We used to be a more polite society. We used to be less rude to each other. And I have a theory as to why — it’s because there is not an immediate consequence for being rude to someone anymore.
There was a time, if you insulted a man to his face — acted demeaning towards him, made fun of him, or were generally acting an ass — it would result in immediate corrective behavior therapy: a punch in the face.
That’s right — I’m suggesting we’re less civil towards each other because there is almost no fear of a retaliatory-fist in the face. We’re no longer afraid of the consequences of being rude and surly (because there are so seldom any consequences), so we no longer refrain from acting like a total ass to others.
But if you thought that there was any change at all that the guy sitting next to you might punch you in the mouth for being rude or insulting to him, you’d probably keep your comments to yourself. And thus an air of civility would prevail.
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If I had been sitting next to Stephen Colbert at a bar, and he talked to me the way he did in his attempt at comedy in front of President Bush, I would have asked him to step outside or shut his pie-hole. He would not have had a third option.
Richard Cohen at the Washington Post has similar thoughts about Colbert’s recent roasting of our President:
The sort of stuff that would get you punched in a bar can be said on a dais with impunity. This is why Colbert was more than rude. He was a bully.
I’ve found the best way to deal with these types of rude-because-they-don’t-fear-consequences assholes is to simply call them out. Get up in their face, and tell them they can either quit acting like an ass, or backup their blustering by stepping outside. It’s been my experience that 95 out of 100 men will back down with their tails between their legs (here in Austin, that figure comes closer to 99 out of 100).
Cohen thinks the problem is systemic:
Why are you wasting my time with Colbert, I hear you ask. Because he is representative of what too often passes for political courage, not to mention wit, in this country…
Colbert was not just a failure as a comedian but rude. Rude is not the same as brash. It is not the same as brassy. It is not the same as gutsy or thinking outside the box. Rudeness means taking advantage of the other person’s sense of decorum or tradition or civility that keeps that other person from striking back or, worse, rising in a huff and leaving. The other night, that person was George W. Bush.
Yep. Colbert might be a tough guy behind a dais in front of a crowded room, but you just know that he’d cry like a little girl if actually confronted by a man calling him out.
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MORE: Hah — Glenn Reynolds says that he’ll consider Colbert “brave” when he “mocks Mohammed on the air”.
That’ll be the day.
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“If I had been sitting next to Stephen Colbert at a bar, and he talked to me the way he did in his attempt at comedy in front of President Bush, I would have asked him to step outside or shut his pie-hole.”
I think you’re a little girl for being offended. Why don’t you go cry your little eyes on on your pillow at night. I’ll tell the intelligence bullies to leave you alone.
I was wondering how long before this post arrived…
That Cohen piece is rich- even after telling us he was the funny kid in class (a revealing, unfunny piece of braggadocio) he comes out with: He referred to the recent staff changes at the White House, chiding the media for supposedly repeating the cliche “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” when he would have put it differently: “This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg.” A mixed metaphor, and lame as can be.
Uh, Mr. Cohen, the mixed metaphor is the joke.
Yep. Colbert might be a tough guy behind a dais in front of a crowded room, but you just know that he’d cry like a littel girl if actually confronted by a man calling him out.
Maybe this is the way that you go about your personal life but in political life it seems a tad brownshirty to me.
I guess we’re obliged to return to the Bob Hope variety of political humor where a fondness for Jelly Beans provides a rich vein of hilarity.
Are you suggesting that rather than
You’re post was truncated Sacha.
So I’ll be presumptuous and try to finish your thought for you: Yeah, I’m suggesting that President Bush should have kicked Colbert’s ass. Just not at the Press Dinner. But afterwards, in the alley.
Are you suggesting that rather than discussing views (with occassional verbal insults) people should keep their opinions to themselves for fear of being punched in the face?
Personally… I doubt George is capbable of kicking anyone’s tail; I think my grandmother could take him.
