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• Wednesday, May 3, 2006 02:07 PM

  Are the critics giving examples?

  Are Colbert's critics quoting the most egregious examples of Colbert's alleged unfunniness? From the transcript:

  "The greatest thing about this man is he's steady. You know where he stands. He believes the same thing Wednesday that he believed on Monday, no matter what happened Tuesday. Events can change; this man's beliefs never will."

  Or how about this bomblet:

  "Over the last five years you people were so good -- over tax cuts, WMD intelligence, the effect of global warming. We Americans didn't want to know, and you had the courtesy not to try to find out."

  Personally, I loved this bit:

  "Here's how it works: the president makes decisions. He's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know - fiction!"

  And this followup made my day:

  "Then you write, 'Oh, they're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.' First of all, that is a terrible metaphor. This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg!"

  So if Colbert was so unfunny, can the media critics please be a little more precise?

  —Chiaroscuro Read Chiaroscuro's other letters
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