WB: American Nightmarez – Moon of Alabama

May 1, 2006

WB: American Nightmarez

Billmon:

Things have been done over the past five years that can’t be undone; crimes committed that can’t be uncommitted. If Colbert faced a tough crowd last night, it was probably because so many of them understand that the Cheneyites and the Rovians really are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenberg, and that if the airship goes down in flames their own window seats are going to get pretty toasty.

American Nightmarez

Posted by b on May 1, 2006 at 05:38 UTC | Permalink

Comments

To Billmon…
I wouldn’t have had a chance at saying it so succinctly. But there are many of us here that have been pointing at the essential rot of the system for quite some time. As illustrated by you in what is in all reality a theatre review of Steven Colbert. On the one hand, I feel what will be known as a diatribe will come to nought, on the other I thank whatever powers may yet be that he was able to speak truth to power. Sure had them squirming in their comfortable seats.
I can only hope that these enablers of tyranny roast in some sort of nomdenomanationl hell.

Posted by: Anonymous | May 1 2006 6:47 utc | 1

great post, but the part at the end about “pleasing the audience” is dodgy. whether colbert intended or not, that was an andy kaufman-esque performance where bombing was part of the act. tossing in a few crowd-pleasers for “balance” would have lessened the effect considerably.

Posted by: Anonymous | May 1 2006 7:34 utc | 2

Well I watched it tonight (after reading it yesterday) and seeing it is way better. Particularly funny was how, what was pretty much garden variety political humor, was transformed by context, into some of the darkest and blackest humor I think I’ve ever seen. Billmon captures this essence in the revelation of the manner in which their clubby atmosphere is so easily shattered, not so much by insightful or carefully crafted wit — but by a simple sarcasm now endemic in the nation. Running in horror from Helen Thomas, as it were. There was not just a shadow of doubt in the room, but a pervasive and monolithic darkness in their vulnerability. Funny but not Ha Ha — made me howl.

Posted by: anna missed | May 1 2006 7:40 utc | 3

In the ‘Press Secretary’ audition video, when Mr. C. falls, ass down, feet up, while being pursued down Pennyslvania Avenue by H.T., I had this weird presque-vu feeling about another Mr. C. being dragged all over D.C. by another H.T., circa 1973.
Now where is that feeling coming from, anyway….
Ah, yes, here it is:
“In fact, Hunter Thompson considered Colson to be so unprincipled that he abandoned a well choreographed fantasmagorical late-night effort to kidnap Chuckie, tie him to the back of a rented white cadillac convertible, and drag him screaming down Pennsylvania in front of the White House because, ‘the bastard would probably enjoy it’.
.

Posted by: RossK | May 1 2006 7:45 utc | 4

Once again, billmon hits it right. If you think of Colbert as a stand-up in this instance, a lesser person would have shrivelled. He would have gone completely off course from being first thrown by the lack of response from the audience, then pissed off and defiant.
I believe Colbert knew full well that the only people laughing in the audience would be the Wilsons, and he fed off that uncomfortable silence fromthe rest. It was theatrical brilliance, complete with all that good theatrical art is supposed to acheive.

Posted by: vicki | May 1 2006 7:47 utc | 5

Andy Kaufman, indeed.

