# The Colbert SuperPAC as political satire **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817 "2011-08-15T20:00:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/1 "2011-08-15T20:00:07Z")
While I in general prefer TDS, I think Colbert’s SuperPAC campaign is the most brilliant piece of political theater/satire I’ve ever seen. We can argue all we want about the Supreme Court decision, but is there a better way to examine its consequences than to have a TV comedian start a PAC, get a bunch of money, and legally run ads in Iowa encouraging voters to write in Rick Perry with his name spelled Parry. Even more than him running for President (which lots of comedians seem to do, some who actually get gigs) I don’t care to discuss the pros and cons of the decision here, which is why I didn’t put this thread in GD. What do other people think about him satirizing the process from the inside, with satiric ads running in the same time and place as the “real” ads? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/2 "2011-08-15T20:02:59Z")
I don’t watch him, but I think it’s HILARIOUS! I love that the adds look/sound real until the VERY end when he misspells “Perry” and the logo he creates. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/3 "2011-08-15T20:08:06Z")
I think it has a lot of potential and I need to see it actually get going. The process of getting the PAC organized made for some good material, but what matters is what he does with it when it gets rolling and puts some ads on the air. The Iowa ads were OK and I want to see what comes next. So far the funniest thing to come out of this was “Munchma Quchi,” although that was _very_ funny. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/4 "2011-08-15T20:09:11Z")
I think Colbert is a genius and that this satire is truly brilliant and subversive. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/5 "2011-08-15T21:40:45Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I think Colbert is a genius and that this satire is truly brilliant and subversive. Not just a genius but fearless. To make this work he has to explore the very boundaries of what is legal in this new system. I give Viacom and Comedy Central a lot of credit for letting him do it - I’m sure there are teams of lawyers on this, but it could backfire very easily. But I guess you can expect a lot from the guy who made fun of Sir Paul McCartney to his face. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/6 "2011-08-15T23:22:03Z")
I would applaud it just as much as you guys if he were using some of the millions he’s made out of the character to fund his pranks. He’s not. He’s getting real people to part with real money to no other purpose than to make his jokes happen. Maybe that’s the truly brilliant and truly subversive 21st century element. I get that he’s using their money to put a spotlight on what others can do with their real PACs. But I still want to tell him: put your money where your mouth is. And then all the people donating could put their money behind candidates who could make a real difference. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/7 "2011-08-15T23:43:12Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > … to put a spotlight on what others can do with their real PACs. **Exapno** , Colbert’s PAC _is_ a real PAC. That’s the point! And do you have a cite that he’s not spending any of his own money on this patriotic demonstration? I’ve heard the label “comedy genius” applied to many people. But I know of only two people who actually deserve the appellation: John Cleese, and Stephen Colbert. ---
**Author:** ![Dinaroozie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Dinaroozie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinaroozie)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/8 "2011-08-15T23:54:30Z")
I’m usually reasonably aware of American politics (for a non-American), but this is going more or less entirely over my head. Would anyone care to explain the joke? Googling has revealed roughly what a PAC is and whatnot, but there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding them that I’m struggling to get a good grasp of. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/9 "2011-08-16T00:58:00Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I would applaud it just as much as you guys if he were using some of the millions he’s made out of the character to fund his pranks. > > He’s not. He’s getting real people to part with real money to no other purpose than to make his jokes happen. > > Maybe that’s the truly brilliant and truly subversive 21st century element. I get that he’s using their money to put a spotlight on what others can do with their real PACs. But I still want to tell him: put your money where your mouth is. And then all the people donating could put their money behind candidates who could make a real difference. If he was using his own money, it would defeat the point of the satire, which is that these political groups can get unlimited amounts of money to do what ever they want with. And these people are donating knowing full well that Colbert can do whatever he wants with it. I won’t be surprised though if in the end he just donates all the money left to charity. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/10 "2011-08-16T01:15:04Z")
> [@Dinaroozie](#): > > I’m usually reasonably aware of American politics (for a non-American), but this is going more or less entirely over my head. Would anyone care to explain the joke? Googling has revealed roughly what a PAC is and whatnot, but there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding them that I’m struggling to get a good grasp of. [In a nutshell](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/7642344.html). ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/11 "2011-08-16T01:39:30Z")