Its hilarious how you conservative types always talk about how unfunny and uptight liberals are. But when it gets down to it, you guys are the biggest pieces of uptight prissy bitches I’ve ever heard and seen. You guys love to take shots at any classic liberal figure, but when it comes to one of your guys being made fun of, its time to start crying and pull out the boxing gloves cause the words hurt so much you want physical retaliation. I think conservatives are the originators of ruining this polite society. So you only have them to blame, like Rush, O’Reilly, etc. Boo hoo, so liberals are starting to use similar tactics. Lol you can dish it but cant take it, loser.
It sure isn’t easy being the most powerful, influential and important person in the world….AND HAVING TO SIT THROUGH JOKES ABOUT YOU.
OH, HOW AWFUL!
If a president is not able to be the brunt of jokes, then we as citizens REALLY must fear that person being president.
I bet not one of you Bush-haters would have the guts to look Bush in the eye and insult him. Not one of you.
Good thing you have Robbie to rant at via his blog ..but I wouldn’t suggest doing it in person
But Stephen Colbert is one person who DID have the guts to look Bush in the face and insult him, which, if you recall, Robbie said was a BAD thing. Isn’t it better for people (like us and Stephen Colbert) to discuss contentious views in places like blogs and National Press Club forums, rather than just beating out each other’s brains?
And what if that person did step outside, and you were the recipient of a good old fashioned west texas ass whooping? Wouldnt it have been better to just sit there and take the jokes and laugh at it like a real man?
Ironically, I do agree with the title of your post.
Colbert was not funny neither to president nor to those who is supposed to keep at least outward support of POTUS.
Nor he was supposed to – being a satirist and all.
Let me ask you something, then:
1. The President has been ridiculed openly. As to whether he was insulted – could you give examples of that?
2. Assume Pres does take Colbert out to the alley. Colbert has a baseball bat though. Does Colbert win and become ‘funny’ in this scenario?
3. I would not have any doubt you might strongly react to being ridiculed. But on the other hand the president is supposed to be a wise person. In your opinion, was he wise to behave as he did or would a physical attack be more prudent?
4. Does respect come with a position?
BTW, I’m a kos/atrios reader and do not normally come to ‘republican’-leaning sites. You are free to use this as a basis of any personal attack
Yeah, I’m sure you would have called Colbert out. Easy to shoot your mouth off about how tough you are from the security of your computer cubbyhole. If a few criticisms about Bush’s major league screw-ups by Colbert are enough to earn a smack in the mouth, then just what would be appropriate punishment for Bush himself and his major malfeasance? Drawing and quartering perhaps or can we think up something even worse and more fitting??
“I bet not one of you Bush-haters would have the guts to look Bush in the eye and insult him. Not one of you.”
I haven’t laughed that hard in a LONG time. Thanks.
Yeah, a real tough guy. The reason why this is such a big deal is because Bush goes out of his way to, any time he’s in a public situation, fill the audience with people who tell him what he wants to hear. Have you ever seen one of his Q&A sessions with “regular” people? Most of them aren’t even questions! Usually, “I just want to thank you, Mr. President for blah blah blah.” It’s sickening and I’m glad to see someone have the balls to tell him to his face what 70% of the country now believes.
PS I voted for Bush in 2000. Unlike him, though, I learn from my mistakes and change my outlook when I am proven wrong.
Just had to say one thing….no web blogger is going to ask someone to “step outside” anytime, ever. Period. Nice try, though, hope it made you feel tough for a day.
MR. COHEN,
I’M SURE IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE PRESS CORP TO LAUGH AT THEIR OWN INABILITY TO HOLD THIS ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST OUR COUNTRY AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. I SEE THE MEDIA IN THIS COUNTRY AS ACCOMPLICES TO THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IN THAT REGARD, YOURSELF INCLUDED.
