• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Guy YedwabJan UrbanModern DissentLiving In Truth(iness)There is a time-honored tradition in Washington D.C.: the White House Press CorrespondentsDinner. Each year, the members of the press and of government come together in the Capital to singeach other's praises, reminisce over the year, and otherwise bridge the hostilities which simmerthroughout the rest of the year. Each year, the keynote speech is made by a political satirist; in previousyears, there have been appearances by Cedric the Entertainer, Jon Stewart, Al Franken, DavidLetterman, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brien.
i
The event is good-natured in its humor, and usually invitesthe President or First Lady to make jokes about themselves.In 2006, the humor was in the air as the new comedian was about to take the stage, followingroutines by both former President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush. The AssociatedPress' White House correspondent, Mark Rich, made a short introduction. He related a story from theweek before; the Associated Press had been ruthlessly mocked by the comedian, ending with thecomedian terming AP “The number one threat to America.” Mark Rich described (in jest) a “heart-stopping, pit-in-my-stomach, career in flames moment.” He described sending the head of AP a quick email, “Tell me we're laughing about this,”
ii
and his relief upon hearing that they were in fact laughingabout that story.The comedian in question was a thin, tall man with black hair and very slim glasses (who hasYEDWAB 1 / 13
 
been voted one of the sexiest men alive
iii
). At this point in the introduction, he was backward andforward with laughter at the thought of the venerated newsman scrambling to assure himself that the joke is still funny. To the comedian, the concept of a terrible backlash at the end of his jokes is a farwaythought, amusing.“Here, with a special edition of 
The Colbert Report 
: Stephen Colbert.”Stephen Colbert rises, takes the podium, and begins his act. Nearly a half hour later, as he shook President Bush's hand and returned to his seat, the internet was exploding with shock and awe.
iv
 Somein the audience were scandalized; others were laughing uproariously. The consensus, whether positiveor negative, was that Stephen Colbert had made jokes that no one else would dare make, and had struck a nerve.The next year, the Correspondents Dinner welcomed Rich Little to the stage. He was apresidential impersonator who had last addressed the same gathering in 1985; both times, he did thesame impression of Jimmy Carter. Out of a field of all of the talented and funny comedians in America,they chose one of the most out of date, and most innocuous. The message was clear: theCorrespondents Dinner was about humor, not about satire.Stephen Colbert himself did not realize what a bombshell he had unleashed on Washington D.C.He described to Charlie Rose that he arrived to work the next day, and was told, “Have you seen theblogs?”
v
Clearly, as everyone was aware, a moment had happened that was not merely comic: it waspolitical.What was different about Stephen Colbert's appearance was that it was a powerful moment of YEDWAB 2 / 13
 
dissent. After six years of the Bush Administration, very few credible voices of dissent had emerged.The Democrats, who in the wake of 9/11 had lined up behind the President to expand his powersconsiderably, and authorized two wars, were not an effective opposition. The media had, at many junctures, shied away from asking pointed questions; in search of the biggest story, they dropped manyimportant stories behind. Stephen Colbert resurrected those demons, right in front of the President andthe press.The effect of this appearance on history is less difficult to assess than other acts of dissidence.Stephen's show (and The Daily Show which precedes it) is one of the most important sources of newsfor the emerging young generation
vi
. The emerging young generation, in turn, was the primarymotivating force behind the new wave of politicians most exemplified by incoming President-ElectBarack Obama. But a myriad of complex factors make it difficult to trace the exact impact.So instead, the question which we must answer is, how does Stephen Colbert dissent? How doesthe format of his show, and of his public appearances, structure the way we interact with ourgovernment? And how does he fit into the long tradition of dissent?Most dissenters in history who are remembered are not from artistic backgrounds, but it is safeto say that performance is central to their methodology. Looking at Ghandi's effective campaign of anti-colonialism, one can see the performative mind at work. An anecdote like that of Ghandi's protestersbeing attacked by the British, and his refusal to stop the march because of the presence of a New York Times reporter indicates that background; his goal is not about the British or about the protesters: it isYEDWAB 3 / 13
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...