Posted by: anna missed | May 1 2006 7:52 utc | 6

I watch The Daily Show and Colbert Report regularly.
Jon Stewart got a lot less funny after his appearance on that real news show when he skewered its hosts by saying that his show is a comedy act, and they should be telling it like it is when their show is supposed to be actual news.
I suspected that he had gotten a nasty meeting after that and had to tone it down; it may also have been about the same time that Colbert was preparing his own show.
Stewart is much less funny without Colbert, and Colbert’s show has taken the best “fake news” satire and run with it. Every opening monologue he does is still very biting and funny — he is really good at attacking the memes of the moment. If you pay attention to the actual issues of the day in the US, as we do here, you will find that Colbert hits the nail on the head each and every time.
His “Word” segment, where he makes inane right-wing, safe statements, while the panel on the right of the screen displays text mocking and reinterpreting words, is a classic. The Canadian news channel I watched this evening showed Bush at the press dinner japing with a Bush impersonator aping this same style — the best line was when the impersonator, acting as Bush’s interior monologue, said something like, “I have to pretend I’m having fun up here.”
But it was a shallow imitation. It actually does say something about the state of the media and the system itself, when a criticism of this type can still reach the audience. When we are shocked at the actions of the powers that be it is really nice to see our true opinions stated in public, even if they are disguised as silly humor.

Posted by: jonku | May 1 2006 7:53 utc | 7

Colbert is making a case for being declared the Johnathan Swift of our time.

Posted by: Uncle $cam | May 1 2006 7:55 utc | 8

Say “Thank You” to Stephen Colbert: thankyoustephencolbert.org

Posted by: b | May 1 2006 10:29 utc | 9

Biting Satire? Our pseudo-Democracy needs a Thucydides. Colbert is getting there. But what we really needs is a biting, angry, disillusioned, intelligent, ex-neocon. Someone big, and close enough to ream their asses from the inside. Then I’ll buy popcorn, pay for a ticket, and watch it over and over again, taking notes. The closest I’ve seen is Larry Diamond’s Squandered Victory, but he’s no Neocon. But it was rather satisfying to read the insiders story that confirmed my previous suspicions. But we need someone large enough to be a symbol freedom oving people can rally around. And ideas who’s about to pop (beside Colin Powell, who also is not a Neocon).

Posted by: Diogenes | May 1 2006 12:16 utc | 10

great rip on mccain too, w/ the bob jones comment. and the welcome afforded to scalia was vicariously cathartic. my ‘cage is still hurtin’. who knew opposition could be so fun(ny)?

Posted by: b real | May 1 2006 15:32 utc | 11

Have just finished reading The Brothers Bulger:
LINK
It’s interesting how similar the correspondents dinner thing is to Billy Bulger’s St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast and Roast. Billy was for Boston in the late 20th century what Boss Tweed was for NYC in the nineteenth. and all the pols (Dem and Rethug) and journies made kissy on St. Patrick’s Day.

Posted by: Groucho | May 1 2006 15:45 utc | 12

did you catch the 60 minutes colbert segment?
i have watched the speech 5 times, i still LOL. i love the gannon part. it’s not going to die off, its hard to imagine another turning point, but i think this may be one. it is officially ok, to ream the host in is own house when he’s a lying cheating murdering bastard.

Posted by: annie | May 1 2006 18:57 utc | 13

My post on http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/

You are an absolute hero – but out of your f***ing mind putting your life on the line like this. Please stay surrounded by large groups of people for a few months; don’t fly – especially non-commercial – and look both ways before you cross any street. You are playing with tactical nukes here, and I am not joking and neither were you.
I’ve never actually seen anyone do anything so courageous before. What a miracle. A real American hero. Watching your performance with increasing shock, disbelief, awe and satisfaction is something I’ll always treasure.
THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU!

I really fear for him, in the same way that I don’t understand how Amy Goodman has been able to get away with doing what she does. But Colbert! Talk about Daniel in the lion’s den… It’s a moment I will ALWAYS treasure.
These people are not just risking a career – although he is certainly doing that as well. For all I know they have spouses and children and they may not have the sort of friends that Valerie and Joe do.

Posted by: PeeDee | May 1 2006 21:31 utc | 14

Although the transcript is okay, you really have to watch the footage to get the full impact.
Half of the value is the camera panning the audience as they sit like deer in the headlights, not quite believing it’s really happening, desperately holding onto frozen smiles; and in their eyes the fear, the fear. That maybe they really are on the wrong side of history, that maybe someone really will bother to track down and document and prosecute their crimes, that things probably won’t all work out with the Swiss account and shredding machines and presidential pardons.
There is no mistaking the venom in Colbert’s voice when he says he has nothing but contempt for the press corps. He lays their bloody crimes down in front of them one after another, after another, after another. I suspect dessert took a bit of washing down.

