Obama v Colbert

Recent upsurge in traffic, which is pretty cool. I have several House-side visitors, even the Department of Justice.

Never when I launched my lil ole blog did I think I would get so many hits.

This election has been better than the Craigslist bump, and no, I don't mean "baby." Btw, Craig Newmark [Ed: edited from Venter, my mistake] is an Obama supporter, not a Colbert supporter, but I will forgive him for that. Not everyone has the ability to dream big.

And with that I present to you my comparison list of Obama v Colbert, just one in my ongoing lists of candidates' strengths and weaknesses.

This list is urgent, as voters in South Carolina go to make up their minds at the polls. Folks, it's never too late to support a winning candidate on these crucial issues that matter to the American people, especially in an ill-planned WRITE IN CAMPAIGN.

1)LOOKS - public's top concern, and what we vote for
Obama has an easy smile and a tall lanky frame. His skin is mocha colored. He has no hair and his ears are rather large for his face.

Colbert has a wicked smile and mischevious eyes. He does not see skin color. Colbert has a fine modern pompadour and one of his ears sticks closely to his face.

Decision: TIE

2) STYLE - consider it a subsidiary of Looks
Obama rocks the suit and open button down at the collar. A crisp yet relaxed image, with suits that gracefully drape his body

Colbert has extremely well fitted suits as well, including a smashing pinstripe number. But he always buttons his shirt and wears a slim fitting tie. Come on, how can you trust someone if they aren't wearing a tie?!?

Decision: Colbert

3) CHARISMA - this is how you get away with telling the American people that you're "the decider"; infalliable for selling stupid ideas like war with Iran
Obama is frequently described as a "rock star" and draws huge crowds. His 10,000 megawatt Democratic National Convention speech on behalf of Kerry blazed a trail all the way for him to make his own presidential run. Has throngs of adoring fans.

Colbert is often described as "a takeoff on Bill O'Reilly." He draws crowds and has throngs of adoring fans. His stage persona is so charismatic that he got Justice Scalia to laugh riotously at Colbert mocking him during the White House Correspondents Association dinner. How very meta.

Decision: Close call, but Obama. Obama's charisma is cooler, so maybe it's blue. And Colbert's charisma is warmer, so it's red. So this is a purple tie, not unlike one that Obama would wear to appeal to those purple states.

4) ORATORY
Obama launched his US Senate, then presidential campaign on the strength of one speech alone. Who else can top that?

Colbert launched the smartest, most incisive diatribe against the complicity of the DC press corps at the WHCA dinner that I have ever seen. Better than anything I could have dreamed of, toppled the egos of giants who only wish they had his speaking ability. Plus he manages to stay in character nearly ALL THE TIME. On TV. Do you know how hard that is?

Decision: Obama, because he has to stay in character all the time.

5) FEAR FACTOR
Obama is unafraid. So unafraid that he dares to be hopeful. Talk about a gloom-killer.

Colbert is afraid of bears. Like Papa Bear Bill O'Reilly, and polar and brown. (I wonder if he's also afraid of the Turkleton? I;d be afraid of his wife - she's fierce!)



Decision: Obama

Hmm, it appears that Obama would win 3-1-0. Nonetheless I'm sticking with my guy. Because my gut tells me so. And I always listen to my gut, as it is prodigiously larger than my brain. So right on, WRITE IN!

Mark lives in IKEA, and why I still support Colbert for President

Mark is a typical New York City yuppie/cheapskate who decided to see if he couldn't live in IKEA for a week while doing some apartment renovations.



OMG, watching this video, I thought, that guy could pass for the younger son of Stephen Colbert. He looks so much like him. He even talks and acts like him. He's got the deadpan down, and some of the affectations, the jawline.

Then I read his about. HE WORKS FOR STEPHEN COLBERT!!!!! ARRRRGH, my dream job. So I guess the Colbert tribute is intentional. Plus he gets free rent for a week and some very cushy digs.

So jealous. Of the idea, of the bed, of the IKEA setup, of the JOB!!!!

Also, OF COURSE IKEA agreed - they are a hipper image conscious company, and Mark is in their ideal target demographic of shoppers - young, college educated, urban - this is massive free publicity for them. When I say hipper, I mean smarter at knowing what is good press. Turning him down (esp since he works for Colbert Report) could have been really bad press about how IKEA forced him to be homeless during the writers' strike. IKEA is definitely edgier than most with its advertising, so this fits right in.

