Colbert Addresses Congress Tells Truth, Angers Press and Congress

Response to Jason Linkins: Colbert’s Congressional Act Panned By Reporters

“The media came in today bound and determined to make their narrative — “OUTRAGE! Stephen Colbert addresses Congress ‘in character'” — stick, and thus far they have managed to keep it up despite the fact that it’s not, as they say, “true.” Jason Linkins Huffington Post.

What’s the beef? That Colbert addressed this collection of some of our most venal characters in character? That a comedian addressed congress? That for a few minutes someone injected a bit of truth laced with satirical wit into our hallowed lower chamber of mendacity?

Comedians address congress from the floor every day the only difference being that most of them were elected to the body with corporate money, their shtick is usually more harmful than funny and seldom informative.

Elmo appeared “in character,” although I’m not sure how he could have done otherwise, and I remember no outrage. But Elmo, after all, was a puppet and a sizable portion of congress shares 95% of Elmo’s DNA. They totally understood Elmo.

I’ll admit that this wasn’t Colbert’s best five minutes, but it must have been a stifling atmosphere, a tough crowd, addressing several hundred crooked old windbags. For five minutes though at least it wasn’t boring.

The press was outraged? Who cares about the press, they should just go on with their daily routine of kissing butts, writing down what they’re told to write, and leave humor to those who have a sense of it.

Bob Higgins

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost