Ace of Spades HQ

August 11, 2011

Can Anyone Explain Colbert's Ads To Me?
— Ace

They just don't make any sense.

Even if they're supposed to be funny -- they're not, because there's no real point to them. It's unclear what he's mocking, or how these ads are intended to mock anything. They just seem to be flippantly nonsensical.

So, what is actual message here? What does he hope, tangibly, to get from these ads?

Okay, he's supposed to be spoofing these SuperPacs, I guess. Because they're The Devil. But his manner of spoofing them suggests they are trivial and ineffectual and silly, thus suggesting that they're not The Devil at all, and, at most, some distinctly sixth rate sort of bogeyman, like maybe Chuckie from Child's Play.

Then he seems to be going after Rick Perry (is he? I don't even know), but is also... um, increasing Rick Perry's name recognition without actually saying anything bad about him, apart from running some bad pictures.

But the whole thing's so meta I could see a casual viewer thinking Colbert likes Perry, and is just having fun with him.

I've never really gotten the metaness of Colbert's "Who are we lampooning again?" sort of humor. I think you can maybe get to the third level of ironic distance, tops, before everything just stops making sense; Colbert seems to be going for four.

Posted by: Ace at 01:11 PM | Comments (130)
Post contains 230 words, total size 2 kb.

1 "What does he hope, tangibly, to get from these ads?"

A mention or two on teh interwebs?

Posted by: TC@LeatherPenguin at August 11, 2011 01:13 PM (reNaL)

2 I have never found Colbert funny.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at August 11, 2011 01:13 PM (UOM48)

3
I want pictures of Spiderman.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at August 11, 2011 01:15 PM (QMtmy)

4 Colbert ? Didn't he play for the Rangers back in the days of Phil Esposito ?

Posted by: Cu'Chulainn at August 11, 2011 01:15 PM (0/kkY)

5 It could just be that Colbert is a clueless Leftie asshole who wants to spend his money--and the money of those who back his TV show--on this crap

It's his own personal way of being an Annoying Leftie Asshole--and that's all

Posted by: SantaRosaStan, only occasionally wrong at August 11, 2011 01:15 PM (UqKQV)

6

that is a very good question. Looking at them myself, it's not clear that they mean anything. He uses Perry's picture, spells it PArry, and then ??????

It's the underpants gnome school of campaigning.

It might make sense after a couple dozen bong hits, I guess.

Posted by: imp at August 11, 2011 01:16 PM (UaxA0)

7 I thought they were funny.

Posted by: Dr Spank at August 11, 2011 01:16 PM (ljuHV)

8 One of the main themes of Colbert's (and Stewart's, for that matter) schtick is to convince viewers that their in on some great, cerebral, meta-, in-joke. You watch, you laugh, you get it, you're the smart one in the room, because you like all this high concept stuff, even when it's not high concept at all. Ah, but you're aware that it's not high-concept, so that makes it high concept. And so you're better than all those Leno-loving mouth-breathers in flyover-land.

Posted by: JeremiadBullfrog at August 11, 2011 01:17 PM (Y5I9o)

9 All of these Leftie clowns think they're smart. They're not, of course, but they all think they're smarter than most people--and they want most people to know that

So they posture and ramble and emote and pose. Sad, isn't it?

Posted by: SantaRosaStan, only occasionally wrong at August 11, 2011 01:18 PM (UqKQV)

10 Does this mean Curious is gonna trek all the way to Ames, Iowa to to vote for Rick PArry? Seeing that she's already dedicated to actively campaigning against Rick Perry.

Posted by: Roman Polanski at August 11, 2011 01:18 PM (4q6A5)

11 I think Colbert is just making fun of campaign ads.

Posted by: Dr Spank at August 11, 2011 01:18 PM (ljuHV)

12 Sock fail. Sock off. DOH!

Posted by: Robert at August 11, 2011 01:19 PM (4q6A5)

13 He just wants a video of his on YouTube to be next to a Katy Perry one is my guess.

Posted by: andy 'release the chemjeff one' canuck at August 11, 2011 01:20 PM (oUG6f)

14 He's a dick.

I've got a lib friend that gets his news from Jon Stew and thinks that Colbert is an ULTRA conservative.

I weep for our country.

Posted by: © Sponge at August 11, 2011 01:20 PM (UK9cE)

15 A friend of mine who read one of Colbert's books was surprised to learn how conservative Colbert is when out of character. It's easy to assume he's running the Daily Show 2.0 but apparently it's not completely satire.

