LSSC: Season One All Episodes Talk

[Milburn Stone]

Thanks!

[trow125]

It's worth keeping an eye on LSSC's YouTube channel, since they've been posting quite a few web extras, like this very funny bit featuring a guest from last week. "If you want the velvet, you have to make with the silver!"

[MisterGlass]

 

I mean, 9 people were shot to death in a church in June because they were black and I don't recall there being a late-night response. I think many shows might've been on vacation at the time, though.

 

Just an aside - I remember Jon Stewart's response, because he gave an aggrieved 'there are no jokes' monologue.  He told none, and spent the episode interviewing Malala Yousafzai.

[roseha]

Also, Stephen  took part in a memorial Unity Chain march in South Carolina for the victims.  He wasn't on the air at the time.

[bmoore4026]

I'm not a fan of John McCain.  My mother is though.

 

When I told her why I didn't care for him, mostly because I don't understand why he's Republican, she told me to do some research on him since I'm on the computer so much.

 

I did.  When I yelled up at her what I learned (my computer is downstairs, yes I'm a basement dweller), my mom's response was, "That's alright.  The more you learn."

 

That's when it hit me.  She knew no more than I did about John McCain.  She just liked him because he was a POW during Vietnam.  She didn't know what's he's done in Congress or in Arizona.  She's just blinded by hero worship.

 

So, yeah, I don't care much for him again.  Kind of angry at my ma, also.  She'd be furious if she found out that I told a bunch of strangers this.  But I felt the need to vent.

 

As for Whole Foods, has anyone here shopped there?  Do famous people shop there?  I'm so not surprised that their "organic food" is just regular stuff made by forced prison labor.  I have a feeling all major corporations are in charge of prisons specifically for such labor.  Sounds like a John Grisham plot, don't it?  Evil snobby grocery store uses slave prison labor and charges outrageous prices to foodies who are beneath eating McDonalds.  Somebody make a movie!

 

The dancing was nice.  And Happy Birthday, Yo Yo Mah.

[buttersister]

Yo Yo Ma on my TV! With Misty Copeland dancing and John McCain babbling nonsense. Thank you, Stephen! (Such a hilarious and perfect birthday present for my on stage husband, Yo Yo Ma!)

[Tunia]

Yo Yo Ma & Ave Maria - beautiful!

[Muffyn]

As for Whole Foods, has anyone here shopped there?  Do famous people shop there?  I'm so not surprised that their "organic food" is just regular stuff made by forced prison labor.  I have a feeling all major corporations are in charge of prisons specifically for such labor.  Sounds like a John Grisham plot, don't it?  Evil snobby grocery store uses slave prison labor and charges outrageous prices to foodies who are beneath eating McDonalds.  Somebody make a movie!

I have shopped there.  A good friend of mine works there in the "whole body" department.  She believes in what she is selling.  We just agree to not talk about it.  Every now and then she'll know I'm having some issue and she'll suggest one of their products.  She also insists you can shop there on a budget.  I'll leave her to her dreams.

[lookeyloo]

I'm not a fan of John McCain.  My mother is though.

 

When I told her why I didn't care for him, mostly because I don't understand why he's Republican, she told me to do some research on him since I'm on the computer so much.

 

I did.  When I yelled up at her what I learned (my computer is downstairs, yes I'm a basement dweller), my mom's response was, "That's alright.  The more you learn."

 

That's when it hit me.  She knew no more than I did about John McCain.  She just liked him because he was a POW during Vietnam.  She didn't know what's he's done in Congress or in Arizona.  She's just blinded by hero worship.

 

So, yeah, I don't care much for him again.  Kind of angry at my ma, also.  She'd be furious if she found out that I told a bunch of strangers this.  But I felt the need to vent.

 

As for Whole Foods, has anyone here shopped there?  Do famous people shop there?  I'm so not surprised that their "organic food" is just regular stuff made by forced prison labor.  I have a feeling all major corporations are in charge of prisons specifically for such labor.  Sounds like a John Grisham plot, don't it?  Evil snobby grocery store uses slave prison labor and charges outrageous prices to foodies who are beneath eating McDonalds.  Somebody make a movie!

 

The dancing was nice.  And Happy Birthday, Yo Yo Mah.

Sorry, haven't figured out how to quote just part of a post.

