Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: 280plus on December 10, 2006, 03:03:10 AM
Title: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: 280plus on December 10, 2006, 03:03:10 AM
By ADAM GORLICK, Associated Press Writer Fri Dec 8, 5:04 PM ET
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - After 12 months of naked partisanship on Capitol Hill, on cable TV and in the blogosphere, the word of the year for 2006 is ... "truthiness."
The word if one can call it that best summed up 2006, according to an online survey by dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster.
"Truthiness" was credited to Comedy Central satirist Stephen Colbert, who defined it as "truth that comes from the gut, not books."
"We're at a point where what constitutes truth is a question on a lot of people's minds, and truth has become up for grabs," said Merriam-Webster president John Morse. "`Truthiness' is a playful way for us to think about a very important issue."
Other Top 10 finishers included "war," "insurgent," "sectarian" and "corruption." But "truthiness" won 5-to-1, Morse said.
Colbert, who once derided the folks at Springfield-based Merriam-Webster as the "word police" and a bunch of "wordinistas," was pleased.
"Though I'm no fan of reference books and their fact-based agendas, I am a fan of anyone who chooses to honor me," he said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
"And what an honor," he said. "Truthiness now joins the lexicographical pantheon with words like `squash,' `merry,' `crumpet,' `the,' `xylophone,' `circuitous,' `others' and others."
Colbert first uttered "truthiness" during an October 2005 broadcast of "The Colbert Report," his parody of combative, conservative talk shows.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: Dannyboy on December 10, 2006, 04:22:35 AM
When the show started I watched it because he was a bit more of an equal opportunity basher. Meaning he bashed the left and right fairly equally. Now it seems like the Daily Show and is nothing more than a Republican bashfest every night.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: 280plus on December 10, 2006, 05:15:40 AM
yea, I agree on the Daily show. That dude John Stewart DID do a big turnaround and has started leaning quite a bit to the left. I'm not so sure on Colbert yet. I'll have to watch a bit more.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: SpookyPistolero on December 10, 2006, 10:58:02 AM
Another 'ditto' over The Daily Show. It used to be fairly tolerable most of the time. Now it's constantly 'right is wrong'. I just don't have the patience for it. I don't mind a spade being called a spade, but it's really ad nauseam.
Colbert doesn't seem to be any different, but his illusions of grandeur are entertaining sometimes.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: Mannlicher on December 10, 2006, 11:56:46 AM
no. Colbert is just another liberal whack job. He never did say much that was 'funny'
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: 280plus on December 10, 2006, 11:59:37 AM
Quote
but his illusions of grandeur are entertaining sometimes.
I agree. I'd always thought he was pretty middle of the road. I'll have to watch him some more and se what I make of it.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: Perd Hapley on December 11, 2006, 05:42:51 AM
I think a lot of comedy shows are like that. The radio comedy shows on PRI (Prairie Home Companion, What Do You Know) have gone in whole-hog for right-bashing, and I'm told the Simpsons has gone that way, too. I don't watch TV anymore, so I don't know. This will change if we elect a Dem. president, or may let up some once PelosiCo gets charge of Congress. But so long as comedians view the right as being in total control, they won't spend much time bashing the left.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: Joe Demko on December 11, 2006, 08:20:00 AM
It's always easier, and more fun, to bash whoever is in control. They're the ones making the decisions, after all. If you align with the people in power, it probably seems excessive and unfair to you.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: Eleven Mike on December 11, 2006, 09:34:54 AM
+1, Joe.
Title: Re: Anybody watch Colbert?
Post by: MechAg94 on December 11, 2006, 10:14:26 AM
I just like seeing comedians spread the wealth a bit more. Bush administration bashing is nothing new for Stewart though. I watch his show sometimes. He has had some great moments, but I rarely watch the whole show. I think Michelle Malkin linked to a video clip of his coverage of the Michael Jackson trial a while back. Great stuff.