Posted by: orAaron at August 11, 2011 01:20 PM (/kNi6)

16
the only thing I got from the ads is a craving for corn on the cob

Posted by: soothsayer at August 11, 2011 01:20 PM (G/zuv)

17 I think Colbert's point is best summed up as "Look at me!"

Posted by: JohnJ at August 11, 2011 01:20 PM (O2W+F)

18
Know what's even more depressing?

Eddie Murphy will be Hong Kong Phooey.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at August 11, 2011 01:21 PM (QMtmy)

19 Ace, a lot of us here in SC are ashamed of that retard. You will be visiting his home town next weekend.

Posted by: Vic at August 11, 2011 01:21 PM (M9Ie6)

20 I don't mind a guy that thinks he's funny. It's the audience that laughs, that gets me.

Posted by: cherry π at August 11, 2011 01:21 PM (OhYCU)

21 Colbert's the watery part of the weak sauce.

Posted by: eleven at August 11, 2011 01:23 PM (7DB+a)

22 One of the main themes of Colbert's (and Stewart's, for that matter) schtick is to convince viewers that their in on some great, cerebral, meta-, in-joke. You watch, you laugh, you get it, you're the smart one in the room, because you like all this high concept stuff, even when it's not high concept at all. Ah, but you're aware that it's not high-concept, so that makes it high concept. And so you're better than all those Leno-loving mouth-breathers in flyover-land.

Posted by: JeremiadBullfrog

Well said. It's as Mark Steyn observed about Will Ferrell and his act of BUsh hatred, or the play "Cluster bombs from Jesus" which actually played on the West End. They convince no one ad say nothing new. They're more a form of masturbation.

A friend of mine who owns a book store showed me a parody of Palin's book, and showed it to me, musing whether I'd be bothered by it. I asked him why, and noted that it certainly wasn't the first piece of politcal satire I'd ever seen. Ht thought that I would be, since I seemed to like her. I responded by saying I was bothered by the fact that he would never have the guts to post something similar that questioned JEF. He simultaneously took offense to the assertion and admitted that he'd never carry such a thing. The blind spot these people have is enormous.

Posted by: Blue Hen at August 11, 2011 01:23 PM (326rv)

It's like a Magma T-Shirt.

But a commercial.

Posted by: garrett at August 11, 2011 01:23 PM (MWdAl)

24 I don't think Colbert "gets" the humor. I think he looks for the most childish thing he can associate with some person or group he doesn't like, and then proceeds as if that will, in some way, stick to them.

He's liberal, after all, so results don't matter, only intentions. He intends them to do harm to Republicans, so he must be doing the right thing.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) at August 11, 2011 01:23 PM (8y9MW)

25 A side-kick who got his own gig for no real reason.

Posted by: eleven at August 11, 2011 01:24 PM (7DB+a)

26 Like an ironic moustache for your television.

Posted by: garrett at August 11, 2011 01:24 PM (MWdAl)

27 What does he hope, tangibly, to get from these ads?

TV ratings.

Posted by: Guy Fawkes at August 11, 2011 01:24 PM (4nfy2)

28 He should have stuck with doing cartoon voices.

He always did a good pompous ass whenever he did cartoon voices.

Posted by: AmishDude at August 11, 2011 01:24 PM (73tyQ)

29 Who knew that there'd be TWO douchebags on the airwaves that made a career from imitating SNL News.......

Posted by: © Sponge at August 11, 2011 01:24 PM (UK9cE)

30 Colbert? Is this some sort of cable thing again?

Posted by: Charlie Gibson at August 11, 2011 01:24 PM (McHnx)

31 This is Colbert were talking about? Don't give a shit.

Posted by: Mark formerly in Spokane, now Sandy UT at August 11, 2011 01:24 PM (Idj3n)

32 He should have stuck with doing cartoon voices.

Was he Ace or Gary?

Posted by: Dr. Varno at August 11, 2011 01:25 PM (QMtmy)

33 This is the equivalent of a hipster douche bag driving up in a $45,000 hybrid car and then grabbing a sandwich out of a dumpster to eat.
But only if someone is watching.

It's mental masturbation for Colbert. He's a fuckin mediocre dumbass with more money than he knows what to do with and more smugness than his little body can contain. He's got to let the smug out or he'll pop like a zit.

Posted by: sifty of the Irish Breakfast Insurgency at August 11, 2011 01:25 PM (ECjvn)

34 This reminds me of when he went to Congress and testified on illegal immigration. Weird and awkward.

Posted by: sandy burger at August 11, 2011 01:25 PM (XyoGP)

35 The takeaway?

That Colbert's an unfunny prick with a lame schtick.

Posted by: nickless at August 11, 2011 01:25 PM (MMC8r)

36 Didn't he finally get his PAC established?

Is he fishing for donors now?

Posted by: Dave C at August 11, 2011 01:25 PM (C9VgD)

37 time to go fix some supper.bbl

Posted by: Vic at August 11, 2011 01:25 PM (M9Ie6)

38 Send in the bear cavalry.

Posted by: F--- Nevada! (I'm AoSHQ's DarkLord©, and I approve this message) at August 11, 2011 01:26 PM (GBXon)

39 Colbert actually only has one level: he saw this hot chick and he wanted to put his boner in her. Turned out she liked Stewart's show, so he's now working that angle as hard as his tiny mind can work it.