Lastly, aren't you tehnically re-employed again since Colbert is back on TV? You need to get your lazy, hobo bum ass out of IKEA and back into work. Work being a figurative term, since I would pay to work at the Colbert Report. Man, those writers must be bummed that they don't get to bask in the creative glory of Stephen. Wait, you mean to tell me that they are the ones who put words in his mouth??!!?!?

Noooo, I won't stand for it. I mean, I won't fall for it. Well, I declare that I will neither stand nor fall for it. I will sit for it.

Because Stephen should have been the one to be running for president right now. He's the man with the smarts and the guts and the experience. And the change. He has a lot of loose change. Nevermind being the first black president or the first lady president. He's the first impostor president.

Oh, wait . . .

Happy belated birthday to me

Or rather this blog. I realized I forgot to wish myself that, in the midst of election excitement and work and other things.

I recently changed the sidebar to include a Most Favorite and Most Popular posts guide. A quick and dirty if you will of both pieces that get read and linked to frequently, and also my own favorite writings.

I should be making some more changes sooner or later, as long as I don't break this fragile system. Also I'm thinking of switching to tumblr because of it's clean layout. But then I would have to figure out how to migrate over, which is more than my feeble mind can take. I guess you go to blog with the blog you've got, not the blog you wish you had? (to poorly paraphrase the ineffable Rumsfeld.)

Tumble me this, tumble me that . . . I'll stop now while I'm ahead and just say that I should have reminded myself of my blogiversary. Next year to make up for it, I'm going to have a real big production. It might involve watching some crazy youtube video while hoisting a glass.

OH! Almost forgot - Colbert and Stewart are back on! NYMag has a good liveblog of both Stewart and Colbert. Yay, this is a good blogiversary treat.

Letterman reaches deal with Writers Guild

This is pretty cool and HUGE, because this way the writers can hope to fragment the media companies (not a huge chance but good luck and a step forward.)

It sucks that they haven't been able to do the same with with Colbert, who I am still on record as supporting for President, and with Jon Stewart, because we kinda NEED their rapier wits to skewer the GOP over this next year. (Please please please let's get this thing settled by the start of GOP convention - there's so much material there, especially since Larry Craig hoisted his infamous petard in the Minneapolis airport!!! We could say that the GOP candidate has a wide stance on [pick your issue cos they all flip-flop routinely.])

Of course, neither Colbert nor Stewart own their own production companies, and are being forced to return to work, without their writers. So maybe this will push them in that direction, as they are mightier than most real pundits, as voted by the Associated Press. (Read the AP story for a damn fine tribute to Colberto, the anti-Alberto.)

But I'm enthused because it shows that the Guild is willing and able to make deals and also play hardball. I buy blue, and I try my darnedest to vote with my cash and to take my business to progressive companies that honor my business. As the United Hollywood blog says:

Like the waiver for the SAG awards, it lets people know that, when we are able to, we honor those who honor us.

(Trust me, I have been in both airline and wireless provider hell for the past few weeks. I will GLADLY pay extra to find companies in both fields that meet my needs and provide ACTUAL customer service without screwing their workers. Strangely the two often coincide - for some reason companies that think it's worthwhile to treat their employees right get employees who are willing and able to treat the customers right. Full circle, you know? Southwest is one that does it right, and American Airlines is currently on my shit list.)

So I'm glad to see that Letterman and Ferguson, both of whom are more on the progressive side of things, are getting a decided market advantage, and that it's one which honors the writers. Imagine that the writers actually got a friggin' voice in all this, that they might be able to use this power to divide and conquer versus being divided and conquered, which is usually what happens.

Because at some point, all the media companies who need to shill their movie stars and the conglomerates who need to promote their books and gadgets and gizmos aplenty are going to be burning up the lines to place their clients on TV. And since most stars are unwilling to cross the picket lines, but are willing to elbow out their competition, producer's lines for these two talk shows are going to start burning up, right about now. Laeta over at United Hollywood says it all better than I ever could, including these key grafs:

Leno, Conan, Kimmel and others have been staunch supporters of the writers, even digging into their own pockets to pay their non-writing crews. The sacrifice they’ve made by staying out this long in support of writers is an incredible thing. But unlike Letterman, who can thumb his nose at CBS because he owns his own company, the other late-night hosts are effectively hostage to the position of their employers, like NBC and ABC.

