]

amen

[Moose Dung]

I've watched the dust ups over these events for the past several years and it is ALWAYS an embarrassment...both to the Presidency and the country. If the White House had any sense they would cancel the event...PERIOD.

No more dinners. It is a disgrace and should not continue. This is not a Lib. v. Con. issue this is an American issue. Stop, stop, stop the insanity.

dung.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Colbert wasn't even trying to be funny. He was just being caustically sarcastic. Sarcasm, in and of itself, is not humor. It was, in this case, merely a way to feign superiority.

[jazusamo]

and it is ALWAYS an embarrassment...

I totally agree, the President of our country should not be put in that light, ever.

[zip]

To use an old cliche, The silence of the crowd was deafening.

Even the libs were embarrassed.

[zip]

There was almost no laughter and very little applause.

It was very noticeable (but I didn't feel the least bit sorry for him)

[CFC__VRWC]

There were many at the dinner that saw themselves as others see them from the silence of the crowd.

And yet, despite all the wailing and hand-wringing from the media about Colbert, for next year's dinner they'll invite someone else who will go after President Bush much more viciously and will be even more un-funny than Colbert was. And then they'll sit around and smirk about how Bush can't take a little bit of "good-natured needling."

[Choose Ye This Day]

His defenders -- and they are all over the blogosphere -- will tell you he spoke truth to power. This is a tired phrase, as we all know, but when it was fresh and meaningful it suggested repercussions, consequences -- maybe even death in some countries. When you spoke truth to power you took the distinct chance that power would smite you, toss you into a dungeon or -- if you're at work -- take away your office.

But in this country, anyone can insult the president of the United States. Colbert just did it, and he will not suffer any consequence at all. He knew that going in. He also knew that Bush would have to sit there and pretend to laugh at Colbert's lame and insulting jokes. Bush himself plays off his reputation as a dunce and his penchant for mangling English. Self-mockery can be funny. Mockery that is insulting is not. The sort of stuff that would get you punched in a bar can be said on a dais with impunity. This is why Colbert was more than rude. He was a bully.

Wow. Just wow. I can't believe a lefty like Cohen makes this much sense.

[Wiseghy]

Colbert does a show as a fake conservative.

From what I can tell, he needs new writers. Libs faking it as conservative humorists just don't cut it.

[Prost1]

Cohen a RINO???? I don't think so...

Last I heard he was date VP Dick Cheney's daughter.

[YaYa123]

I couldn't agree more with your # 4. Cohen is right. Cohen made his case well, and I'm glad to see it written by a well-known liberal, and in The Washington Post no less.

But I have to remind myself, I laughed like crazy when Don Imus did an even worse number of both Clintons. He was brutal, and I loved it. So, I don't want to whine too much. Here's the Imus speech:

http://imonthe.net/imus/ispeech.htm

[Choose Ye This Day]

I thought he was a well-known liberal, too.

But in the alternate universe of DU, where up is down, one poster actually said that Cohen is a "known Bush bootlicker."

That is a verbatim quote.

And they wonder why nobody takes them seriously.

[Moose Dung]

Jazu,

Thanks for the reply. Sometimes I think I'm the only one that sees it this way. It just seems crazy to me. Why would anyone submit themselves and their office to this kind of abuse? It is just plain senseless!

dung.

[fr_freak]

Colbert was not only rude, he was painfully boring. I heard his screed on a replay on C-SPAN, and was cringing through the whole thing. There was almost no laughter and very little applause.

Don't worry. When VH-1 plays this epsiode later, they'll add in a laugh track.

[Kay Syrah]

Just caught the clip. It wasn't even painfully boring, it was so bad, it was soporific. Cohen certainly has nailed it.

M. Colbert's gut

liberals suck
the witches tit
pass on venom
lacking wit,

disharge bile
pure undigested
by knowledge, mercy
unmolested.

in their own circles
thought daring, clever,
to themselves look not ever.
missing humour their little jester,

certainly is no Rochester.

[JoJo Gunn]

What's with all the hurrahs and huzzahs over a moron that gets his talking points from the likes of the DUng heap?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A45080-2001Nov5&notFound=true

"Whatever the case, this war appears to be behind schedule. The administration, of course, will not say so. But this administration is already operating from a credibility deficit. It is hard to forget that concoction of fibs trotted out to explain and excuse Bush's hop-scotching the country on Sept. 11. Air Force One itself had been targeted, it was said; a credible threat, we were told. As it turned out, neither the threat nor the administration's account of it was credible."