Posted by: Fake Ace at August 11, 2011 01:26 PM (lT0LC)

40 Most of what Colbert does makes no sense to me either.

Posted by: Bob Saget, half hobbit, half honey badger, half teabag at August 11, 2011 01:26 PM (F/4zf)

41 This is a great example of someone who thinks he's being clever but who is in reality not clever at all. It's a joke that was hilarious in his head (probably while in the throes of some really stinky, sticky weed) but went over like a wet fart once actualized.

Posted by: Monty at August 11, 2011 01:28 PM (/0a60)

42 Is it possible that he wants to be a complete dick to Rick Perry via the straw polling and if anyone calls him on it, "hey, it's a goof!"

Or flex his influence to see if there are any votes for Rick Parry..

Posted by: Dave C at August 11, 2011 01:29 PM (C9VgD)

43 Can Anyone Explain Colbert's Ads To Me?no

>>They just don't make any sense.<<

That's why no one can explain them to you

Posted by: SantaRosaStan, only occasionally wrong at August 11, 2011 01:30 PM (UqKQV)

44 ""a wet fart once actualized""

The title to my new book!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Fuck Scott Fitzgerald at August 11, 2011 01:31 PM (UqKQV)

45 He's got to let the smug out or he'll pop like a zit. Posted by: sifty of the Irish Breakfast Insurgency at August 11, 2011 05:25 PM (ECjvn) Yes, I can feel it!

Posted by: Barney Frank at August 11, 2011 01:31 PM (kUaEF)

46 >>> I think Colbert is just making fun of campaign ads. I see a bit of that, but I've seen that before a lot, and usually sharper.

Posted by: ace at August 11, 2011 01:31 PM (nj1bB)

47 Really tasty looking corn! Other than that...uhhhhh... but that corn is really yummy looking, and the girl on the pole in that first one flashed past too quicky for me to smear butter on her too.

Posted by: Errol at August 11, 2011 01:31 PM (d2AYO)

Can Anyone Explain Colbert's Ads To Me?

Colbert didn't start watching SNL until he was 19.

Posted by: garrett at August 11, 2011 01:32 PM (MWdAl)

49 Ya know, with that hairline that Judge Napolitano's got, he looks like he'd be a couple of positions back in that "Evolution of Man" chart

Posted by: Dickie Normous at August 11, 2011 01:32 PM (AnTyA)

50 youtube.com/watch?v=zQ5cGYBV2TQ

This is how you spoof campaign ads..

Posted by: Dave C at August 11, 2011 01:33 PM (C9VgD)

51 Sometime in the last couple of decades, comedy lost its funny. I don't know what the hell comedy is now.

OT: We were talking about earlier about the true believers' need to save Marxism from the catastrophe that is Obama. It seems that NPR has been thinking the same thing. He is a partial transcript of a skit they did in which both Adam Smith and Karl Marx visit the 21st century to see how their ideas made out.

"[Director Pedro] Reyes is filming an improvised story called "Baby Marx." In it, Adam Smith and Karl Marx come to the 21st century to learn how their work has been interpreted over the years.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Marx has a chip on his shoulder because his philosophies have failed so miserably," sniggers Smith.

"Failed so miserably," Marx responds, "because they aren't doing it right."

Posted by: WalrusRex at August 11, 2011 01:34 PM (Hx5uv)

It's absurd.

He wants to be absurd. He wants the context to be absurd, and by highlighting it, make Rick Perry seem absurd.

It's a playful kind of cynicism, yet just as corrosive. Hey look how silly I am, and how silly our system is, how silly some Iowa people are, and oh yeah, how silly Rick Perry is. But it is cynical.

It's the kind of approach that Kurt Vonnegut degenerated to in his later novels. Silly jokes and lameness masquerading the deep cynicism with which he held our people, values and the country as a whole. Woody Allen did the same thing in some of his later movies.

Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes.... at August 11, 2011 01:35 PM (sJTmU)

53

Colbert's schtick is not that funny. And it is very much of a schtick, there isn't a whole lot of creative genius going on.

On one end of the spectrum there are people like Dennis Miller, Louis CK, Seinfeld, etc, who experiment with comedy and do some "cutting edge", very clever comedy (that, admittedly, does not always work).

On the other end, you have people like Colbert and Jim Carrey who make funny faces and are very silly. In other words, court jesters.

Posted by: dan-O at August 11, 2011 01:37 PM (BAjNF)

54 Geez, talk about your terrorist threats:

""Obama: I'll Release Job Policies Until Every American Who Wants a Job Can Find One"--headline, NationalJournal.com, Aug. 11"

OMG NO!!!! Companies, you have to start hiring!!! Now!!!

