I still don't know what to think of Colbert's "speech."

While I believe Bush has plenty to be criticized for (although I am not a Bush hater), I really did not find this that funny at all.

It didn't seem like anyone else there did, either. That is, besides the ever-sexy Helen Thomas.

colbert was hilarious, and he should be applauded for speaking these things. this was probably the first time Bush has been grilled so hard in public. while some points are open to debate, others clearly are not.

I agree, Tracie. I really like The Daily Show and I think Stephen Colbert and all of the Daily Show personalities are very talented and often pretty damn funny. I am usually the first person to laugh at a well placed Bush joke, however, I think a lot of what he said the other night was scathing and inappropriate just for the sake of being scathing and inappropriate, especially considering the setting. His political satire is funny at times, but this time, considering who his audience was, he came off as being just plain rude.

also the title doesnt make sense.

first it was in DC, not NYC and second, CSPANturday Night is trying. trying very hard.

"While I believe Bush has plenty to be criticized for (although I am not a Bush hater), I really did not find this that funny at all."

StopMakingSense, I agree completely. It seemed like he did it just to get high fived by Stewart (who of course applauded him on The Daily Show) and his other hollywood buddies.

Oh, Jash,

You are correct, it was in fact in DC. I am surprised you failed to point out that CSPANturday is not an actual day of the week. Odd.

Anyone else find the title nonesensical?

MYL

well i bet a few people find it nonsensical as opposed to nonesensical.

plus shouldnt it be C-SPANturday Night?

He was just being Stephen Colbert. I didn't find it to be inappropriate. What did they expect when they booked him? That's his thing.

I am an enormous Stephen Colbert fan and didn't find him particularly entertaining Saturday night. He lives in my town and although I don't know him, I have heard through the grapevine that he was a little off his game because of the "sudden" appearance of an earlier comedian. He wasn't told about the earlier bit and some of his material had been inadvertently poached by that guy. Colbert was then forced to think fast to fill some of his time. Sounds like a pretty crappy position to be in.

I thought it was absolutely hilarious, especially since it was so scathing and inappropriate.

How can it ever be considered inappropriate?

There is more blood on the hands of Bush than there is on Osama Bin Laden's hands.

Wow... this has the same uncomfortable feel as Jon Stewart's Oscar gig.

I think many of Colbert's lines were hilarious, but they were wasted on an unappreciative crowd. Colbert delivers a zinger, I start laughing, then the camera cuts to frowning media asses, and I suddenly don't feel like laughing anymore.

Joyfulchicken,

Funny comment, funny name.

MYL

Thanks madeyoulaugh for posting this. I just watched in the office with the door closed and I'm still laughing. As for appropriate--jokes are not WMDs, people. I'm sure he's aware that most people think he's the Worst President Ever.

And Stewart was hilarious on the Oscars. It's not his fault the Hollywood audience was so santimonious. Does anyone outside Los Angeles think Crash was a public service announcement?

i agree that whomever booked colbert had to have known what they were getting into. it was either pure genius (up close, watching the president squirm) or incredibly stupid. of course, it was going to fall flat. the crowd, even if they found the entire speech hilarious, wouldn't want to be caught busting a gut while colbert eviscerated the president to his face. i'm sure bush's cronies are going through the tape now, writing down names and making lists...

#6: "It seemed like he did it just to get high fived by Stewart (who of course applauded him on The Daily Show) and his other hollywood buddies."

They live in New York, not Hollywood. When generalizing about Bush critics next time, might want to do some research first.

"Hollywood" buddies doesn't mean that they literally live in Hollywood, packhouse.

When generalizing about Bush supporters next time, you might want to use your brain first.

Stephen Colbert's persona or character he plays on his show The Colbert Report is a parody of the pompous, opinionated, Bush-loving, O'Reilly types. The people who booked him knew exactly what they were getting into. In fact, the person (I believe the C-SPAN President) who introduced Colbert said that no one would be spared during his monologue.

Colbert didn't say anything that was surprising or different from what we see, hear, or discuss. The difference is, is that he said these things with the President sitting a few seats away.
I absolutely thought his speech was on point and hilarious not just for content but because of how uncomfortable everyone seemed to be.

Stephen Colbert was not pandering to his audience at the dinner. He didn't back down or "sell-out" from his persona by watering down his jokes which is why everyone's making such a big deal about it. It was "ballsalicious" and I applaud Stephen for not backing down, for being funny, and staying true to his character and his real audience - us.

MYL - I liked your title. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought the title referred to the dinner being shown on C-SPAN on saturday (I'm a smart one) as well as the fact the he was on SNL. (He was also on 60 minutes on Sunday night.)

I'm surprised by the lack of interest or people who appreciate Colbert's speech at the dinner. For those of you that are fans, check out http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/ , there's about 30 thousand people who feel the same way.

