# Stephen Colbert is testifying before Congress on Friday (9/24/10) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739 "2010-09-23T03:53:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/41 "2010-09-24T22:10:32Z")
The lack of laughter and smiles was slightly disturbing. What was worse was the eruption of laughter when he spoke of the dems and reps working together. That was really sad. ps: Astorian, if you can be funnier than Stephen Colbert, I beg you to dazzle us with your wit. Otherwise, wouldn’t that imply something unflattering about your own intellect? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/42 "2010-09-24T22:45:17Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > On the contrary- he looked rather foolish, and he embarrassed the hell out of many DEMOCRATS on the panel. > > I’m more and more convinced that Steven cole-BURT is a genuine smug moron who thinks he’s just PLAYING a smug moron. Most hilarious are the stiffs who don’t understand the purpose and value of satire. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/43 "2010-09-24T23:26:10Z")
To paraphrase Tom Lehrer, much of what happens in the halls of Congress is so ridiculous that they’ve made satire obsolete. So perhaps they may not recognize it. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/44 "2010-09-24T23:54:16Z")
I think this denunciation of Colbert’s appearance by Congressman Chaffetz (UT-R) is hilarious: > [@](#): > > “It’s just unfortunate I’ve sponsored close to a dozen bills that deal seriously with immigration and none of them have been brought up for discussion. None.” Gosh - let’s lambast the most attention brought to this issue, well…ever. If you serious about the issue, want action taken, and are frustrated with the progress so far, why the fuck would you bitch about increased public attention to that issue?!? Edit: Sorry - [link](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20017580-503544.html). ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/45 "2010-09-25T11:56:17Z")
Just finished watching the whole hearing (after initially just watching his testimony/monologue). In isolation, I thought his statement was brilliant as always, clever and funny, and pointed. Admittedly, then going back and watching it in context made me a little nervous, because previously some deeper points were made and exchanged by the 2 sides, and so his jokes felt a little more simplistic in that context. I felt similarly with some of the questions he later answered in character. His character often made it simply not possible to provide any useful information in his responses. But it was entertaining. He did finally break character near the end for the last question when he was asked why he’s taken such an interest in this issue. He talked about his interest in giving voice to people without the power to have a voice of their own. It was very genuine and classy, and it was my favorite moment of the hearing. I’m glad he decided to be in character for some of it but I wish he would’ve broke character just a little bit more for balance. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/46 "2010-09-25T16:18:57Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > We need something like that on BBC Parliament. Well, we could use some of that yelling that goes on in Parliament. When I watch Congress on C-Span, it seems like no one is paying any attention to whoever is speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/47 "2010-09-25T16:21:30Z")
Canadian asking a question about Congressional Hearings here. Is Mr. Colbert’s colonoscopy video now part of the congressional record? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/48 "2010-09-27T01:18:57Z")
[Why D.C. Doesn’t Think Stephen Colbert Is Funny:](http://www.thenation.com/blog/155019/why-dc-doesn%E2%80%99t-think-stephen-colbert-funny) > [@](#): > > It was shtick, good shtick, but the best part came when Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) asked, “Why of all the things you could testify about did you choose this issue?” Colbert seemed to surprise himself as he fell out of character–he rubbed his head in thought and said: > > “I like talking about people who don’t have any power, and this seems like, one of the least powerful people in the United States are migrant workers who come and do our work but don’t have any rights as a result. And yet we still invite them to come here and at the same time ask them to leave. That’s an interesting contradiction to me. And, you know, “Whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers”–and this seems like the least of brothers–right now. A lot of people are least brothers right now because the economy is so hard. And I don’t want to take anyone’s hardship away from them or diminish anything like that. But migrant works suffer and have no rights.” > > It was a powerful moment, all the more so because catching Colbert out of character for more than a few seconds of unguarded laughter is almost as rare as catching snow leopards mating. It was perfectly natural for Colbert, who has taught Sunday school at his Catholic church in Montclair, NJ, to quote Matthew 25:31-45 (“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”). The tender earnestness of that brief moment when Colbert slipped the mask undercut any suggestion that his snottiness was a self-promoting stunt. > > A bit of non-Colbert news was also made at the hearing. As we learned more about how farms are closing for lack of workers to harvest crops, several Republicans said that if you just paid higher wages and provided better working conditions, then real Americans would take these tough jobs. To which Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) rather pointedly noted that three of the GOPers at the other end of the dais had voted against raising the minimum wage. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/49 "2010-09-27T03:33:01Z")
Loved it absolutely, as said right above. Beyond that, Colbert is always willing hitch himself in able guise to whatever political shingle catches the wind, and go with it. In that manner, he’s right there with politicians in a decent clean appearance, but is able to then clock all their works exposing the naty shit they do. He’s an incredibly smart man playing a brilliant shell game with the media due the cloak of satire. I wonder if he even believes the depths it has gotten on to. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/50 "2010-09-27T05:47:45Z")
That was a tough crowd. Representative Zoe Lofgren basically told the folks in the visitor’s gallery that the Capitol Police were ready to arrest anyone who laughed. [Here’s the full hearing](http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/id/233635). ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/51 "2010-09-27T06:21:04Z")
I can’t believe he went there: [Stephen Colbert, corn packer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsvclalwR7k&feature=player_embedded) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/52 "2010-09-27T15:29:53Z")
It would be funny if it were not so pathetic-we have criminals like Charles Rangel, who sees nothing wrong with failing to pay taxes…and Barney Frank (“Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac are in excellent shape”)-who saw nothing wrong with steering $12 million to a corrupt bank …which was partially owned by Maxine Water’s husband. So its pretty much “send in the clowns”-only the clowns are already in congress. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/53 "2010-09-27T16:11:03Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > It would be funny if it were not so pathetic-we have criminals like Charles Rangel, who sees nothing wrong with failing to pay taxes..and Barney Frank (“Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac are in excellent shape”)-who saw nothing wrong with steering $12 million to a corrupt bank .. Neither of whom is a member of the House Judiciary Committee or had anything whatsoever to do with Colbert’s testimony, which is the topic being discussed in this thread. Swell non-sequitur, though. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739/54 "2010-09-27T16:24:41Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > > [@ralph124c](#): > > > > It would be funny if it were not so pathetic-we have criminals like Charles Rangel, who sees nothing wrong with failing to pay taxes..and Barney Frank (“Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac are in excellent shape”)-who saw nothing wrong with steering $12 million to a corrupt bank .. > > Neither of whom is a member of the House Judiciary Committee or had anything whatsoever to do with Colbert’s testimony, which is the topic being discussed in this thread. > > Swell non-sequitur, though. Hey, I don’t know if you heard, but Dick Cheney and George W have yet to pay for their crimes against humanity and the American people by starting a war for oil based on lies and ignorance. FIGHT THE POWER!!! Sorry, I just wanted to jump on the bandwagon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-colbert-is-testifying-before-congress-on-friday-9-24-10/554739.md?page=2)