Posted by: WalrusRex at August 11, 2011 01:38 PM (Hx5uv)

55 The most disgusting part is that Colbert is way overpaid and there are an infinite number of people who are way funnier who have to beg for money on their blogs.

Posted by: nickless at August 11, 2011 01:38 PM (MMC8r)

56 It would all make sense, ace, if you could see Colbert's comedically arched eyebrow as he's reading this script.

Posted by: Warden at August 11, 2011 01:38 PM (3BGP/)

57 I watched Colbert 1 time. He had RUSH on as guests. It was funny and he was good to them. His whole schtick is parodying a Buffoon, O'Reilly. So he is acting like a buffoon, parodying a buffoon. WTF?

Posted by: Oldsailors poet at August 11, 2011 01:38 PM (ZDUD4)

58 He's not jabbing the pro-perry super-pacs - he's going after the entire concept using those pacs as a base. I thought it was reasonable funny but then I'm ok with the meta-humor and meta-meta-humor. Not a Colbert fan though. I watch Stewart but a full hour of that crap a day - that's too much.

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at August 11, 2011 01:40 PM (AEA92)

59 Here's the explanation -

They are ads made by a guy, who is not funny, trying to be funny. And clever. But he's not clever, either.

So what you wind up with is a very unfunny, unclever video.

That uncomfortable feeling it leaves you with? Well that's you brain trying to figure out how many man hours were wasted on the video fail.

Posted by: Dang at August 11, 2011 01:41 PM (TXKVh)

60 ""Correction: An earlier version of this transcript incorrectly quoted Rick Perry as saying he met with the Libyan prime minister."--Time.com, Aug. 11"

Isn't that where Victor von Doom comes from?

Posted by: WalrusRex at August 11, 2011 01:41 PM (Hx5uv)

61 He is a no talent ass clown and everyone in his way (us) are the target.

That's all you need to know.

Posted by: Shiggz at August 11, 2011 01:41 PM (v8Pb8)

62 If you don't understand Colbert's humor then you're exactly whom he's making fun of. PWNED!!!!!

Posted by: Hipster Douche Who Gets All His News from The Daily Show at August 11, 2011 01:41 PM (lT/p/)

63 Another part of Colbert's weird shtick is really lame word play, like the Rick Parry 'gag' and the "A" for America and for Iowa. Real original there, pal.

The best example I can think at the moment of for good word play is George Carlin's airplane routine - it's old, but stick with me ("Pre-board?" *weird look*. What's that supposed to mean? That you have to get on before you get on!?).

Colbert (a really lame French word play parody in of itself) just doesn't have the comedy chops, which explains his presence after the Daily Show - he's there to make Jon Stewart look like a freakin' genius!

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at August 11, 2011 01:42 PM (aYTJa)

64 Colbert's problem is that he is only funny about 5% of the time, at best. When he came on and did one minute of stupid shit for Jon Stewart, that wasn't too bad. It was like a stupid break in the middle of moderately funny stuff. Any more stupid than a stupid break is too much stupid.

Posted by: Hussein the Plumber at August 11, 2011 01:42 PM (jx2j9)

65 What's not to get?

It's sheer genius..

I was clapping the entire video..

Posted by: Bill Maher at August 11, 2011 01:42 PM (C9VgD)

66 Well, what I saw was a jumbled, incomprehensible mess. Perhaps you need drugs to get it...

Posted by: backhoe, Hobbit tea-roar-ist of Doom at August 11, 2011 01:43 PM (rFdqZ)

He had RUSH on as guests. It was funny and he was good to them.

That was funny.

"Have you guys ever written a song so long..."

Posted by: garrett at August 11, 2011 01:44 PM (MWdAl)

68 Silly jokes and lameness masquerading the deep cynicism with which he held our people, values and the country as a whole. Woody Allen did the same thing in some of his later movies.

Yup. Throwing tomatoes at everybody and everything is easy, but cheap. Real comedy is hard. And we're the retards.

Posted by: pep at August 11, 2011 01:44 PM (6TB1Z)

69 Off you herpes ridden sock before I forget and post a comment again.

Posted by: Dave C at August 11, 2011 01:44 PM (C9VgD)

70 Here is the point: The Liberals know they can't win on the issues. Their policies are disastrous, and even they have come to realize it. The redoubt of Liberals is to belittle conservatives. It's what they did to Palin, now Bachman. It's what Colbert wants to do to Perry. They cannot win by pretending to be supergeniuses anymore. All they can do is snicker like little kids in the school cafeteria. And acting like a stupid little kid is what Colbert does best.

Posted by: CoolCzech at August 11, 2011 01:44 PM (kUaEF)

71 Iowahawk is funnier than Stewart and Colbert put together.

Posted by: Warden at August 11, 2011 01:45 PM (3BGP/)

72 I'm so fucking meta I think Colbert, Maher and Stewart are comedians with comedy shows on networks like Comedy Central and HBO.

