I just got off the phone with guest blogger Gotterdammerung, author of Blogging My Cat While He Poops On Bush: An Empirical Political Analysis of The Radical Right's Christofascist Agenda. Suffice to say, the little guy is crushed, confused, and bewildered.
Allow me to back up. I returned home from a road trip last night and, this morning, I finally had a chance to review what he blogged in my stead the other day. Man, oh man. Well, what can I say other than I'm in complete and total agreement with what many of you wrote in the comments: how could anyone with a brain in their head mistake such obvious satire for reality? I thought we were supposed to be the ones with a sense of humor.
The Colbert Report, as all of us are aware, rips and satirizes jingoistic right-wing cable news pundits like Bill O'Reilly. Specifically Bill O'Reilly. And I've said many times in this space that it's probably the funniest show on television. 'The Report, that is -- not 'The Factor.
I'm trying to figure out what Gotterdammerung is missing that most of the rest of us fully grasp about the show. Didn't he notice how Colbert butchers right-wing rhetoric and clichés and often employs silly graphics and images? Based on what Gotterdammerung wrote, he clearly didn't notice those things, which leads me to believe he only skimmed through random bits from the show. Then, instead of paying attention to the content, he simply rushed to judgment without taking the time to think about the devilishly well-crafted meta-satire that is Stephen Colbert.
So I screamed at him for a good 15 minutes.
"Colbert does satire you idiot!" I blasted into the phone before he could barely stammer out his too-esoteric handle. "Colbert is a COMEDIAN you ignorant moron. Steven Colbert is first off in no way a Nazi, and second his show is supposed to be COMEDY! The fact that you take it so seriously is actually hilarious, you must be really naive... GET A LIFE!"
While I yelled, I also fired off an e-mail to him:
"Yo Fucko I don't know if you relize it but the Clobert Report is a parody on shows like Hannity, Limbaugh and O'reily. I got an idea dickwad instead of fucking around with your cat and reporting the "lies of corporate media" How about getting your facts right. Only a total jackoff like you would think a show on Comedy Central is real. I also hate to burst your bubble but the Tooth Fairy,Santa Clause, and The Easter Bunny are not real either. Please tell me you don't have kids I would hate to think you reproduced. By the way what the hell does your e-mail address mean? Truth be told I don't really care. Well gotta run asswipe. Get a life you dildo."
Not one of the most eloquent of e-mails, but dammit I was pissed. And besides, I was yelling at him and typing at the same time. Evidently, Gotterdammerung received over 200 similar e-mails.
So I think he's been thoroughly brutalized. Point made. However, I'm still not sure he fully grasps what's going on. But he'll ramp up to speed, I'm sure. One of these days. I hope. Maybe? I'd really like to have him back sometime -- at the very least, he knows how to mix it up. Next time, I hope he gives his topic the benefit of his attention before he jumps to conclusions.
And now, we all move along.