Anyway, we do shop in Whole foods, because Mr. lookeyloo has food sensitivities (not to be confused with food allergies which involves histamines we're told) and he is not lactose intolerant, but Whole Foods in this town has the only decent selection of "not cow dairy" cheeses and yogurts. If he eats cow dairy he gets a migraine.  We were limited in his options until Whole Foods opened.  Local groceries, even upscale ones, have not done such a great job on alternatives.  And health food stores concentrate on soy alternatives which, he can't eat either, and they are not great anyway, in our opinion, but that is easier for us to avoid.  We do get a few things there now and then, mainly the non healthy dessert options off the cookie bar, but I'm glad it is there for what it is.  Would never consider regular grocery shopping there.  But it does meet a need that we had.  Had a friend who worked there for a while and she left because she was a newlywed and didn't like shift work.  Other than that, she liked it.

[dusang]

Sorry, haven't figured out how to quote just part of a post.

 

dusang is the best!!

 

You can edit the quote in your reply.  I could actually write in a bit that you didn't write and pretend like it was a quote.  Maybe I'll do that. :)

[lookeyloo]

You can edit the quote in your reply.  I could actually write in a bit that you didn't write and pretend like it was a quote.  Maybe I'll do that. :)

Thanks!  I'll practice.  ​dusang is the best!!

 

(See how I did that? )

[Hanahope]

It always annoys me how Republicans spout how this is the "weakest" recovery on record, when that "weakness" is because (1) the Republicans prevented Obama/dems from doing so much more (i.e. allowing banks to get so much federal relief/no execs or Wall street honchos prosecuted/little actual relief to middle-Americans) (2) so many Republican-owned/run corporations opted for the short-term profits that benefited execs and large (rich) shareholders who also tend to be Republican, rather than their more democractic leaning workers or giving more jobs to those that need them. 

[trow125]

Re: Whole Foods, the asparagus water will never not crack me up.

I'm actually a little divided over the prison-made goat cheese. The thing is, it's extremely hard for ex-convicts to find jobs, and food service has proven to be one of the few reliable markets for their labor. There's a famous operation in Southern California called Homeboy Industries that has a food truck and bakery that hires previously incarcerated men and women, and my favorite bread company (Dave's Killer Bread -- run by a dude who spent 15 years in prison) does so as well. But I agree that it looks shady for hoity-toity Whole Foods to be seen as profiting off the labor of folks earning pennies a day; it would probably be better for them to find a source that hires ex-cons rather than current ones, since ex-cons have to be paid at least minimum wage. But the idea of jobs training in prison is not inherently bad.

Edited October 6, 2015 by trow125

[peeayebee]

I love Homeboy tortilla chips.

 

I like Misty Copeland. Plus, the ballet school she went to be ABT is in my neighborhood!

 

I don't shop at Whole Foods, though I've been there a couple of times. The first time I was so wowed by how their produce section looked. The last time I went I was looking for a certain brand of tea. I have to say, I felt uncomfortable and out of place there.

 

Great lines from Stephen:

 

"I love organic produce and I cannot stand having money."

 

"Our cheese is aged 25 to life, with no chance of parole."

 

I wish when Stephen says to the audience, say "Hi" to the band, the audience would just yell in unison "HI!"

[Hanahope]

Well, how about instead of the private prison corp or Whole Foods pocketing the profits, said profits are donated either to charity, or are used to help set up programs for ex-cons so that maybe they won't be forced to return to a life of crime because they can't get a job.  Oh wait, that would mean fewer criminals and thus fewer prisoners available to make the goat cheese and tilapia.

[ChelseaNH]

But the idea of jobs training in prison is not inherently bad.

 

Private prisons don't do jobs training; they provide cheap labor.  Most office furniture in the US is made by convicts (per Leverage S2.01 The Jailhouse Job).  See also http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/prison-labor_n_2272036.htmlor http://ellabakercenter.org/blog/2013/06/prison-labor-is-the-new-slave-labor.

[amsel]

I loved Yo Yo MA and Misty Copeland. That was beautiful.

John McCain is a warmongering ass.

I thought the Who Am Me segment was awful. The previous one was better last week.

