Why, I’ve been wondering aloud to anyone who will listen, did Stephen Colbert’s Congressional testimony yesterday — about food and such — bomb so bad? Is it because Colbert has lost his charm? (No.) Is it because he didn’t have a studio audience to laugh at his jokes? (Yes.) Is it because elected officials don’t have a sense of humor? (Likely.) And then there was Colbert trying to get everybody to laugh at how the word “cornpacker,” which came up a lot, is a way to refer to “gay Iowans.” You can see some cringing in the faces of the folks seated behind Colbert, but nobody else was really laughing.
Which is probably for the best, because if any lawmakers were caught on tape giggling at Colbert’s joke, we would be screaming about how they were anti-gay or some shit.
Josh
You know the whole point of his speech is to bring attention to the unffair treatment of farmworkers in this country who are overworked and underpaid under hard working conditions. Also the fact that most of these workers are immigrants and that the U.S. is unwilling to take account for its workers and how much an immigrant work force is needed.
Mr. Colbert talks about how he took the United Farm Workers Challenge to take the job of farmworkers. He only did it for a day, and only 16 people in the country have taken up the challenge.
This is about human rights, access to work and just treatment as well as immigrant rights.
Paschal
Stephen Colbert is a funny man but importantly he’s a satirist. Satirists are supposed to have a message in their humour. He’s able to use his humour and wit to bring attention to some of the nonsense said in relation to immigration.
Dan
The campaign should be to ask all politicians “How many gay kids have to commit suicide before you stop violating the human rights of millions of people? How many parents and grandparents have to lose their gay children and grandchildren before you stop violating human rights? How many families have to suffer?”
Politicians do not like being confronted with reality or accountability.
greenmanTN
IMO Colbert’s appearance was an embarrassment to everyone involved, and I say that as a huge Stephen Colbert fan and someone who still remembers the thrill when Colbert laid into GW Bush and the media at the WH Correspondent’s Dinner.
Who thought this was good idea?! Part of me doesn’t blame Colbert for doing this because, hey, they invited him, but another part is disappointed in him for making a mockery out of a serious issue.
reason
It was a horrible idea for Colbert to be in character considering the venue that he is in. His actions were very disrespectful to a great American institution, he may not like the people seated there before him but he needs to show respect for the institution itself. At the WH correspondent’s dinner he had more justification for being in character, but then he went to far. The congressional thing ended up being about Colbert and not the important thing that he was there to testify about.
jamison
@reason: yeah, and it was also regrettable when Elmo testified to Congress. I’m tired of these wacko guests coming to disrespect this grand institution which ALWAYS makes what is best for the American people their first priority.
Also, I cannot fathom the tens of taxpayer dollar(s)? wasted on getting this guy to talk.
Jake the libertarian
@reason: when you say “great american institution” I pray you are talking about something other than the us congress which is a fucking joke of the highest order. Those people, both parties btw; should be fucking hanged.
reason
I am not talking about the people serving in the institution, I am talking about the institution itself. A number of the individuals are the worst people to ever serve in the congress, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to disrespect the institution. Like in the Army you are saluting the rank not the soldier, Joe Dumbo could be standing there with four stars across his shoulders that is not the point. Same goes with the Joe Wilson incident, doesn’t matter how much you hate the man you better respect the office.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
I have not yet decided if I am amused or horrified at the reaction of some of the congress folks to Colberts appearance……
Sure it was kinda sorta waaay out of place. Yet the reactions and comments made by some of the legislators after the appearance were mind boggling. To say some of the material went over their heads is like the understatement of since man uttered his first grunt. These people are so out of touch with anything that does not fall into a specific black or white box that it is frightening. They simply can not process something that is not presented to them in a simple straight forward way. They simply were incapable of realizing what they were seeing was actually satire with some factual info tossed in…………