Sunday, April 30, 2006

I Guess That Answers That

For some time XWL has been musing over the question of whether Stephen Colbert is actually conservative. I think that after the White House Correspondent's Dinner, the answer is a conclusive sadly, no. (Sadly, Sadly, No! has more.)

The appropriate description of the speech is 'biting:'
Wow, wow, what an honor. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner. To just sit here, at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush, to be this close to the man. I feel like I’m dreaming. Somebody pinch me. You know what, I’m a pretty sound sleeper, that may not be enough. Somebody shoot me in the face.
And that's just the intro...

In truth, I'm conflicted about this - as a card-carrying BDSer, I enjoy the eviscerative aspects of the bit: In comedy club, or on his show, I'd find it brilliant.

BUT, I'm old fashioned in some ways: respect the office if not the man, to a degree. I felt much the same when Cindy Sheehan got booted from the State of the Union Address: I could have cared less what her T-shirt said, it's the SOTU, have some class and dress appropriately. So for this reason, I'm a little discomforted by the 'in-your-face, Mr. President' aspect.

However, in the final calculus, the fact that Bush can't take a joke makes the joke all the more necessary.

4 comments:

Ahistoricality said...

There are times when I agree with the idea of polite restraint and respect for the office. But this is a roast event: power is supposed to be skewered and the Republicans are the only party in power.

Best line: "It’s like boxing a glacier. Enjoy that metaphor, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is."

There wasn't much there that wasn't a predictable target: anti-intellectualism, "reality-based", etc.

MillerTime said...

"I could have cared less what her T-shirt said"

-Come on Carleton grad...It's I "could not have cared less." Saying that you care to any degree implies that it is possible to care less, while saying that you could not care less makes it impossible to care less.

bill said...

Pooh, you went to Carlton? Do they still play naked softball in the spring?

Pooh said...

They do indeed, Bill. Not that I would ever er know anything about that.