[possibilities]

McCain admitting he has no problem leaving troops all over the world forever (in Korea, Afghanistan, and on and on), and that he thinks it is better to do that than reach international agreements for de-escalation, really sums up the whole divide between people in this area quite well. The choice is not between methods, it's between goals. Some think being in a state of perpetual conflict is better than being in a state of perpetual negotiation. I fall on the side of negotiation, because I think it at least has a possibility of leading eventually to real peace and harmony. But if you don't mind or, as I suspect is the case for some of the people in power who advance this possibility, if you actually enjoy the Carry A Big Stick approach, being a victorious enforcer on a perpetual enemy, thinking this makes you safer and not caring how it impacts the people you enforce on, or what it costs those doing the actual enforcing, then obviously McCain's approach makes sense.

 

I had no interest in the ballerina movie til I saw the Misty Copeland interview. Now I'm hoping to see it. So, good job, show! Also enjoyed Yo Yo Ma.

 

Stephen's behavior during the polygraph segment reminded me of all those super-annoying 10 year old boys I used to hate dealing with, who thought it was hi-larious to avoid giving a direct answer to any question and would turn all conversations into a cold war or a wall of resistance. Have your search for self off-stage, Stephen. Or make it truly funny by trying different things, not by showcasing yourself resisting every thing you try.

[kassygreene]

My sister, who has loathed the Republican party since the 1992 convention, admires John McCain, and feels he suffered so much for his country that all subsequent personality issues should be forgiven.  I am not kidding, we had this conversation, and my sister is otherwise extremely intolerant of bad boy behavior.  I find it telling that Ronald and Nancy Reagan always despised him for how he treated his first wife.  I once had a neighbor who had been his neighbor near the end of McCain's assignment as a Naval liaison to Congress in the late 70s or early 80s.  Without getting into the details of what frankly is hearsay, I'll just say that McCain and his large dogs were bad neighbors and terrible tenants.

[Cyranetta]

McCain seems to try to be the Alpha Dog when he makes an appearance, even with his scripted jokes, but Stephen was able to use his improv background to good effect with some of his rapid comebacks.

 

Yo Yo Ma and Misty Copeland were such a treat, especially following McCain

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Did I see a different lie detector piece than you people? The one I got seemed like classic Colbert.

[peeayebee]

It did seem like something from TCR, but I don't think it worked for some reason. Maybe it was because Stephen was dialing back the "Stephen Colbert" persona?

[bmoore4026]

What was up with that one shriek at the beginning when Stephen mentioned Florence and the Machine!?  Never heard anything like that!

 

McDonalds serving breakfast all day?  Please, Stake-n-Shake has been doing that forever.  And it's taken McDonalds this long to serve whenever.

 

Was playing Fallout New Vegas while listening to the show.  All that I could think of when Bill Clinton was talking about the Supreme Court and Super Pacs was that this has always been tycoon country.  I'm so disenchanted and I'm sure many of my generation are.

 

I like Billy Eichner.  He's cute and funny.  That video where he and Amy Poehler are quizzing people about Christmas carols was fantastic, especially when they meet the woman and her baby named Arrow.

 

Meh to Florence and the Machine.

[BW Manilowe]

What was up with that one shriek at the beginning when Stephen mentioned Florence and the Machine!? Never heard anything like that!

McDonalds serving breakfast all day? Please, Stake-n-Shake has been doing that forever. And it's taken McDonalds this long to serve whenever.

Was playing Fallout New Vegas while listening to the show. All that I could think of when Bill Clinton was talking about the Supreme Court and Super Pacs was that this has always been tycoon country. I'm so disenchanted and I'm sure many of my generation are.

I like Billy Eichner. He's cute and funny. That video where he and Amy Poehler are quizzing people about Christmas carols was fantastic, especially when they meet the woman and her baby named Arrow.

Meh to Florence and the Machine.

If you get all-day breakfast at Steak 'n Shake, you're lucky. We've been eating there for years (we live in NE Indiana & have 1 that's 5 minutes or less from our house) & we've never gotten all-day breakfast here. I did some Googling; at least 4 years ago, at the 24-hour restaurants (which our closest 1 is) you supposedly could get breakfast starting at 3AM, until 11AM. You could get burgers &/or breakfast between 3AM & 6 AM; then the breakfast menu only 6-11AM.

Edited October 7, 2015 by BW Manilowe

[bmoore4026]

If you get all-day breakfast at Steak 'n Shake, you're lucky. We've been eating there for years (we live in NE Indiana & have 1 that's 5 minutes of less from our house) & we've never gotten all-day breakfast here. I did some Googling; at least 4 years ago, at the 24-hour restaurants (which our closest 1 is) you supposedly could get breakfast starting at 3AM, until 11AM. You could get burgers &/or breakfast between 3AM & 6 AM; then the breakfast menu only 6-11AM.