Posted by: PeeDee | May 1 2006 21:48 utc | 15

Dunno… I finally went and watched the video, and really, that was pretty tame. It’s only shocking because Bush usually is so careful only to sit through events well-stocked with yes-men. If this had been done (or the equivalent, anyway) to any other president of the last several decades, it’d be no biggie. I was expecting more out of it after all the buildup. (And the video segment at the end struck me as a waste of time.) Colbert has probably killed his career, because the corporate media will never hire him again for anything, but that’s about all.

Posted by: The Truth Gets Vicious When You Corner It | May 1 2006 22:07 utc | 16

billmon got linked to wapo’s froomkin

Blogger Billmon writes: “Colbert used satire the way it’s used in more openly authoritarian societies: as a political weapon, a device for raising issues that can’t be addressed directly. He dragged out all the unmentionables — the Iraq lies, the secret prisons, the illegal spying, the neutered stupidity of the lapdog press — and made it pretty clear that he wasn’t really laughing at them, much less with them. It may have been comedy, but it also sounded like a bill of indictment, and everybody understood the charges. . . .
“Colbert’s real sin . . . was inserting a brief moment of honesty into an event based upon a lie — one considered socially necessary by the political powers that be, but still, a lie.”

Posted by: annie | May 2 2006 1:23 utc | 17

(And the video segment at the end struck me as a waste of time.)
That was the point Colbert wanted to make 🙂

Posted by: b | May 2 2006 4:48 utc | 18

@b:

No, I mean it would have been a much more effective presentation if, instead of the video, he had continued his speech. The live parts were much, much sharper. The video basically contradicted the point about the media’s compliance with the Bush administration by making it seem as though the press corps was merely manipulated by the administration.

Posted by: The Truth Gets Vicious When You Corner It | May 2 2006 5:33 utc | 19

Is the Media Failing in America? Dan Rather, in conversation with Orville Schell, Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism.UC Berkeley webcast/podcast conversations.
Interesting in light of the recent Colbert/Busch dinner roast no?

Posted by: Uncle $cam | May 2 2006 8:21 utc | 20

here’s the missing link from above.. (preview is my friend) sorry.

Posted by: Uncle $cam | May 2 2006 8:25 utc | 21

The video basically contradicted the point about the media’s compliance with the Bush administration by making it seem as though the press corps was merely manipulated by the administration.
hmm, when colbert was playing press sec he pretended the intention of manipulating the press. all those adjustments, calling them insulting nicknames, silencing, fastforwarding, but he could not keep up . especially from the roar (cameras furiously clicking) after the big question (why did we invade iraq?). it got loader and loader, until he tried to escape. but he couldn’t, ever.
my favorite part of the video was him calling in the parking garage “she keep asking me why we invaded iraq!!) the person on the other end says “hey , why did we invade iraq?”
i loved it! it’s like he would not let it go, totally in their face.
no changing of the guards is going to make that question go away. there is no worthy justification and everyone knows it.
plus, the darkness of the room during films creates an intimacy w/ones reactions , the audience was ‘alone’ w/his reality
instead of demonstrating the administraton manipulated the press, it showed a symbol of the administration fearing and running from the press. a timid press . imagine what would happen if the press toughened up? i saw it as empowering, challenging.

Posted by: annie | May 2 2006 8:53 utc | 22

Colbert was brilliant. [His film clip needed sharper editing.
But brilliant.] He is a modern Mark Twain.
Now what I want to know is: How are the foreign press services covering the earthquake that occurred at the white house correspondents dinner?

Posted by: gylangirl | May 2 2006 15:53 utc | 23

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