Get it?

Posted by: My Sharia Moor at August 11, 2011 01:45 PM (ZY+lZ)

73 If anything it will piss off enough people to write in Rick Perry with an E

Posted by: izoneguy at August 11, 2011 01:46 PM (i6Neb)

74 Is this a slight slap at all the out-of-state union money that went to Wisconsin? I don't know, maybe it's just "edgy", which means you're supposed to laugh.

Posted by: t-bird at August 11, 2011 01:46 PM (FcR7P)

75 Colbert would be sucking cock in a back alley if it weren't being best buddies with John Stewart. He isn't, nor ever was, funny. Just another hatchet man for the executives at Comedy Central to push politics with.

Posted by: Blue Falcon in Boston at August 11, 2011 01:46 PM (ijjAe)

76 I'm going out on a limb and guess that there is a one-to-one mapping of those who think American Beauty was a great movie and those who think Colbert is funny.

Posted by: pep at August 11, 2011 01:46 PM (6TB1Z)

Iowahawk is funnier

Than most.

Posted by: garrett at August 11, 2011 01:47 PM (MWdAl)

78 You know "that guy" here on AoSHQ who posts a meme-joke that was finally played out about a month prior?

"But first you will blow me."
"Honeybadger doesn't give a shit."

Etc. etc...

Colbert is that guy to Liberals. The difference is that Liberals still think the schtick is hilarious.

Posted by: fly at August 11, 2011 01:47 PM (R9Sum)

79 14: Yeah, I recall having a conversation with some young libtards on a message board a few years ago. They actually believed that Colbert was a conservative. I guess they didn't "get" that he is a leftist douche who only pretends to be a conservative on his show in order to ridicule conservatives. I weep for the future, as well.

Posted by: RJ at August 11, 2011 01:47 PM (QjrRF)

80 I think Chuck Colbert is super HOTT! And it's so COOL that he used to be a Watergate Burglar and stuff, until he found the Lord.

Posted by: Associate Perfesser and Director of Women and Genderish Stuff at August 11, 2011 01:48 PM (3rKjY)

81 "Correction: An earlier version of this transcript incorrectly quoted Rick Perry as saying he met with the Libyan prime minister."--Time.com, Aug. 11"

Layers and layers of factchecking.

Posted by: AmishDude at August 11, 2011 01:49 PM (73tyQ)

82 WAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZUP?

Posted by: Stephen Colbert's freshest memes at August 11, 2011 01:49 PM (QjrRF)

83 WHERE'S THE BEEF?

Posted by: Stephen Colbert's freshest memes at August 11, 2011 01:49 PM (QjrRF)

84 Woody Allen did the same thing in some of his later movies.

Woody Allen ceased being funny about 40 years ago. Now there are a lot of words to describe the man, none of which are flattering.

Posted by: Blue Falcon in Boston at August 11, 2011 01:49 PM (ijjAe)

85 LOL

iowahawkblog David Burge Surprise attendee at the Iowa debates tonight - me! Look for the guy feeding the multitudes with Wonder Bread and fish sticks.

(Now that is funny.)

Posted by: Jane D'oh at August 11, 2011 01:49 PM (UOM48)

86 I think Chuck Colbert is super HOTT! And it's so COOL that he used to be a Watergate Burglar and stuff, until he found the Lord.

Wow. That's going back aways. And here I thought we were making fun of the young hipsters, not semi-senile old bags.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at August 11, 2011 01:50 PM (bjRNS)

87 The redoubt of Liberals is to belittle conservatives.

Yes, but we look so damn good doing it. (preens feathers)

(The recent post on dropping the a-bomb had a wonderful line from Paul Fussell. Those who condemned it were never the ones who did the dying. Their criticism was just a way of showing off "the fineness of their moral weave".) Mine now.

Posted by: Unctuous Lib at August 11, 2011 01:50 PM (6TB1Z)

88 Iowahawk is funnier than Stewart and Colbert put together.

Iowahawk's Iliad alone is funnier that both their total careers.

Posted by: nickless at August 11, 2011 01:50 PM (MMC8r)

89 65 Colbert's problem is that he is only funny about 5% of the time, at best. When he came on and did one minute of stupid shit for Jon Stewart, that wasn't too bad. It was like a stupid break in the middle of moderately funny stuff. Any more stupid than a stupid break is too much stupid. Posted by: Hussein the Plumber at August 11, 2011 05:42 PM (jx2j9) Yeah, but if you're already really good and toasted . . . I mean, you did just get done watching Stewart, right? . . . and you forgot to change the channel, (but, like, what the hell's on besides "A Touch Of Evil" (what the fuck is that, anyway, some black & white rerun?) after Stewart, anyway?) he's actually pretty funny.