 

I didn't know this.  I thought all Stake-n-Shakes served breakfast 24/7.

[BW Manilowe]

I didn't know this. I thought all Stake-n-Shakes served breakfast 24/7.

Apparently not. We have 3, including the 1 nearest our house; we've also eaten at the next nearest 1 to our house (before we got the closer 1), that's another 24-hour restaurant, & they never had all-day breakfast either.

[bluepiano]

It always annoys me how Republicans spout how this is the "weakest" recovery on record

 

I can understand Stephen not wanting to insert himself at the beginning of the interview, but at the same time, I am not happy that he let that remark go unchallenged. Because you can refute that with facts. The Republicans are so used to the media not countering their BS with facts that they really believe they have carte blanche to make any statement they want. And bringing up the facts is not being "political." It's being accurate.

 

And when Stephen talked about the candidates making all the negative statements about America, he needed to say that it's the Republican candidates doing that. Listening to the likes of Trump, Cruz, Fiorina et al you'd think that America was a Third World Country. (well, if we have a Republican President and a Republican Congress, we might be heading that way.).

 

The only thing that McCain said that Stephen responded to was the line about a Cain-Bachman administration being better than what we have now. Stephen made a joke out of that, because, really, what else can you do with something so ridiculous?

 

And oh yeah, everyone seems to respect McCain personally, even if they don't agree with his hawkish politics. But one thing people don't talk about is how he's used his position over the years to make himself and his family very, very wealth. So it isn't all patriotism with him.

Edited October 7, 2015 by bluepiano

[Arcey]

Who was the doctor on tonight's show? (Tuesday) The audience seemed to know who he was, and Stephen gave him a big hug after the skit.

[possibilities]

Did I see a different lie detector piece than you people? The one I got seemed like classic Colbert.

It did seem like something from TCR, but I don't think it worked for some reason. Maybe it was because Stephen was dialing back the "Stephen Colbert" persona?

Sometimes his old character would act clueless or do things to frustrate people who he thought were hypocrites or otherwise ridiculous or outrageously wrong. But there is a difference between trolling someone who needs to be taken down a peg, and just being a troll for the hell of it with someone who really hasn't done anything to attract your resistance. It's not commentary at that point, it's being a dick.

 

I noticed tonight that he didn't interrupt Bill Clinton. He's also started to come out at the beginning of the show without any dancing or even running, like he used to. I like the less interrupty interview, but I wonder whether the dancing and interaction with Batiste really got focus grouped out. Do people prefer a less enthusiastic and happy host?

 

Batiste was rocking those pants tonight. I like the band. I hope they don't get totally marginalized.

 

Eichner was so much less annoying to me in his interview than he's always been when I've seen him in a role. He wasn't shouting or acting aggressive. I liked him! I thought he was actually fun. I suspect, from the clip, that I wouldn't like his show, though. Sorry, Billy!

[peeayebee]

I adore Billy Eichner, and I love his show. It cracks me up. Also, I've seen him on shows where he's not acting, and he's always fun and pleasant. This interview with Stephen was really enjoyable.

 

Bill Clinton was great, too. He really is the Secretary of Explaining Things Good (or whatever the title was).

 

Loved the Pander Express segment.

 

Who was the doctor on tonight's show? (Tuesday) The audience seemed to know who he was, and Stephen gave him a big hug after the skit.

I didn't think he was anyone famous, but maybe I'm wrong. I thought the audience cheered just because the moment deserved it: The Chinese were coming to save the day!

 

I too have noticed that Stephen's not dancing at the beginning of the show. I think that started the day of the Oregon shootings. It's my impression that this part has indeed been focus-grouped out.

[SlackerInc]

Nice to see more focus group speculation.  :)

[Padma]

Good about last night's show: everything "Stephen", from the restrained but bouncy entrance, to the monologue and the riff on "The Martian" (a very refreshing movie) and the "PanderExpress". Glad to see no "Ching Chong Ding Dong" jokes came with him from TCR and that the guy's Mandarin was exactly as translated (I was expecting some inside joke there).  It did seem like the audience recognized the "doctor" but maybe they just applauded the bit. Still wondering who he was.

