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Comment on When Stephen Colbert had The Colbert Report did the right ever realize he was doing a parody of them?

ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

Back then presidents had thicker skin. The job of the WHCD entertainer was to make fun of the sitting president to show what freedom of speech is all about. The job of the president was to take it and smile. He wasn’t invited because they thought he supports Bush. He was invited because they thought he was funny.

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andrewrgross@slrpnk.net ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
I’m kind of surprised how many people in this thread don’t seem aware of this. Are these gen-Z folks who weren’t around for the 90s, or did people not know this back then?

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- Drusas@fedia.io ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  I think it must be mostly people too young to remember.
  
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BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Colbert wasn’t chosen because the president had a thick skin and thought being roasted would be funny. Republicans have never had a sense of humor, especially about themselves, their Imposter Syndrome is too real.

The Bush administration was remarkably stupid, not MAGA stupid, but still stupid. I always figured that whoever had the job of greenlighting the comedian got trolled by someone who thought it would be funny to recommend Colbert, and they took a look, decided he looked Republican enough, and signed off.

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- ohulancutash@feddit.uk ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  You really think the White House journalists didn’t know who Colbert was?
  
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  - BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
    At the beginning of the first Trump term? No, they were ALL amateurs and idiots and ARROGANT. They were proving their ignorance and incompetence with every public statement they made, and they LOVED to hear themselves talk, so they said stupid stuff all day, every day.
    
    I remember this very well, because it was hilarious. It was very clear at the time that the people who booked Colbert thought he was the real deal, and thought they were booking a very popular Conservative talk show host with good ratings.
    
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    ohulancutash@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
    Colbert was 2006. What’s that about saying stupid stuff?
    
    Your contention is that the White House press were unaware that Colbert was a comedian, and accidentally hired him to host the dinner, a role that is traditionally given to a comedian?
    
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- ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  
  Colbert wasn’t chosen because the president had a thick skin and thought being roasted would be funny.
  
  Of course not. He was chosen because the press thought he was funny and Bush wasn’t a manchild like Trump and showed up even though he was going to be roasted. Before Trump presidents worried about looking weak.
  
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