“FREE-PRESS” HAS BECOME SOMEWHAT OF A SAD JOKE IN THE UNITED STATES. YOU ARE ALL HIGH-PAID SELLOUTS. THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT, OR FUNNY, AS YOU SAID STEVE COLBERT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THERE’S NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT PRESIDENT BUSH OR HIS POLICIES.
THE FACT THAT COLBERT’S SATIRE DID RAISE SOME LAUGHTER FROM THIS GROUP IS AMAZING IN ITSELF, AS I’M SURE THEY WERE ALMOST AS HORRIFIED AS BUSH WAS HIMSELF. YOU CAN EXPECT THE NEXT EVENT OF THIS KIND TO GO OVER IN MUCH THE SAME MANNER; NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE HUMOR OUT OF PEOPLE WHO BRING SO MUCH SADNESS & MISERY.
STEVEN COLBERT IS A PATRIOT, AND YOU, SIR, ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
You’re breakin’ by heart. This guy has broken hundreds of laws, his lies have killed and injured countless individuals, and you’re worried that he might be insulted?
Wow.
The reading comprehension of some in this stuffy little room is about that of a retarded third grader.
This isn’t about someone’s rights or ability to “insult” our President. Nor is it about the President’s ability or willingness to take (and/or be subjected to) insults and criticism.
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My critisicm of Mr. Colbert is not the material…but where and how he chose to deliver it. He did so in a place where he knew President Bush wouldn’t respond…as Mr. Cohen noted:
“the other person’s sense of decorum or tradition or civility that keeps that other person from striking back or, worse, rising in a huff and leaving.”
So that doesn’t make Colbert brave. It makes him a coward. It’s about as brave as me challenging one of you to a fist-fight across a the Net. Or as brave as one of you calling me a chickenshit little girl from the safety of your mom’s living basement.
Mr Colbert is a patriot for telling bad jokes about a man who is much too dignified and respectful to respond or defend himself in the given situation?
But a guy like me — a disabled Veteran who fully supports the troops AND their mission, a guy who supports his President, a guy who had the balls to raise his hand and promise to die to defend our Constitution, a guy who simply had the gall to criticize Colbert for being a spineless pussy — I’m part of the problem?
Again, the Left’s lack of perspective is telling.
Jackson — you haven’t met most of the MilBloggers that I have then. Each of them, to a man, would be more than happy to oblige you by “stepping outside”. Though I’d venture a guess that a guy like you has neither actually challenged another man to a fight, nor taken up the challenge to do so.
Not all bloggers are little wispy girly men. IF you’re coming from a healthy dose of reading Liberal blogs, I can understand why you might have that perception. Some bloggers are former (or current) Soldiers, some are former boxers, some are former bouncers, and some are current bikers.
Some of us are all those things.
Oh, poor poor Bush. Can you hear the worlds tiniest violin playing his song?
Maybe Bush should have worn his flightsuit and codpiece so that his balls wouldnt have shrivelled up so much when Colbert laid the smak down on him and the lap dog press.
Maybe Bush shouldnt have sent our boys off to die by the thousand for an effing lie.
Maybe Bush shouldnt have continued his vacation while the Gulf Coast was destroyed.
Maybe Bush should do something so that reconstruction of the Gulf Coast can actually, umm, BEGIN?!?!
How one can defent the sycophant buble boy Bush is beyond comprehension.
They must be paying you pretty well, Robbie.
Robbie, please…having someone make fun of you…and responding by “lets step outside” is as childish as a four year old. Having said that, don’t insult me… you nailed it, some of “us” are former (or current) boxers…and some of “us” would step outside with you any day.
Having said that…some of “us” would never come out and say something like that on a computer because it looks like you’re a coward, acting tough while hiding behind a computer screen. That’s my point…what’s yours??