Posted by: Fake Ace at August 11, 2011 01:50 PM (lT0LC)

90 So this means that I will hesitate for .05 seconds longer before walking out of the room when these come on just to fathom how many of Colbert's followers flushed their money down the toilet.

It is going to mean as much as the regular campaign commercials. Time to get a piece of cake.

Posted by: Polijay at August 11, 2011 01:50 PM (guvMX)

91 WHERE'S THE BEEF?

You did see that Domino's is bringing back the Noid, right?

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at August 11, 2011 01:51 PM (bjRNS)

92 TRENT LOTT, PLEASE PICK UP THE WHITE COURTESY PHONE!

Posted by: Stephen Colbert's freshest memes at August 11, 2011 01:52 PM (QjrRF)

93 Did I just hear Dana Perino on The Five say, "I'm one of those people who swallows..."

I must have mis-heard her.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at August 11, 2011 01:52 PM (UOM48)

94 SARAH PALIN IS STUPID!

Posted by: Stephen Colbert's freshest memes at August 11, 2011 01:53 PM (QjrRF)

95 I don't know, either. I dont find Colbert funny. The smug a-hole thing that he and Stewart do doesn't do it for me. But honestly I don't understand comedy nowadays anyway. The thrust of every "joke" is that x is in a situation or says something that is awkward and uncomfortable. And since I usually don't find awkward and uncomfortable funny, I don't laugh at all the newfangled comedy. That's not to say that those things aren't funny sometimes. But not as an entire show, act, series, etc.

Posted by: Mandy P., Southern Tea Party Terrorist bitterly clinging to her gun and her Bible at August 11, 2011 01:53 PM (qFpRI)

96 IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT RUSH LIMBAUGH IS RATHER OBESE!

Posted by: Stephen Colbert's freshest memes at August 11, 2011 01:53 PM (QjrRF)

I have never seen him except as referenced on blogs or on political shows. From what I have seen, I have no interest.

That is ennui, bitches.

Posted by: dagny at August 11, 2011 01:54 PM (Wzhc8)

98 MCGOVERN-SHRIVER!

Posted by: Stephen Colbert's freshest memes at August 11, 2011 01:54 PM (QjrRF)

Without sound, it looks ridiculous. Is it any better with sound?

To me, it just seems rather... lame.

Posted by: soulpile is... at August 11, 2011 01:55 PM (Mk/IQ)

100 I dont find Colbert funny. The smug a-hole thing that he and Stewart do doesn't do it for me.

It works for me. I think he's hilarious.

Posted by: Chevy Chase at August 11, 2011 01:57 PM (6TB1Z)

101 You know "that guy" here on AoSHQ who posts a meme-joke that was finally played out about a month prior?

No, never heard of him. Hey, wanna hear some Weinergate jokes?

Posted by: sandy burger at August 11, 2011 01:57 PM (XyoGP)

102 And since I usually don't find awkward and uncomfortable funny, I don't laugh at all the newfangled comedy.

It's not exactly newfangled. I have the same reaction to I Love Lucy, and it's based on the same set-up.

That said, your point is valid: the comedians that get time on Comedy Central seem to use that style too much. I 'spect that the CC suits like that sort of thing.

Posted by: Meiczyslaw at August 11, 2011 01:57 PM (bjRNS)

103

Mr. Colbert--YOU'RE TELLING THE SAME JOKE, OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

Posted by: Bill O'Reilly at August 11, 2011 01:57 PM (+N5l0)

104

Beats me, but my teenager thinks these are fucking hilarious. Maybe Colbert only works if you are under 21.

The only time I thought he was funny was when he spoofed that horrible Rebecca Parry "Friday" song on Jimmy Fallon's show.

Posted by: rockmom at August 11, 2011 01:57 PM (lSyyU)

105 Posted by: Meiczyslaw at August 11, 2011 05:57 PM (bjRNS) I think the difference between the stuff now and stuff like I Love Lucy is that the situations were awkward but in a silly and generally innocent way. Nowadays the awkward situations are so because of rudeness or general jackassery. Like Curb Your Enthusiasm. The whole joke is that the main character is a royal dbag and by being a royal dbag he ends up in uncomfortable situations. I loathe that show.

Posted by: Mandy P., Southern Tea Party Terrorist bitterly clinging to her gun and her Bible at August 11, 2011 02:01 PM (qFpRI)

106 Someone may have said this already but if he can trick someone into writing Perry's name in with an incorrect spelling then he will have arguably committed election fraud. Trying to confuse voters into thinking there are two guys named Perry running seems like a pretty dangerous game in return for zero laughs.

No one will ever call Colbert on it but if the DNC had set up a phone bank to call people to tell them to write in the name of a person who does not exist, but that sounds similar to a person who does exist and is running, then it is hard to see how that would not run afoul of some election rule of some sort. It would certainly fall under the heading of dirty tricks.