[John Geyer]

I only watched the part with the Bush immitator.

[Jimmy Valentine]

I don't know why George W. goes to this mind dump every year anyway. If it were me I would decline to attend with regret saying my sock drawer had gone awry and needed re-organizing.

[steve-b]

Reality Check: If Colbert had directed his barbs exclusively at Dubya and spared the Washington presstitute corps, Cohen would be hailing him as the second coming of Will Rogers.

[Skooz]

bump

[Buke]

A lot of people are getting upset over Colbert's speech, and I am very glad that you provided the link to this. Don Imus destroyed the Clintons! And he did it by being brutally honest on issues. Colbert did the same thing. Everyone needs to lighten up about this. He is the President, not God! We are allowed to poke fun at him or any other President. Remember, Bush poked fun at his own failures and shortcomings, and that was met with laughter and applause (March 24, 2004...Bush made very controversial jokes about his failure to find WMDs).

[steve-b]

A lot of people are getting upset over Colbert's speech

See my previous message re the real reason the Washington blow-dry bozos and ink-stained nincompoops have their underwear in a twist.

[ohioWfan]

He is the President, not God! We are allowed to poke fun at him or any other President. Remember, Bush poked fun at his own failures and shortcomings, and that was met with laughter and applause

What a ridiculous post. Cohen's point is that Colbert was NOT funny...........and he wasn't.

The President poked fun at himself and was hilarious. Colbert attacked with rudeness and meanness, and there was nothing funny about it...........even to the audience. And it wasn't even close to being 'honest.'

The smart ones among the audience were as embarrassed as Cohen...........and rightfully so. But Colbert isn't even smart enough to share in the embarrassment.

The 'buffoon' he was mocking is a better comedian than he is. He should retire in shame.

[ohioWfan]

He probably goes because it proves he's a better comedian than the people they pick to razz him.

In the past Drew Carey and Ben Stein (supporter of the President) pretty much bombed.

Last year Cedric the Entertainer was pretty funny, but Laura was FAR funnier.

And this year, Colbert made an abject fool of himself, and the President's bit was funnier than ever. Other than in 2002, when he did a serious speech honoring the troops, he has been consistently funny, and it's good for the leftists to see. They'll never admit it, but they were roaring in laughter at the "Bush twins" last Saturday, and that's a good thing.

[Lx]

Wait, this is Richard Cohen?

Where's the punch line, he gets it? Did I miss something?

[madconservative]

Strange week. I like an article from the Washington Post on decorum well written and poignant, and found an article from the Times on McCain to be questionable at best.

[Jhensy]

I don't know why everyone keeps saying Imus was "great" when he spoke at the Clinton dinner.

He was an unfunny disgrace that evening, Clinton or not. I know I am not the only one here who feels that way. I don't like the Clintons one bit, but he was innappropriate and beyond rude.

I'm sick of these arrogant, snarky know-it-all "comedians", I really am. They contribute nothing but hatred to our society.

[madconservative]

I know what you mean. I really enjoy sarcasm a great deal, but not the type said by the weakling outsider who oozes bitterness at those who reject them, and hides behind the indifference or better manners of those they attack.

I detest people who hide behind the conventions and better traits of others. I only lament that our culture deprives such "men" as Colbert of the fist to the jaw (or more fitting, backhand) that would do them such good.

[AGreatPer]

Thanks for the link to the Imus speech. I had forgotten how funny it was.

[YaYa123]

You are exactly right on all counts. And Imus got slammed by the MSM for his Clinton speech. (Unlike how the MSM is reacting to Colbert's brutal attack on Bush.)

In fact, Imus lost many friends among the elite. To this day he will enumerate the ones who didn't desert him, James Carville among them.

[aculeus]

Rudeness means taking advantage of the other person's sense of decorum or tradition or civility that keeps that other person from striking back or, worse, rising in a huff and leaving.

Exactly.

[Oaklander]

Dick,

Colbert is from South Carolina.

So you could call him french-American. But American would suffice.