Eeee. I feel all...squirmy...and uncomfortable...and somehow still highly entertained. I like to think that some press corps members are at home right now watching this and letting out all the hysterical laughter they had to stifle during the show. You have to admit that Stewart and Colbert both have serious balls to take on such miserable audiences. And hey, was that Laurence Fishburne, or am I seeing things?

g3, good point about the fact that he's playing a wildly exaggerated caricature of a pompous newsman. People who don't follow him don't necessarily get that.

I think Stephen Colbert is my new hero.

President or not, if I ever came face-to-face with Dubbya, I would be hard pressed to not say something about what an unforgiveable mess he made of this country.

I love when people say that he bombed there. Umm... kids? THEY were not his audience. They were his target. People who watch his show or just hate what the President has done are his audience. He knew full well not to expect guffaws that night but by Monday everyone would be talking and you know what? He was right.

Stephen said it during the 1st show that aired in Canada: he has big balls.

Kudos to you Mr. Colbert.

The Colbert Report (and sometimes The Daily Show) are the only shows I'll take the time to watch on Comedy Central. I agree with the bunch that says he was true to his form and that the people there were mostly the opposite of his fans and most are too uptight to get his jokes (if they even have humor). It gave the illusion that he bombed, but I certainly found him funny overall as usual.

Good Point #19) g3. Some of our TVgasm audience, who have not watched the Colbert Report may not understand his act. What was missing was "The Word". That's where he has his 'talking points' and then a graphic calls his bluff. This summarizes his 'act' as a not very smart, pompous, egotistical buffoon who is portraying the O'Reilly type. Unfortunately, 'The Word' was missing from his stand-up act. I'm sure that those who found it funny knew instinctively that their was a response from 'The Word'. What made his stand-up act even funnier for me, is that the majority of the audience obviously hasn't watched his show and took him seriously.

I did find the video skit at the end not that funny though.

I've been to the white house correspondant's dinner before (my ex worked for the washington post) and the ending speaker is always a comedian that roasts the president and other people there. And that's from having attended with both Clinton and Bush as president. Usually it's more good natured ribbing, but honestly I don't think Bush was all that offended or suprised.

And the whole of the press corps has no sense of humor. Never have, never will.

And Helen Thomas ROCKS. The skit was only funny because everyone in the press corps knows her as being super serious, I'm sure it went over better at the event.

I agree it takes some huge brass ones to mock the President when he's FIVE FEET AWAY! Other than maybe George Carlin I can't think of another comedian that would have had the balls to do that. And yes for those of you who don't watch him nightly, that performance was done in character.

It wasn't a laugh out loud performance, especially since he went after the media almost as hard as he went after W. I don't think he didn't get laughs because the audience didn't get what he was doing. I think the Daily Show and Colbert are pretty widely viewed by the media elites, since Jon Stewart is becoming the left's Rush Limbaugh (but smarter, funnier and more entertaining). They weren't LOL because of the discomfort factor of the fact that half the jokes were being made to Bush's face and the other half were mocking the audience. Personally I thought parts 1 & 2 were brilliant. Part 3 had it's moments but could've been about 3-4 minutes shorter.

I really enjoyed the skit. I felt like Colbert and Helen Thomas were sticking it to the (old) press secretary McClellan, the new (Snow Job), and to the Bush administration.
Helen Thomas was one of the hard hitting reporters that was outspoken by actually questioning Bush and his decisions. Their dislike for her was palpable and she was pushed to the back (literally) during press conferences.

The video, disguised as an audition tape, was Colbert mocking the press secretary's unwillingness to answer real questions and make fun of how scared they are of Helen Thomas' questions (his fake horror showing how ridiculous the press secretary was being). Once again, brilliant and balsy in the face of the President. Based on Stephen's behavior in the audition, he really should have gotten the job - he acted like the press secretary perfectly.

For a quick idea as to who Helen Thomas is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Thomas
It even mentions her "You'll be sorry" remark she makes to Colbert when he calls on her. It references/mocks her same remarks to President Bush the one time he called on her.

sparky, thanks for the note about "Crash" being a public service announcement. not to detract from the message that it was trying to convey (which was a very important one), to some of us it felt a bit, well, disjointed. so two guys go down the street talking very articulately about how some chick will flinch when they approach her because they're black - and she obliges - then they mug her??? if the message of the film is supposed to be "hey america, there is racism", that's one thing. but in "Crash", that message was officially lost when the movie went in the direction of playing into the very stereotype it was apparently trying to negate. And as for Colbert, only a coward would follow Bush's impersonator and expect to get awayed unscathed. He should consider himself on notice.

Not many people applauded Colbert because he bombed. End of story.

Stephen Colbert is awesome. His show is better, but that was still awesome. Bush looked pissed, hahaha, loser!