 

The bad and totally disappointing?  Bill Clinton. Seriously, with all that is going on in the world...and with Hillary and the server issue (which also involves BC and possibly his CGI and CFF since all that data was right there in their house)...letting him blather on about the (imo financially corrupt) Clinton Global Initiative and Foundation was just sad. Good "get" for Stephen, but an interview without any substance whatsoever.  Letting Clinton talk about delivering services at a 7% cost "the lowest of ... so you all see more of your dollars at work" or whatever it was, was pathetic, since their "administrative overhead" is something like 90% with, I believe, less than 10% going to charity. Whatever it is, I remember they wouldn't participate with the organization that reports on how much of the donations go to the actual projects v. to the "staff" (mostly, the Clintons & their friends in top administrative positions).

 

Also, why the off-shore bank accounts in the Bahamas? No one ever asks Hillary OR Bill about that.  Not to mention the server questions which, I'm guessing, Bill Clinton actually understands--and made the decision about--not Hillary. Watching him smile and think "I'm putting one over on y'all again!" has just gotten sickening, so while I don't blame Stephen for sitting in respectful silence for a former POTUS, it was really too bad.

[bluepiano]

When Stephen asked Bill why Bernie Sanders is so popular, I didn't expect him to say, "because people think he has more integrity than Hillary." But his answer about the Republicans moving more to the right, so Democrats think they need to move more to the left, made zero sense.

 

I'm sure that Billy and Hillary are privately fuming at Bernie Sanders, because they thought that after Hillary was "denied" the nomination by Obama in '08 she would have no challenge this time.

 

Even though Hillary served in Obama's administration, I'm sure they never forgave him. People may have forgotten now, but that was quite a contentious contest, and Bill played the role of "hit man," saying some pretty nasty things about Obama. At this point I think the Clinton's tactic is to take the high road, but should they see Bernie as a serious threat, I'm sure that Bill will play that role again.

 

And if Joe Biden decides to run, it is definitely going to be ugly.

Edited October 7, 2015 by bluepiano

[Padma]

When Stephen asked Bill why Bernie Sanders is so popular, I didn't expect him to say, "because people think he has more integrity than Hillary." But his answer about the Republicans moving more to the right, so Democrats think they need to move more to the left, made zero sense.

 

I'm sure that Billy and Hillary are privately fuming at Bernie Sanders, because they thought that after Hillary was "denied" the nomination by Obama in '08 she would have no challenge this time.

 

Even though Hillary served in Obama's administration, I'm sure they never forgave him. People may have forgotten now, but that was quite a contentious contest, and Bill played the role of "hit man," saying some pretty nasty things about Obama. At this point I think the Clinton's tactic is to take the high road, but should they see Bernie as a serious threat, I'm sure that Bill will play that role again.

 

And if Joe Biden decides to run, it is definitely going to be ugly.

Good point about Bill as hit man for Hillary when the time comes, whether its Biden or Sanders (he may pull back a bit on Trump for obvious reasons).  I also wish Stephen had asked him a little about his involvement in the campaign already, even if nothing as confrontational as my questions about how he strong arms officials to support her and holds grudges forever if they don't (see Bill Richardson for just one example of this. Ted Kennedy was another. There are many). That genial, smarmy-but smart act just doesn't work for me any more from Bill Clinton and I'm over Hillary, too, from this server fiasco (which I believe -both- of them have responsibility for, probably him even more than her). 

 

I know "journalism" isn't really the purview of late night comedy talk shows and Stephen squeezes in -some- anyway, which is more than Fallon or Kimmel. But it's still disappointing to see politicians like Clinton, Trump and Cruz (and John McCain) being given a platform to spew their nonsense pretty much unchallenged (and BC -very- unchallenged).

Edited October 7, 2015 by Padma

[bluepiano]

I know "journalism" isn't really the purview of late night comedy talk shows and Stephen squeezes in -some- anyway, which is more than Fallon or Kimmel. But it's still disappointing to see politicians like Clinton, Trump and Cruz (and John McCain) being given a platform to spew their nonsense pretty much unchallenged (and BC -very- unchallenged).

 

What's worse is that politicians get to spew their nonsense unchallenged on shows like "Meet the Press," which are supposed to be "journalistic." That's why we needed Jon Stewart and TCR Stephen Colbert. Even if they were speaking to a relatively small audience and basically preaching to the choir.

