Court Jester: Stephen Colbert Edition

Don · Dec 19, 2014

Is a free and independent press is a cornerstone of any successful society? Does a lapdog press work to the advantage of the ruling class and the detriment of the common man?

Does it bother anybody else that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has this page, where over 100,000 people have thanked Stephen Colbert for his tireless efforts over the last nine years as Court Jester?

Hugo Black said:
Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell.

Napoléon Bonaparte said:
Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.

Douglas MacArthur said:
One cannot wage war under present conditions without the support of public opinion, which is tremendously molded by the press and other forms of propaganda.

Upton Sinclair said:
All art is propaganda. It is universally and inescapably propaganda; sometimes unconsciously, but often deliberately, propaganda.

Noam Chomsky said:
Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.

raburrell · Dec 19, 2014

Help me out on what I'm supposed to be bothered by here, Don? Because people liked a television show?

Alessandra Kelley · Dec 19, 2014

I'm glad to see Steven Colbert get a shout-out. He has run one of the best and most informative news shows out there for long years.

Yep, a comedian has been more intelligent, more informative, and more helpful than all those 24-hour news network equivalents of the National Enquirer.

Thank goodness for court jesters. They say truths to kings that courtiers fear to.

asroc · Dec 19, 2014

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make with this thread. Do you consider Stephen Colbert to be a lapdog of the Democratic Party?

Bartholomew · Dec 19, 2014

<rant>
The twenty-four hour news network needs desperately to die. They're a constant source of fear-mongering and agitation, and worse, they're consistently and absolutely dishonest in handling facts both for the sake of ratings and for their personal agendas.
</rant>

I can see how someone who leans ancap or libertarian would dislike Colbert and his liberal tilt, but I don't see anything strange about liberals thanking him for his show.

Lyv · Dec 19, 2014

Here's the actual text from the page, for those who don't want to click:

THANK YOU STEPHEN COLBERT!
Please sign our card to thank Stephen for nine great years of the Colbert Report >>

Alessandra Kelley · Dec 19, 2014

Hmm. I find it telling in the OP quotes that Douglas MacArthur considered the press as simply a form of propaganda. He really was a megalomaniac, wasn't he.

Amadan · Dec 19, 2014

Yeah, I'm also not sure what the point is here.

Is it "We have a lapdog press" because Stephen Colbert is popular among Democrats?

In which case, I'll raise you a Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.

Not saying it's necessarily better for everyone to be in the bag for someone else, but there are also news organizations (which, incidentally both Colbert and Limbaugh deny being a part of) that both sides argue over who they're horribly biased against.

So using Stephen Colbert as reason to decry a "lapdog press" just seems pretty thin.

cornflake · Dec 19, 2014

Since when is Colbert a member of the press?

He's a comedian. He has a comedy show.

I sincerely doubt Colbert would refer to himself as a member of the press; he doesn't operate like one, or hold himself up to be one.

Fingers · Dec 19, 2014

Personally, I didn't much care for Colbert show. Not because of it being lefty leaning or right leaning, but because I thought it was stupid. I don't get the whole court jester thing. I guess that's because my politics (or lack of) doesn't color my world view. But I have no problem with fans of his show thanking him for nine years of hard work to entertain them.

Liosse de Velishaf · Dec 19, 2014

Poor Colby. Gonna miss him. Who's gonna keep me informed about the evils of Republican politics now? :poke:

nealraisman · Dec 19, 2014

Sounds like a non-issue. Colbert is being thanked and rightly so. There was much truth in the laughter he created and will create in his new show. As for a lapdog, he bit Democrats too. Methinks thou dost protest way too much.

Putputt · Dec 19, 2014

cornflake said:
He's a comedian.

HE IS NOT A COMEDIAN. HE IS LEGOLAS.

The most beautifulest elf there ever was. *le sigh!*

Helix · Dec 19, 2014

He did a rather wonderful job at the White House Correspondents' dinner.

Dreity · Dec 19, 2014

OMG, I remember watching that with my jaw dropped the entire time. Just brilliant.

ETA: Also, I remember when you shared those gifs on Twitter, Hippo! Honestly? I think he pulls off the elf look shockingly well. And that is a legitimately graceful twirl.

Haggis · Dec 19, 2014

cornflake said:
Since when is Colbert a member of the press?

He's a comedian. He has a comedy show.

I sincerely doubt Colbert would refer to himself as a member of the press; he doesn't operate like one, or hold himself up to be one.

Once again I wholeheartedly agree with cornflake.

The guy's a comic. What's with all the "he's a reporter" crap?

A good comic, but he doesn't report the news. Not that too many of them do anymorel

Celia Cyanide · Dec 19, 2014

cornflake said:
Since when is Colbert a member of the press?

He's a comedian. He has a comedy show.

I sincerely doubt Colbert would refer to himself as a member of the press; he doesn't operate like one, or hold himself up to be one.

I agree, I don't think he would. His comedy is topical, for sure, but that doesn't mean he should be held to any kind of journalistic standards. He is an entertainer. And yeah, people liked the show. I didn't watch much of it, but I can understand why people were such fans of it.

Putputt · Dec 19, 2014

Dreity said:
ETA: Also, I remember when you shared those gifs on Twitter, Hippo! Honestly? I think he pulls off the elf look shockingly well. And that is a legitimately graceful twirl.

Isn't it the most perfect twirl?? *swoons*

cornflake · Dec 19, 2014

Putputt said:
HE IS NOT A COMEDIAN. HE IS LEGOLAS.

The most beautifulest elf there ever was. *le sigh!*

That doesn't look like a Lego person...

Helix · Dec 19, 2014

cornflake said:
That doesn't look like a Lego person...

That's because he's Lego-less.

cornflake · Dec 19, 2014

Helix said:
That's because he's Lego-less.

Oh, thanks, Ducky - is he looking for Legos?

Roxxsmom · Dec 19, 2014

Helix said:
That's because he's Lego-less.

Putputt · Dec 19, 2014

Helix said:
That's because he's Lego-less.

cornflake said:
Oh, thanks, Ducky - is he looking for Legos?

I despair.

Celia Cyanide · Dec 20, 2014

cornflake and Putputt, I can't tell you apart!

Alessandra Kelley · Dec 20, 2014

Celia Cyanide said:
cornflake and Putputt, I can't tell you apart!

Aren't they, like, married or something?

Court Jester: Stephen Colbert Edition

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