Someone needed to call Bush out in public. Sometimes you have to be overt. Politeness got us into the Iraq mess, politeness make Katrina relief ineffective. I would rather have someone take a stand in public against a tyrant than just be polite. I guess in Texas, you must be too used to sucking up to Bush. To the bar analogy, I would happily step outside with anyone that could possible defend Bush today, then I would beat them senseless!
I found that Colbert was much more funny. So did most Americans, but you’d never know thanks to tools like you…
It’s a joke. You all need to chill out.
Dear Mr. Cooper,
While I agree that it might not have been the appropriate forum, I notice you never once commented on the content of Mr. Colbert’s satire. I take this to mean that you agree with his points but disagree with his timing or technique. Also, please drop the tired “Things were so much better back yonder…” shtick. Were you talking about the more genteel era when blacks were slaves or simply the time when women had no right to vote. Perhaps you mean the time when we could still breathe our God-given air before it was painfully polluted?
This has got to be one of the dumbest things I’ve seen: Unless you can take a guy in a physical fight you shouldn’t dare criticize him??? So I guess (most) women should never criticize men, for fear of being challenged to a fistfight? People in wheelchairs should never criticize anyone?
I’m sure bikers, bouncers and boxers would like the world to work this way, but thank god it doesn’t.
Evidently, these were the good ole days…
http://tinyurl.com/pz6h8
AHHHH… So when you are confronted with truth that you don’t like it is acceptable to become violent with that person. Can’t beat that logic. The funny thing with all your machismo is that if you were confronted with such a situation you would tuck tail and run. It is only those who are confident in their physical abilities that don’t use them such as bullies on the playground. Me thinks that since you offer no actual rebuttals against any of the arguments that were made by Mr. Colbert you don’t have any other than to threaten violence. Sad…
Preston does have a point there. Our forefathers were a brawling bunch at times. Now, of course we’re much more civilized and fight our political battles with our tongues. Isn’t the internet great. We get to spit venom at each other from our respective dens without even breaking a sweat.
Wine time.
“The truth stings far deeper than any lie. ”
Colbert for President
Colbert would kick your ass. It amazes me how tough everyone on the internet is in blogs! But have never been in a real fight!
All this whining over poor baby Bush’s feelings? He’s such a moron he probably didn’t understand half of it.
For little man. Robbie would turn Colbert inside out. I met him this past weekend.
We the people of the United States have the right to our opinion. I think he chose the best place to deliver his feelings (our feelings) of what these people have turned our country into. I used to be proud to say I’m an american until the day your so called president took control. He will leave in 2008 and leave this mess into some poor democrats hands to clean up. Stephen Colbert took this opportunity to anounce to the world “we are not all ignorant ass- holes” We just got some dumb jock with political pull running this country. He stole both elections and now we have to pay for not standing up when we should have(back in 2000). Gore for president!, Kerry for president! OH NO we got bullwinkle.
“I bet not one of you Bush-haters would have the guts to look Bush in the eye and insult him. Not one of you.”
…. are you freakin serious? Am i supposed to be afraid of Bush? Yes, i would look bush in the eye and insult him if i was so inclined to. Honestly what could he do about it?! Realistically… nothing.
First of all Stephen Colbert is a satirist and his show is based off of people like Sean Hannity, Bill O-Reilly, and Newt Gingrich. If i’m not mistaken, they were the originators of the blind faithed, angry, stubborn, ultra-conservative mindset while insulting people on television. All Colbert does is play this role but instead of conservatives poking fun at “liberals” its the other way around.
The Only One Crying Here Is You!! All you can do now is try and develop what they call “A sense of Humor”…
wow i just realized how old this is.. oh well. it still stands.
I think Stephen Cobert is the only one in the room that night that had any courage at all. George Bush is a murdering lowlife SOB and knowing this Stephen Cobert had the courage to insult him to his face. If I had a medal for bravery I’d give it to him.
Jim D.
[Editor --- And you are a cocksucking cum guzzler who trolls neighborhood playgrounds for young children to expose yourself to.
What was your point again?]