I don’t think making fun of PACs counts as subersive, does it? > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > And then all the people donating could put their money behind candidates who could make a real difference. If Colbert was subversive he would make fun of this type of thinking. Or, in keeping with his conservative character, he’d give it to a Republican while thanking his viewers for helping take back America. Now _that_ would be funny. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/12 "2011-08-16T01:57:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I would applaud it just as much as you guys if he were using some of the millions he’s made out of the character to fund his pranks. > > He’s not. He’s getting real people to part with real money to no other purpose than to make his jokes happen. HOLY CRAP! I just went to a comedy club last week and the bastards tricked me, the _real_ me into parting with _real_ money to no other purpose than to make their jokes happen!!! This just dawned on me! Fuck those guys! How dare they!?!?!? OHMYGOD! I’m realizing the list goes on and on: Last month I bought the new Cars album- they got me to part with _real_ money to no other purpose than to make their music happen!!! Those bastards! Those horrible bastards!!! ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/13 "2011-08-16T02:37:51Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > OHMYGOD! I’m realizing the list goes on and on: Last month I bought the new Cars album- they got me to part with _real_ money to no other purpose than to make their music happen!!! The Cars are still making albums? Fuck me, I had no idea… Sorry for the hijack. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/14 "2011-08-16T02:53:46Z")
Coincidentally, The Cars appeared on [The Colbert Report last week](http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/tue-august-9-2011-the-cars) to perform songs from the new album. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/15 "2011-08-16T02:54:23Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I would applaud it just as much as you guys if he were using some of the millions he’s made out of the character to fund his pranks. > > He’s not. He’s getting real people to part with real money to no other purpose than to make his jokes happen. > > Maybe that’s the truly brilliant and truly subversive 21st century element. I get that he’s using their money to put a spotlight on what others can do with their real PACs. But I still want to tell him: put your money where your mouth is. And then all the people donating could put their money behind candidates who could make a real difference. I disagree, he is not just making a joke happen, he is making a very important point about an issue that threatens our democracy and the people contributing to his PAC are in on making the same point. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/16 "2011-08-16T03:07:59Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I would applaud it just as much as you guys if he were using some of the millions he’s made out of the character to fund his pranks. > > He’s not. He’s getting real people to part with real money to no other purpose than to make his jokes happen. That’s the funny thing, though. It may be that no one’s contributed a thing. Maybe it’s just Colbert, John Stewart and, for shits and giggles, Warren Buffett who have contributed every single penny to this PAC. I don’t know. You don’t know either. And guess what? We’re never going to know. That’s the point. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/17 "2011-08-16T03:10:13Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I disagree, he is not just making a joke happen, he is making a very important point about an issue that threatens our democracy and the people contributing to his PAC are in on making the same point. That’s OK. I knew everyone would disagree with me. I just need to repeat that I get the joke. Completely. It’s fascinating in a high-concept sort of way. But it reminds me too much of Abbie Hoffman. Some of his jokes worked for me, most of them didn’t. Colbert can still salvage this; it all depends on what he does with it. But a campaign “ad” telling people to misspell Rick Perry’s name on an Iowa Straw Poll write-in? Not it. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/18 "2011-08-16T03:19:13Z")
Is there any news about how many people actually wrote in “Rick Parry”? I can’t find any, but then I don’t expect these early Republican voters to be viewers of _The Colbert Report_ and I can’t imagine many Iowan Colbert fans would get the message, show up, pay their $30 to get in and participate. So what happens now? Does Colbert keep making new ads? Does this continue into the primaries (assuming he can keep getting money from his viewers)? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/19 "2011-08-16T03:30:12Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > That’s the funny thing, though. It may be that no one’s contributed a thing. Maybe it’s just Colbert, John Stewart and, for shits and giggles, Warren Buffett who have contributed every single penny to this PAC. I don’t know. You don’t know either. And guess what? We’re never going to know. > > That’s the point. A friend of mine has donated, and has a vidcap of her name listed as one of his “heroes” at the bottom of the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817/20 "2011-08-16T03:33:18Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I would applaud it just as much as you guys if he were using some of the millions he’s made out of the character to fund his pranks. > > He’s not. He’s getting real people to part with real money to no other purpose than to make his jokes happen. I’m not really concerned that his presidential race was sponsored by Doritos. Most of his pranks are free to support, like getting people to tweet to get his name on the International Space Station pod. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colbert-superpac-as-political-satire/592817.md?page=2)