And since all the hosts are being forced to go back in January anyway, the income stream they provide to the conglomerates will come back no matter what, albeit (we hope) reduced by advertisers rebelling.

So denying Letterman a deal wouldn’t actually have deprived CBS of a revenue stream. At best, it would have reduced the revenue stream. And again, tremendous advertiser pressure will now be put on NBC and ABC to settle this.

. . . This is the kind of behavior that Wall Street often rewards. But that doesn’t make it actually good for business, much less for the people who make the product the business relies on for its profits.

We want to go back to work, and we want the town back to work – with a fair deal for everyone. Personally, although I know there will be frustration for some members that we made this deal, I think it was the right thing to do.

When one of the majors comes to the table and makes a deal – and I hope they will – odds are that I won’t be one of the writers who gets to go back to work. I won’t like it, because I have a movie in preproduction right now that I've had to walk off of. But I’ll live with it, if it serves the larger good of all of us getting coverage.

I'll just add that Letterman is really pissed at CBS because they want to replace him in 2009 with Conan, so he has lots of impetus to screw the eye. (Sounds nasty, I apologize.) But also that his added cachet what with being able to draw higher ratings with his writing staff in place might change that game plan as well, and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't consider that factor.

But this is excellent news, a nice way to start the New Year and it gives me hope. Plus it gives me some light at the end of this very long and depressing tunnel called the winter doldrums. Please for the love of god, don't make me face the bizarre global warming storms that keep me indoors without SOME kind of quality entertainment!!! Apart from re-watching Arrested Development, I just don't know what I am going to do. Maybe I'll brave the long lines, stand outside, and buy a Wii if I can get one. Am desperate for entertainment and means of procrastination!!! So desperate I started blogging regularly again . . .

Writers Strike Comedy Gold

So as a devout consumer of television, I am very depressed that there is no new good tv programming apart from Reality TV. And as much as I love my Top Chef and Project Runway, I crave and need Heroes, Grey's and Ugly Betty. Not to mention the IV drip straight into my brain of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. (Sorry about South Carolina, better luck next time!)

I mean, come on. I can't get through the holidays and family drama without having my TV to tune out to!!! I know I make fun of Americans who do just turn on and tune out, but please don't deprive me. Santa, all I want is my pop culture fix. Please?!?

But the one bright shining silver lining to this whole mess? The writers of all my favorite shows have gone gangbusters on youtube, creating hilarious hits like The Office is Closed, WGA Strike Rally Day 5 (for fans of Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy and American Dad), and Not the Daily Show. All these videos lampooning the evil and greedy studio moguls. Plus the hilarious spoof of the movie moguls' website, www.amptp.org. It is pretty spot on down to the logo and the FAQ.

So the writers are at last able to strike comedic gold on many counts. Just sucks for you, media mogul, that it's all directed at you. But then you decided to mess with the most creative minds in America, who have no shame mocking you for all you're worth (which is probably a cool billion combined.)

Give em what they want - which is a fair deal. Even the quality of your advertisements is starting to suck cos no companies are willing to pay eye-gouging prices for no viewers. I can only stomach so many repeated Taco Bell commercials. At this rate, the ads are gonna make me puke before their food does. (Since I would never eat there anyway.)

Love,
P & P

Tidbits: Racism / catism, and Super Mario in Heroes

Lately I am thinking that Lolsecretz is funnier and more interesting than postsecret, its godfather. reasons why? Well, they have this running (totally wrong and yet funny) gag about colorism against cats. Here's another. And another about not wanting the white man's pity.

It makes me laugh because there is so much out there that is wrong and messed up, and it helps to have a fresh perspective. And yes, sometimes postsecret gets too dark. That's why you need this about dating older cats, and this about identity.

(all links are safe for work . . . because they are cats.)

PS: On the media watchdog front, there's a new TV Guide interview with James Kyson Lee, who plays Ando, Hiro Nakamura's best friend and sidekick on my fave TV show Heroes. He's now a show regular as opposed to a guest star! Here's a snippet:

TVGuide.com: You just attended the Asian American Arts Alliance awards; do you think there are enough Asian faces on TV?
Lee: We are seeing more, especially on top shows. There's me and Masi and Sendhil [Ramamurthy, who plays Mohinder] on Heroes, the Korean couple [Daniel Dae Kim and Yunjin Kim] on Lost, Sandra Oh on Grey's Anatomy. But we still make up a very, very small piece of the pie on TV, less than two percent, which is not a correct representation of the population. It gets a little better each year. My job is to go out there and do the best work that I can do and hopefully open doors for other people as well.