Is this what Colbert is doing with the PAC he tried to set up?

OT, did anyone else see where Soros beat up his live-in whore, choked her and caused other injuries? She is suing him for breaking a contract he had to buy her an expensive apartment. Gotta love it.

Posted by: Voluble at August 11, 2011 02:04 PM (JKX4x)

107 I do not know the rules of the Ames Straw Poll. Is it possible that a vote for Parry with an A would be a wasted vote? Since it's Perry with an E would a Parry with an A vote be shitcanned, leaving the poor spellers of the crowd voteless?

Or is he trying to get hipster douchebags to go in, and make Perry voters look stupid? The only other idea I have is that he's trying to fill otherwise unsold commercial time so as to not look like a total failure to potential advertisers.

Posted by: Peter at August 11, 2011 02:05 PM (50YCD)

108 Here is an alternative explanation.

The joke is on Colbert's viewers and PAC donors.

You should have seen the lefty blogs when the FEC decision was announced permitting Colbert to have his PAC. They were proclaiming "Colbert is the one who will save us and bring truth to the airwaves, we can't trust the corporate media, blah blah blah". There are a lot of disillusioned lefties out there who have more faith in Colbert and Stewart than in Obama, believe it or not. Colbert is mocking them.

Posted by: chemjeff at August 11, 2011 02:10 PM (s7mIC)

109 Colbert 10 minute long joke 6 months from now.

How do you spell Rick Parry.... george bush...

ha ha ha see cuz they both have a texas accent and the son of a poor farmer and the drunk party boy son of the president of the united states are exactly the same people!1!

Ill leave it to you dear reader, did I use a time machine or are they unfunny predictable hacks?

Posted by: Shiggz at August 11, 2011 02:12 PM (v8Pb8)

110 I evolved this a bit from earlier, I still think its funnier then anything Colbert or Stewart have done in a long time.

-"We must never forget that on 9/11/2001 nineteen peaceful Arabs entered a plane predominately filled with middle class white Americans, carrying nothing for protection but workmens tools, were killed in a private sector aircraft by explosive bomb like fossil-fuels after being assaulted in mid air by the Twin Towers, an international icon of capitalism."

-Barak Obama

(9/11/2002 Washington Elementary speech to 3rd grade class (vanilla wafer snack day))

Posted by: Shiggz at August 11, 2011 02:14 PM (v8Pb8)

111 I have never found Colbert funny.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at August 11, 2011 05:13 PM (UOM4

The only worthwhile thing the stupid asshole ever did was when he appeared in front of Congress at Pelosi Galore's behest and embarrassed the fuckheaded donks (as much as possible) by being his usual nit-brained self and reducing the "hearing" to a complete farce.

Posted by: Captain Hate at August 11, 2011 02:16 PM (houma)

112 Yeah, I recall having a conversation with some young libtards on a message board a few years ago. They actually believed that Colbert was a conservative. I guess they didn't "get" that he is a leftist douche who only pretends to be a conservative on his show in order to ridicule conservatives.

I weep for the future, as well.

I had an argument with a similar person, but this one doubled down when he insisted that he saw the band Spinal Tap in the 70's at some club. He even has a copy a Intravenous DeMilo somewhere in his basement.

Posted by: Damn Sockpuppet at August 11, 2011 02:24 PM (YmPwQ)

113 You can't get it, Ace.

From the insider/author/etc. perspective, the whole idea of the meta-meta-... "joke" (or "'"'"''joke,"'"'" as it were), e.g. "Colbert," is that anyone, whether they get it or not, can be excluded from the "gets it" crowdÂ—based on criteria other than their getting it, because objectively and finally "getting it" is objectively and finally undecidable. There's always one more rung of "meta-" there for "No, you don't get it; you're one of them" to escape to.

I think either Kierkegaard or Donald Barthelme writing about Kierkegaard or David Foster Wallace stealing an idea from Donald Barhelme about Kierkegaard explained it (this kind of thing) as the author (or comedian or whatever) achieving subjective freedom at the expense of the objective world, which his (that author's) "meta-meta-meta-...," his bad irony, "obliterates." (I remember that last word from the quote, even though I don't remember the quote or whose it was.)

So (you're still with me, right?), in the case of "Colbert" (and such), the obliterated objective thing is any out-group member's capacity to "get it"Â—because the out-group is excluded ipso some other facto.

For example, in your case, you're a Republican. So you don't get it, maaaaan.

And also, confessing that you're maybe not getting it excludes you from ever afterward claiming to have got it, y'know? Because if you have to be told...

And also because the point, the "joke," is the audience's assertion of its identity as in-on-it. Which is why you don't laugh.