 

Years ago Jon Stewart said something to the effect that it was sad people needed to turn to comedy shows to get factual reporting. Very sad, yes, because of the cowards in the mainstream news media who bought into the right wing screed that if you report the facts in the face of their lies, then you are "taking sides"  and not practicing objective journalism.

Edited October 7, 2015 by bluepiano

[lookeyloo]

We gave up on the Sunday Morning shows because so few of the guests would ever answer a question.  You know, give them the answer you want to,  not necessarily to the question asked.  Bob Schieffer used to do the best job of saying "You didn't answer the question" and asked it again.  After about 3 tries he would say "well I see you aren't going to answer the question" and moved on.  So annoying.  Jon was right.

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Sometimes his old character would act clueless or do things to frustrate people who he thought were hypocrites or otherwise ridiculous or outrageously wrong. But there is a difference between trolling someone who needs to be taken down a peg, and just being a troll for the hell of it with someone who really hasn't done anything to attract your resistance. It's not commentary at that point, it's being a dick.

I would assume the guy knew that Stephen was a comedian doing a bit for his show and didn't expect him to take it seriously. It's not too different from some of the bits Conan does.

[nowandlater]

All last week and early this week: Rachel Maddow shows all of Kevin McCarthy's flubs.

 

Wednesday night: Stephen Colbert shows all of Kevin McCarthy's flubs.

 

Thursday morning: Kevin McCarthy resigns.

 

Coincidence?

[peeayebee]

Kevin McCarthy sounds like that Miss American contestant. Or Sarah Palin. Loved Stephen's version of it. "May God thank America, and hello."

 

Aspire bariatrics is gross, but I can certainly see how it would appeal to certain people. Again, great lines from Stephen. "Machine-assisted abdominal vomiting." "Chest-mounted barf box." "Thank you for tearing me a new one."

[bluepiano]

All last week and early this week: Rachel Maddow shows all of Kevin McCarthy's flubs.

 

Wednesday night: Stephen Colbert shows all of Kevin McCarthy's flubs.

 

Thursday morning: Kevin McCarthy resigns.

 

Coincidence?

 

The idea of a Speaker of the House who can't speak did seem ridiculous, but I just don't believe that's why he dropped out. After all, for 8 years we had a Republican President who made frequently embarrassing verbal flubs. http://politicalhumor.about.com/cs/georgewbush/a/top10bushisms.htm

 

This shows what a complete mess the Republican party is. You've got 40 or so hard right crazies who intimidate the entire rest of the party, because no one has the guts to stand up to them. Maybe McCarthy, who seemed like basically a decent guy, decided it wasn't worth exposing himself to the constant attacks from his "colleagues," who no doubt would've started trying to get rid of him the minute he got the position.

 

I'm hoping against hope that the Republicans don't put in one of their extreme ideologues. Jason Chaffetz. Ugh. He was despicable in the House hearing on Planned Parenthood. How could this joke of a party actually control both houses of Congress?

Edited October 8, 2015 by bluepiano

[Padma]

All last week and early this week: Rachel Maddow shows all of Kevin McCarthy's flubs.

 

Wednesday night: Stephen Colbert shows all of Kevin McCarthy's flubs.

 

Thursday morning: Kevin McCarthy resigns.

 

Coincidence?

I just saw Luke Russert on MSNBC  reporting on this as one of the oddest things he's seen in the House and baffling how McCarthy was in it this morning, spoke, got support, then within 4 hours bowed out.  Russert concluded his report (paraphrasing), "I don't know. Last night Stephen Colbert mocked the way he can't put a sentence together and there are these editorials and maybe he just decided the job wasn't worth it."

 

Definitely mysterious, but I was happy about the shoutout to Stephen, whose bit on McCarthy really cracked me up. Thank you, Mr. Colbert & staff, for still caring so much about the English language!"

[possibilities]

I would assume the guy knew that Stephen was a comedian doing a bit for his show and didn't expect him to take it seriously. It's not too different from some of the bits Conan does.

I'm sure he did know, but I still don't understand why it's funny to behave like this with an innocent person. I rarely watch Conan, but if  he does this too, that doesn't make me personally find it any funnier.

 

McCarthy really seems to me like a person with an actual neurological disorder. Aphasia may make someone less than ideal for the Speaker job, but it's hard to believe that he was really that inarticulate unless he has it. I wonder if he sounded that way when running for office, or if it's a recent development.