More reason to watch Heroes tomorrow night - 2 talented Asian American male actors. Although if Masi Oka's character does not get to actually kiss a girl soon, regardless of her color, I will be pissed. Remind me why they have Sark from Alias playing Kenzei, and winning the princess? I think I might be the only one who was disappointed that Kenzei didn't die because it meant that Hiro couldn't get the princess. Now he is reduced to playing Luigi to Sark's Mario. Which makes Ando . . . . . Yoshi?!? I hope Hiro goes Wario on Sark's ass.

I wonder if anyone has mapped the powers and characters from Super Mario World onto Heroes and what the coincidence rate is? Yes I am geek, and so can you, in the immortal words of my presidential candidate, Stephen Colbert. (What, you expected a deep pondering of political strategies on a Sunday evening when I'm procrastinating? C'mon!)

Ok, here - NEWSFLASH: Asian Americans who want to teach English in China are discriminated against by Chinese who seek white, blonde, blue-eyed beings to guide them in their mystical quest to English Enlightenment. (Per the LATimes.)

Not really a newsflash to anyone who has ever been to Asia, had friends teaching there, or family taking English classes. I'm not sure why the LAT is on this whole bash the yellow people kick (including the Chinatown donor article.) It's a big misconception of the Chinese the way that white people over here insist on having an Asian person teach them karate, yoga, feng shui, massage, etc. cos it's more "authentic." White people started English, therefore English teacher = white, right?

What a logical fallacy. Perhaps I can create an lolcatz for this with a white cat holding an upside-down grammar book, teaching a class of ginger kittens:

O NOEZ. Mai Engrish teachr iz frum Franz.

I thawt awl whytez culd spellz and teechz good!

(I guess it only makes sense in context, and if you get used to reading the atrociously spelled lolz.)

PS: Why do my backlinks not show up? It's enabled in my template. Plus it's enabled in the radio slot. Better q: why doesn't blogger use trackbacks?!?

Food police run amok and the tourist trap

Lest my humble abode become a Colbert shrine, I should get back to the basics of talking about politics - realpolitik and all the stuff that I think about on a daily basis. (What? You were lured in by my prominent Colbert 2008 poster that stretches 4 stories tall? Ok, here's a bone: the latest Vanity Fair interview of our very own Captain America, Stephen Colbert. Lots of good tidbits like how he used to want to be a cult leader. Very apropos.)

Anyway, back to a topic near and dear to my own gut: Trader Joes. (I saw this on Consumerist awhile back but I had so many things to rant and rave about.) Apparently, the good folks in corporate at TJ's have decided to stop stocking single-ingredient foods from China, starting January 1, 2008. From the Chicago Sun-Times:

"We feel confident that all of our products from China meet the same high quality standards that we set for all of our products," the statement read. "However, our customers have voiced their concerns about products from this region and we have listened.

"We will continue to source products from other regions until our customers feel as confident as we do about the quality and safety of Chinese products."

Look, I care about what I eat, and that I'm not munching on some tasty mesquite-and-lead potato chips, but I think this is really the height of ridiculousness.

In terms of branding, it appeals to the xenophobe in all of the heavily urban, liberal areas that TJ's has stores in, not to mention their base in California, which has the most Asian American population density of any American state (Hawaii excepted.) Just look at the store location map. And try not to be tempted by that delicious photo of the apricot flan torte on your way in.

They've got stores in Asian American bases like Seattle, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, etc. Yeah, we tend to congregate in yuppie neighborhoods too. Every time I've been to a TJ's, I see a fair number of Asian Pacific Americans represented in the clientele and in the overly eager and happy workers. It's kinda hard to be angry at a company that has such happy employees and such tasty "good-for-you" junk food like chocolate-covered soy nuts. (Don't eat them. I warned you.) Jeez, the purpose of this isn't to lure more customers to TJ's and their exquisite stock of dark chocolate bars, or organic dried fruits. Or is it? Mind vs. gut. Ethics or gastronomy? Hmmm...

But I do want to to call them out for pushing this idea that China is a big scary, lead-in-food-mongering place, which just reinforces the meme of China as foreign, poisonous devil (and by extension, Chinese Americans and Asian Americans, since some people still can't tell us apart. Because, we're inscrutable, ya know?)

