# Cancel Colbert? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2014, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759 "2014-03-28T13:43:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/21 "2014-03-28T15:49:16Z")
Is it wrong that this whole controversy just makes me laugh and laugh? The whole point of the Colbert Report is to be outrageous as possible, and when the joke moves into the real world, it only makes it better. I’m looking forward to seeing Colbert deal with this on his show, not by apologizing, but by being even more silly and offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/22 "2014-03-28T16:17:50Z")
The distinction between a joke that makes fun of racism and a racist joke is too subtle for some people. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/23 "2014-03-28T16:21:19Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Is it wrong that this whole controversy just makes me laugh and laugh? The whole point of the Colbert Report is to be outrageous as possible, and when the joke moves into the real world, it only makes it better… This whole thing makes me think of the numerous times that other country’s media have reported on an article from _The Onion_ as if it was real. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/24 "2014-03-28T16:21:36Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > The fact that there is such a thing as a “hashtag activist” just proves how retarded some people are and that those people should be banned from the internet for their own protection. “How many hashtag activists does it take to screw in a light bulb?” “There are some things you shouldn’t joke about.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/25 "2014-03-28T16:44:44Z")
If a comedian isn’t occasionally invoking outrage from some group, they aren’t doing comedy I want to pay attention to. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/26 "2014-03-28T16:56:12Z")
Thing is, it doesn’t even strike me as offensive when stripped from context. The tweet itself contains all the internal signals it needs to indicate that it is intended sarcastically, not seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/27 "2014-03-28T17:02:16Z")
Didn’t Colbert originate the “ching-chong” bit, like, five years ago? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/28 "2014-03-28T17:03:44Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Didn’t Colbert originate the “ching-chong” bit, like, five years ago? Yes (it was more like 8 years ago). During the bit on Wednesday, he showed a clip from the original appearance of the character. The bit was originally in response to criticism of Rosie O’Donnell (who still had a talk show at the time), who had used an offensive Asian stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/29 "2014-03-28T17:04:56Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > “Hashtag activist” is a silly title, but Twitter is popular, and hashtags are a good way to start conversations. [Here’s an article](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/12/18/what-notyourasiansidekick-means-to-me/)by a female Asian-American writer about the #notyourasianamericansidekick means to her. That’s one long-ass hash tag for chewing up my precious Twitter characters. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/30 "2014-03-28T17:09:22Z")
On a smaller scale I have gotten in trouble making similar styled jokes on Facebook. You think by being so over the top people will realize the point is a joke but nope. Also I would like to officially apply for the position of Hashtag Activist. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/31 "2014-03-28T17:13:34Z")
Is “Suey” a legitimate person’s name with a history or just a way to ensure the kid would turn out to be angry? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/32 "2014-03-28T17:14:02Z")
Honestly, how seriously outraged can you by a guy who regularly claims to not even knowing he’s white because he doesn’t see race? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/33 "2014-03-28T17:15:54Z")
Reminds of that time on SNL they had somebody portraying Celine Dion (I think it was Ana Gasteyer, so this was a longass time ago) saying that she forgave the Jews for killing Christ. The ADL didn’t see the distinction between a racist joke and the joke of portraying someone as racist, and raised a stink. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/34 "2014-03-28T17:29:13Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Honestly, how seriously outraged can you by a guy who regularly claims to not even knowing he’s white because he doesn’t see race? People tell him that he’s white and he believes them because police officers call him sir. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/35 "2014-03-28T17:42:19Z")
I’ll bet the people tweeting against Colbert are the same people who hate Blazing Saddles because “it’s racist!” ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/36 "2014-03-28T19:28:22Z")
And now Stephen has responded with a [classic tweet](https://twitter.com/StephenAtHome) of his own: > [@](#): > > #CancelColbert - I agree! Just saw @ColbertReport tweet. I share your rage. > Who is that, though? I’m @StephenAtHome ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/37 "2014-03-28T22:30:32Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > Here’s an article by a female Asian-American writer about the #notyourasianamericansidekick means to her. I don’t get it! What could possibly be cooler than having your own Asian sidekick?!? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/38 "2014-03-28T23:18:00Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Didn’t Colbert originate the “ching-chong” bit, like, five years ago? Didn’t Rosie O’Donnell get in trouble for that a few years before that? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/39 "2014-03-28T23:22:36Z")
Oh man. This takes me back. You kids may not remember a time when it was the liberals who were famous for lacking a sense of humor, and reacting to things out of context. Yes, it’s been some 15 years of conservatives taking over the role of being humorless and hypersensitive in the public discourse, but for Suey Park, it’ll be the 90’s forever. Does she live in Portland perchance? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759/40 "2014-03-28T23:29:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > Oh man. This takes me back. You kids may not remember a time when it was the liberals who were famous for lacking a sense of humor, and reacting to things out of context. Yes, it’s been some 15 years of conservatives taking over the role of being humorless and hypersensitive in the public discourse, but for Suey Park, it’ll be the 90’s forever. Does she live in Portland perchance? I’m over 60 and I don’t remember any such time. Those Nixon years were sure hilarious, though. You could kid him all day long and he almost never had you taken out and shot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-colbert/684759.md?page=3)