Anyway, in summary!:

The "Colbert" thing is a really pussy and annoying kind of bullying that groups of physical cowards doÂ—sometimes as comedy, but usually not. Because it's not funny. It can be good, but the laughs are always ugly. Which is why Kierkegaard was all pissed off about this same thing, a long time ago, in some book I don't remember.

COLLEGE

Posted by: oblig. at August 11, 2011 02:24 PM (xvZW9)

114 "Awkward!"
funnybot

Posted by: Wdavisterry at August 11, 2011 02:26 PM (EG/p1)

115 Grungy kid #1: Oh, that's sooo cool. Grungy kid #2: Are you being sarcastic? Grungy kid #1: Man, I don't even know anymore. - The Simpsons, "Homerpalooza"

Posted by: iowahawk at August 11, 2011 02:33 PM (veL4N)

116 Colbert is as subtle as a head butt.

Posted by: SurferDoc at August 11, 2011 02:51 PM (STdkO)

117 It was almost working. It could of worked. But it didn't. He needs Amy Sedaris in a big way.

Posted by: Chuck Knoblick at August 11, 2011 02:56 PM (STTZD)

118 Colbert's entire schtick is dong a caricature of O'Reilly, think about that, how much do you have to suck to owe your entire career to riding O'Reilly's coattails?

Posted by: booger at August 11, 2011 02:56 PM (9RFH1)

119 dong should be doing, eh, works either way.

Posted by: booger at August 11, 2011 02:57 PM (9RFH1)

120 I got all seven levels of irony and humor. But I will not explain them because they are so obvious.
So I am really smart. And you are stupid.

Posted by: West at August 11, 2011 03:37 PM (NCWs1)

121 Ah I see I recapitulated Oblig's post, but slightly more succinctly.

What he said.

Posted by: West at August 11, 2011 03:39 PM (NCWs1)

122 Colbert is just a liberal nihilist cloaking himself in the skin of a comedian. He grew up in Charleston, South Carolina and yet... hmm I can't find any accent. I bet if you get him mad the southern draw will come out really thick and he probably worked a long time getting rid of it. This isn't a jester, its a man who hates himself. Just read his wikipedia page, pretty much spells it all out.

Posted by: Drew in MO at August 11, 2011 03:40 PM (StBYg)

123

When Colbert has on Dick Cheney we will all understand fourth-level irony.

And we will all love it.

Fucking love it, says Dick Cheney, or how about you go fuck yourself?

Posted by: notquiteunBuckley at August 11, 2011 04:04 PM (Bo7bD)

124 I have been quite impressive with your posts, keep up the great work.

Posted by: The Magicians AudioBook at August 11, 2011 04:10 PM (LnWQ1)

125 Stephen Colbert is funny in an Al Franken-like way. IE, not at all, but he votes the correct way as far as the Left is concerned, so he is adjudged funny.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at August 11, 2011 04:11 PM (/zYUh)

126 I've never really gotten the metaness of Colbert's "Who are we lampooning again?" sort of humor. I think you can maybe get to the third level of ironic distance, tops, before everything just stops making sense; Colbert seems to be going for four.

--I loved the passage in Thomas Wolfe's I Am Charlotte Simmons where Charlotte's roommate blasts out a discourse on levels of irony/sarcasm. I have a suspicion Ace has read that book as well.

Posted by: logprof at August 11, 2011 05:07 PM (BP6Z1)

127 Colbert hates people with hats who don't live in the North East or Southern California and he's better than them and his viewers are too. That's his message. It's xenophobic slander of his fellow Americans who aren't like him. And O'Reilly is stupid because he doesn't hate them enough like he should, and would if he were smart.

Posted by: cackfinger at August 11, 2011 06:19 PM (a9mQu)

128 I think the point you are all trying to make, and certainly the point our friend above who alluded to Kierkegaard was trying, tortuously, to make: Colbert is "inauthentic".

I get the "Uncle Funny" schtick. All he needs is a roll-up dickey.

Posted by: Dick Primate at August 11, 2011 06:36 PM (du71H)

129

Americans for a Better Tomorrow Tomorrow

The "tomorrow, tomorrow" thing is hilarious. I loved that comic twist the first time several years ago with SpongeBob's "Campfire Song Song". At least we know now who's writing for Colbert: Patrick Star.

Posted by: OCBill at August 11, 2011 09:39 PM (MiSre)

130 GHD Hair Straighteners the position of the lost man behaviour, such as for forgiveness, and without education, education the reds from party, without education revolutionaries, and without education make a person, MBT Sale so the central committee and the military commission will have to according to his evil ACTS, MBT Trainers according to the party and the red army of the discipline, place him in conceding. All the communist party member, all members of the red army, all revolutionary molecules, should be HuangKeGong for mistakes. GHD Iv Styler

Posted by: GHD at August 14, 2011 02:03 AM (UDaJ+)

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