Stephen Colbert, the Comedy Central protagonist of The Colbert Report delivered a speech at the White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington DC this weekend that left the audience aghast.

Reports in the mainstream media (those that even bothered to cover the fact that the President of the free world had received the most spectacular dressing down ever delivered to one face-to-face) tended to focus on the lack of laughter.

Given that most of the audience consisted of mainstream media and politicians, and given that Colbert’s stinging attack was delivered at both, it is little wonder that the laughter was muted, although not entirely devoid. The reality is that no one in that audience had ever seen balls before, let alone had them.

Delicious, but rare, pans of the C-SPAN cameras revealed priceless moments, and should give cause for C-SPAN to invest in a couple more. Surely the reactions of the President and audience are as newsworthy as the speaker at hand. Certainly in this story.

General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, grimaced as Colbert suggested Generals be prevented by retiring by implementing the Stop-Loss policy that forced active servicemembers to continue serving after their obligations were over, and suspended discharges of gay servicemembers until the War on Terrorism is over. Only after Colbert implied that Generals supported Rumsfeld – unless and until they retired.

Little mention has been made of the reaction of Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia, who despite a million things wrong with him, still at least, has a sense of humor. Referencing a recent outcry over whether a gesture Scalia had made at a speech, captured by Peter Smith, a Boston University assistant photojournalism professor and published by the Boston Herald, and interpreted by many to be obscene, Colbert welcomed Scalia invoking the same gesture. A strong denial from Scalia was issued along with an accusation that Herald staffers watched too much of “The Sopranos.” Colbert added,"Just talking some Sicilian with my paisan." Rather than shift uncomfortably, or stare ahead purse-lipped, Scalia laughed unabashedly.

Unsurprisingly, Joseph Wilson and his outed CIA operative wife, Valerie Plame, laughed openly at Colbert’s “re-outing” of her, as he turned to the President and said, “I am sorry, Mr. President, I meant to say he brought along his lovely wife Joe Wilson's wife.” The fact that one of the alleged leakers, Karl Rove, was squirming somewhere in the room, and that Scooter Libby has already been indicted for his role in the Plame leaking – as well as recent revelations that the President “declassified” information about Wilson and Plame’s role – was not lost on the audience, but no-one could deny it wasn’t entertaining. Clearly, not even Plame herself.

The routine prior to Colbert, where the President and a look-alike Steve Bridges traded soft barbs focused on the President’s propensity to mispronounce the weapons of mass destruction that has resulted in a tragic loss of life for thousands of Americans and Iraqis, aided and abetted by the politicians, “reporters” and shills in attendance, had the audience roaring in appreciative laughter. About as funny as a Nick Berg beheading really. Or a Daniel Pearle throat slit.

Naturally, the blogs, left and right, have had a field day, with predictable responses from the left and right.

To the right, Colbert was a rude and insulting prick, who wasn’t funny. (This from the same people who refer to the humorless “angry left”.) And to the left, Colbert is the martyr who not only pointed out the Emperor’s nudity, but revealed the nakedness of everyone else in the room.

The levity is debatable. Could Colbert have performed better as a comedian? Maybe. Did some jokes go on too long, or smack of overkill? Maybe. Could Colbert have performed better had he been a little more relaxed? Maybe. And who cares?

Ultimately, when it comes to entertainment, must one laugh uproariously to be entertained or can one be entertained by sharp wit or impeccable irony?

One thing is certain though. Whether he was funny or not, there a very few people who have the courage and the cajones to stand up in front of the President of the United States and tell him what an ineffective, media-produced, stage-managed, intellectually vacant, lying sack of shit he really is. Deadpan. Straight-faced.

And it’s probably the first time the President’s heard it. The essence of the First Amendment in action. What other country in the world would tolerate it?

If a Stephen Colbert would have stood up and bitch-slapped the President with dose of reality a little earlier, perhaps fewer of the scathing zingers would have been necessary.

Additional Resources

Transcript of Stephen Colbert's monologue

Video of Stephen Colberet's monologue

Colbert's White House Correspondent Dinner Performance Underscores Irony's Power And Delicacy
by Joe Gandelman

Bush Versus Truthiness
by Mash, www.docstrangelove.com

Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner -- President Not Amused?
Editor & Publisher

Thank You Stephen Colbert
http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/

Beyond Satire
Daniel Berczik, Bloggledygook