Many people are saying that Colbert is this generation's Mark Twain. I think he's more like this generation's Groucho Marx. Who else can pretend to be in league with "The Man" while poking The Man in the eye, causing uproarious laughter. Remember the scene early on in the Marx Brothers movie "Horse Feathers" when Prof. Wagstaff (i.e. Groucho) dances on a desk and sings "Whatever it is/I'm against it!" while plucking the long grey beards of academia? Like the audience in that movie, the audience at the Correspondences' dinner was "shocked and awed" by the frightening mirror that was held up.

...since I'm reminded of another uncomfortable evening long ago: the night Mark Twain's hilarious takedown of Emerson, Longfellow and Holmes was met with shocked silence.

http://www.transcendentalists.com/twain_on_emerson.htm

Of course, Emerson, Longfellow and Holmes were in no way destroying America, but after Mark Twain and that evening, America was just a little bit different from before. It knew better what to laugh at after Twain. And I think that likewise America will be a little bit different after Colbert as well.

Here is a transcript of Colbert's evening:

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/4/30/1441/59811/

When I watched Colbert's routine. Without a doubt, he will be receiving the Nobel Prize for bravery and truthiness.

Vonnegut, Heller, Camus, all of them are hacks who should be ashamed of themselves. Colbert has shown us the real truth of life. I have already begun the process of selling my home and all my possessions, so that I can move to New York to be closer to him. If I could only touch the hem of his garment.

Uh, well, DUUHHHH!

"The depth of his attack caused bewilderment on the face of the president and some of the press, who, like myopic fish, are used to ignoring the water that sustains them. Laura Bush did not shake his hand."

Are you kidding me? Were these people really as clueless about what Colbert is all about? As clueless as the congress people Colbert often interviews on his Report? These folks should know better, and if they've ever seen The Colbert Report and really thought he was going to be like O'Reilly, for real, then they're even dumber than I thought.

Really scary. I guess the President doesn't watch TV either, nor our elite press corps.

Hey guys and gals, The Colbert Report is a S-P-O-O-F of The O'Reilly Factor. Get it?

Geeeez. I have to spell it out for you already?!?! Get with the program people! Watch the Colbert Report!

And thank you, Michael Scherer, for recognizing true art when you see it. Perhaps the D.C. press corps will slowly wake up?

"Brilliance!

That's all I can say!

SHEER, UNADULTERATED, BRILLIANCE!!"

A direct quote from Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius

Stephen Colbert was John Wilkes Booth without the derringer.

Oh wow! Now THAT'S a breath of fresh air! BRAVO STEPHEN COLBERT!! I just hope Mr. Colbert does not end up rendered to a black site, once Dubyuh figures out he was royally skinned alive while present without realizing it at the time.

Brilliant.

Thank you, Mr. Colbert, for taking steps to remedy the severe Irony Deficiency now ravaging our country.

(OK, I stole it from Swami Beyondananda, but I suspect he would agree.)

But until I read Scherer's terrific column I couldn't quite put my finger on what Colbert was "doing" in his performance. Thanks to Scherer for his brilliant explication of Colbert's tour de force of political satire & irony. This is what the term "rapier wit" was meant for.

Is it my imagination, or did C-span mute the audio volume of the audience laughter, giving it the effect that Colbert was roundly disapproved of and his comments falling on deaf ears?

Reminds me of a similar microphone 'malfunction' wrt the so-called 'dean scream'.

Further, did anyone notice that the camera failed to show both Bush's faces several times after a barbed comment? This is in stark contrast to the camerawork on celebrity roasts, where every dig warrants a quick take of the roastee's reaction.

I wonder if a non-C-span version is available for comparison on both counts?

Laura refused to shake his hand, Chimpy sat like a stunned mullet, 2600 industry heavies and assorted big wigs gaped as Colbert wielded flame thrower and stiletto with the finesse of master satirist.

Colbert’s wit achieved in 15 minutes what Lenny Bruce would have died for; Stephen told the emperor to his face in public primetime, that not only was he threadless, but that his soul was ugly.

This is how a patriot would act.

check it out!

http://thankyoustephencolbert.org

I don't think anyone in the White House expected Stephen Colbert. Not the first time they've failed to do due diligence and found themselves in an embarrassing situation.

Important to put in writing: I worry that Colbert may suffer a "heart attack" in the coming weeks, or a "suicide" a la Hunter S. Thompson. If this were so, I'd hope people would have an appropriately violent reaction, but I doubt it would be so, and that shows exactly why Colbert wasn't being ironic when he said he has "nothing but contempt" for -- yes, the "liberal" media.

Colbert showed about the biggest set of balls I've ever witnessed there. It's a shame that spineless liberals can't get it together to do anything to overthrow this dictatorship that's illegally taken our country. We all know it's a fascist regime and we shake our heads and mumble to each other like good little germans.

I guess the day Michael Scherer grows a pair of balls like Colbert's, the rest of you will. But given the almost daily lowering of the level of public discourse in this country (and considering the obvious fact that Colbert's speech will never, ever see the light of a wider viewership), the only way to alter the course this country has taken is through the violent overthrow of the government, as Jefferson recommended in cases where the burden of injustice outweighs man's natural desire for continuity.

In other words, time for liberals to take up arms, and stop letting the powers fuck with you.