[Hanahope]

But his answer about the Republicans moving more to the right, so Democrats think they need to move more to the left, made zero sense.

 

I think it makes sense.  The Republicans have ceded all real control to their far-right fringe and ended up moving the "goal posts" so much more to the right that Obama is practically accused of being a moderate Republican when he compromises.  So in order to fight back, the Democrats need their own far-left fringe to wrest those goal posts back towards the center.

[peeayebee]

I'm sure he did know, but I still don't understand why it's funny to behave like this with an innocent person. I rarely watch Conan, but if  he does this too, that doesn't make me personally find it any funnier.

I find it funny when the person doing the bit (Colbert or Conan) is actually making fun of himself. Conan does this all the time. Stephen on TCR did it also when he was making fun of his blowhard persona. I think that's why the bit with the lie detector fell flat for me: Stephen was supposed to be the real Stephen, so he himself came across as dickish.

[bluepiano]

I think it makes sense.  The Republicans have ceded all real control to their far-right fringe and ended up moving the "goal posts" so much more to the right that Obama is practically accused of being a moderate Republican when he compromises.  So in order to fight back, the Democrats need their own far-left fringe to wrest those goal posts back towards the center.

 

But with the Republicans having moved to the far right, in terms of election tactics, wouldn't it make sense for the Democrats to remain in the center, in order to capture the large independent vote? And maybe even pick up the votes of some "Romney Republicans" if the Republicans nominate someone who is viewed as an extremist.

 

Not that I really believe the Democrats have, or ever will, move to the "far left." To me it's kind of a joke that the media portrays Bernie Sanders this way, when all his positions are right in line with the traditional Democratic social agenda that goes back to LBJ and The Great Society. Or for that matter, to FDR. Yes, Bernie calls himself a "socialist," but Social Security and Medicare where originally opposed by the Republicans as turning America into a socialist (or even communist) country.

Edited October 8, 2015 by bluepiano

[Victor the Crab]

How could this joke of a party actually control both houses of Congress?

 

Because there are people on the left who would rather stay at home on election night than to go out and vote for a candidate that fails to live up to their high standards of what a politician should be. That's what happened in 2010 when so many of them felt disappointed in President Obama not giving them the public option in health care and instead giving them Obamacare. The result was the Republicans winning the House during a census year that allowed the GOP to redraw districts in their favor that let them retain control of the House despite being outvoted overall. With enemies like that, Republicans don't need allies.

[ChelseaNH]

Gerrymandering also helps.

[Padma]

I understand what makes someone "far right"--uncompromising gun rights, evangelical Christians who don't believe in separation of Church and State, anti-union (when its not their union), anti-government-funded services (at least the ones they don't get themselves. I've talked to many who are against SSI and Medicaid--oh, surprise, they get those but don't understand it), no military actions are wrong, rah-rah Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, etc.

 

But I don't know what the media means by "far left", particularly for Sanders who, as he told Stephen, prefers "progressive" to "socialist". To me, far left would mean nationalizing some of our industries--oil, for one; also advocating single payer health care, someone who would recommend drastically cutting the defense budget and putting it toward domestic spending--and would give bold speeches advocating all of these things.   

 

There's no Democrat doing any of that. What the media calls "liberal", I think of as a "moderate-to-conservative Democrat" and someone like Sanders who is "liberal" in the FDR mode, gets labeled "far left" just because the electorate in general is pretty conservative.

 

I can't wait to see what Stephen & crew make of the mess in the House today. I see Donald Trump took credit for McCarthy opting out (because...why not?), so I hope the Late Show staff saw Luke Russert and can share some credit with Colbert instead.  Also the clips of Christy and Bush responding would be funny if they weren't so tragic. Hopefully SC will restore the humor of it--TCR style--because our government is a mess and a majority of Republicans apparently don't want anyone who's ever been elected to anything (Trump, Carson, Fiorina) to win the highest office of the land.

[formerlyfreedom]

Just a reminder - discussion of politics as it relates to the show is fine, but diverging into off topic political discussions is not allowed. Let's keep it to the show, please; the topics covered are fair game (e.g., McCarthy stepping down from running for the leadership post), but going off-topic from there may result in posts being deleted without notice.

 

Thank you.

[bmoore4026]

I'm guessing some higher up is telling Stephen to simmer down on the dancing because I've noticed he's not been doing it for the last couple of shows.