There's plenty of xenophobia going on right now due to economic worries amongst ordinary Americans scared that they'll lose their jobs, and folks like Lou Dobbs focus this angst in a laser-precise fashion on yellow and brown people, and both. His most recent fixation is the US using Chinese steel and Mexican undocumented workers to build a wall between the US and Mexico. There's a reason why Karen Hughes is partnering with Disney to produce ads to entice international tourists and their gob-loads of cash back to the good ole, friendly Uncle Sam, to shift perceptions away from the "thumbs-up, tacky smile in front of pile of naked prisoners" America.

Cos apparently, international tourism to the US (excluding Mexico and Canada) is down 17% since 2000. Via Reuters:

"Since one of the main causes of the 17 percent decline in overseas travel to the U.S. is the fear of the U.S. entry process, delivering a welcoming message upon travelers' arrival is long overdue," said Jonathan Tisch, chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable and chairman of Loews Hotels.

"It will help change negative perceptions and lead to increased visitation to the U.S., which translates into millions of American jobs and billions of dollars for our nation's economy," he said. [And jobs for undocumented immigrants, not that we want them here - Editor's note.]

Surveys have shown that the United States gets low marks for travel friendliness. One poll from last year showed that many foreigners were anxious about the visa entry process, making the United States less attractive than other countries.

Analysts and industry experts say that many would-be visitors are put off by the visa process, long waits and perceptions of poor treatment by gruff immigration officials.

Portraits of America is part of a plan by the Departments of Homeland Security and State to try to make the United States more welcoming. Disney, which has a vested interest in a strong tourist market, donated the film and pictures to the government.

What is with this Mickey Mouse propaganda? It's nothing new - both Disney and Warner Bros used their star attractions as patriotic gun-toting warriors in the fight against those scary buck-toothed Japanese. (See below video.)

If you think that this is inconsistent with America's focus on scaring away immigrants, you're not the only one. But really, it's all quite logical - we only want people to come and visit and drop moola, we don't really want them to stay and raise families and I dunno, run for office as a brown man in Louisiana, become chair of the RNC, or Secretary of Labor.* And if they do, we want to employ them for pitiful wages. Hence guestworker bills.

Move along, folks, there's nothing to see here. But we will gladly take your money before you leave.

Actually, I have an idea for Karen Hughes - how about you get Stephen Colbert, aka Captain America, to appear in your brainwashing, I mean "promotional" videos? He's as popular as apple pie, and can easily convey the full irony of the situation with the slightest twitching of his come hither brow or a faint moue of displeasure. Then people would know when you want them to come or go. [Traffic-light Colbert action figure under trademark consideration. All potential infringements will be litigated. Heavily.]

*Bobby Jindal, Mel Martinez, and Elaine Chao, respectively.(#)

(#) Correction: We do want them to run and be in power, but only if they uphold traditional Republican ideals like not letting in any more of their kind. Tokenism implies a few.

Bugs Bunny - Tokio Jokio - 1943 - B&W

Power & Politics Endorses Stephen Colbert, Man of the People

Monday, Oct 22, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Power Politics, (321) 987-6540

Today, Power & Politics, a prominent Asian Pacific American blogger, endorsed talk show host Dr. Stephen Colbert, D.F.A. and his campaign for our nation's highest office. Power & Politics is a leading voice within the APA blogger community and will be an important surrogate for Stephen Colbert's Nixonoid pro-truthiness and pro-fane agenda.

"Unlike other candidates who only speak to the importance of confronting the major social issues of the day, Honorary Doctor Colbert has a record of action in defending truthiness. Every decision he made as a talk show host was on the side of truthiness. I know he will be the strong pro-truthiness President we need in the White House," said P&P. "Honorary Doctor Colbert is the only candidate who can lead our pro-truthiness and pro-fane movement to victory in 2008."
Welcoming P&P's announcement, Dr. Stephen Colbert, D.F.A., said, "I am proud to have the support of a blogger who has meant so much to the pro-truthiness movement in our country. Power knows how important it is to have someone in Washington who will actively promote pro-truthiness policies. Policies that include more than appointing judges who will change the law but also opposing taxpayer funded education and partial childhood education. For we all know that the best way to teach truthiness is to not teach at all. I look forward to working with Power and welcome it to Colbert for President."

(With apologies to the Romney campaign.)

Colbert '08

If only I lived in South Carolina, I would vote for Stephen Colbert for president. As it is, I am pleased to announce my full-hearted support for Colbert for president. He has the gravitas, the single-minded determination to make it happen and to turn this country around.

Yesterday's Colbert Report was CRAZY HILARIOUS - as host/candidate, he totally ripped up Doritos' endorsement of his candidacy - and boy did he cross the line!

Plus he had Craig Newmark (craigslist) on, and the nerd on nerd interaction was hot and hilarious.

I am sooooo jealous of donorschoose.org - they got mad hyped by Colbert. I can bet that their straw poll is not the only poll that Colbert wins though.

And grumpy old DC insiders say that Colbert risks breaking election law - Kenneth Vogel
of the Politico grouses that colbert is crossing major lines as TV host and candidate, and that they may face large FEC fines.

God, colbert is brilliant skewering Thompson, Arnold, etc and the whole pagentry of political weaseling and campaigning in this fashion. I am so jealous of his writers - they are really transforming American politics by revealing it to be the dog and pony show, smoke and mirrors high school beauty pageant, replete with bitter sniping and partisan figurative tripping other candidates as they stalk their way down the catwalk.

Soon I will follow up with my press release in support of a fictitious character's fictitious campaign for a position that is currently occupied by a war criminal. But like any good flack, I'm going to announce this on Monday, instead of throwing it out with the trash. This is just my unprecedented announcement that I will announce my declaration of support. Boo-ya!

Endless laughter: Stephen Colbert parodies Rain

I don't really get the rain phenomenon. But this Stephen Colbert parody was too hilarious to pass up. Endless laughter! "Rain, I'm going to be all over you like egg on a bowl of bibimbop!"


Even funnier: I finally figured out who Colbert kinda looks like in the video: Jeffrey Sebalia, Project Runway Season 3 winner! (minus tattoos of course.)

Stephen Colbert bitchslaps Bush and makes him LIKE it

to his face, while Bush is sitting 10 feet away! Or fake it, no that's not correct either...this is the most amazing and priceless video I have ever watched. It involves Corbert of Comedy Central's Colbert Report at the White House Correspondent Association's annual dinner getting in zinger after zinger about corruption, retired Generals' criticisms, the White House press corps' spineslessness, and every important issue of the day. Only he's not throwing out zingers so much as he's pitching deadly perfect curveballs.

People in the audience were so shocked that some had to cover their slack-jawed mouths. They could not believe the hard-hitting truth that Colbert was ladling out.

Let's review why his speech was so shocking and amazingly beautiful - the WHCA dinner is normally a very upscale, black tie social affair where the VIPs of corporate media go to hobnob. It's held at the Capitol Hilton which is a posh space just 2 blocks away from the White House lawn. It's a very genteel insider's event and Bush and his wife routinely come and are feted, plus the Association gives out awards to their own. While it's expected that some jolly good natured roasting goes on, it is NOT the place for hardhitting sociopolitical commentary with a wicked wicked crack of the whip.

The entire atmosphere there was uneasy, as the press knew that Colbert was shitting on them at their gala, professing his disdain for them, and they had INVITED him there. Also key: he makes rude gestures at Scalia, parodying the angry justice, and Scalia has a rollicking good time. So does Joe Wilson and *gasp* Valerie Plame!

Every which way Colbert spoke, he was skewering someone in that room with his razorsharp wit - corporate media, the media whore lackeys, the current Generals, President Bush, Tony "Snow Job", oh bless me I have died and gone to heaven. Colbert got everything in, and all these VIPs were forced to listen, the beauty and the ecstasy of it all. I wish I had been present, but you can watch it here.

Choice quotes:

UPDATE: Sorry, I fell asleep while blogging in my bed last night, that's never happened before. Anyway, here's the transcript of Colbert banging away at Bush. But you should really watch it, it's THAT good.

Colbert addressing the press:

"But the rest of you, what are you thinking, reporting on NSA wiretapping or secret prisons in eastern Europe? Those things are secret for a very important reason: they're super-depressing. And if that's your goal, well, misery accomplished. 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. Those were good times, as far as we knew.

But, listen, let's review the rules. 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!"

Way to speak truth to hard-headed power. Now back to your regularly scheduled pablum, courtesy of Disney-NBC-Coca-Cola-FOX-Starbucks-WalMart-Sears-
AmericaOnline-Chevy-Amoco-Buick.