On Colbert's "Mistake"

[Anser]

I recall reading in one of the Colbert related threads that his presentation was nearly flawless except for his one flub on his delivery of the "glass is 2/3 empty" shtick. There was some discussion back and forth as to whether it was intentional or not, and the consensus seemed to be that it was complete mistake.

I've come to the conclusion that it was completely intentional.

The key to understanding this particular gem of nuanced humor is to view it with one of my favorite Bushism's in mind. To paraphrase: "Fool me once, shame on... point is once ya fool me can't fool me again."

Colbert takes a cliche of similar caliber, "messes" it up, turns to the president and admonishes Bush to set things up properly.
Colbert: "It's important to set up your joke's properly sir." He then goes on to hurry the rest of the cliche, and concludes with "There's still some liquid in the glass, is my point." And finally, right at the end, after he has everyone's guard down, he slips in what I would call the first real zinger of the speech, likening remaining Bush supporters to backwash. It was after this that Colbert stepped out of the realm of the "safe" jokes, into the real truthiness.

I thought it was great, through this "mistake" Colbert was able to call Bush an idiot to his face without him even knowing it.

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. Amazing how you can fool yourself

Colbert would be proud.

[Anser]

24. My gut doesn't lie.

You sound like a doubter.

[Fredda Weinberg]

27. I saw the scene and it was obviously a flub

Colbert guffawed at himself before recovering nicely. No, it wasn't intentional but he's normally very composed and doesn't let slip-ups break his character.

[Anser]

53. So you looked it up?

You are still missing Stephen's message ;)

[TheFarseer]

2. That's an interesting theory

I can't completely dismiss it, but if you've watched his show much, he tends to mess up more than the average news anchor.

[SoCalDem]

8. He's NOT a news anchor.. He's a comedian..a satirist

His whole act is parody..mistakes don't matter...that's the joke of it all.. even if he screws up, it's irrelevant since the whole schtick is a big put-on..:)

[radwriter0555]

38. I also believe that one of 2 scenarios happened: Either the guys who hired

him KNEW he'd skewer bush, appropo, or worse, possibly? They didn't realize his entire schtick was a bush/gop mockery...

Either way he rawked....

[RoyGBiv]

13. Also interesting ...

Seen in the context of the OP, it's also interesting that he "messes up" on a show that is taped and edited...

[evlbstrd]

16. Nope.

It was broadcast live on C-SPAN. I watched.

[Anser]

19. I was curious

The format of the diner wouldn't really allow for editing, and as you say, it was live.
However, The Colbert Report isn't live, and as previous posters pointed out, Colbert often makes "mistakes" that are left in for their comedic value.

So it is at least something within his repertoire.

[RoyGBiv]

21. So did I ...

I meant his show.

The person to whom I responded mentioned how often he messes up on his Comedy Central show. That show is taped and edited, which makes messing up rather curious.

[TheFarseer]

31. just small mess ups

not worth re-shooting I guess. Actually, he's been doing really well lately, but in the beginning I remember alot of small mistakes. I don't know what to tell ya, that's what I remember!

[Jane Austin]

26. Wow, that is so not true - - that Colbert messes up a lot.

I marvel every night at how flawless his delivery is.

Matthews is the worst, mixing and matching unrelated words, and even the marvelously silver-tongued Keith Olbermann messes up occasionally.

At the time I thought it was a real mistake. Watching the tape of it the next day with Dearest Husband, I saw how it was put together, and came to believe that it was part of his script.

[Libby2]

33. Yes, I agree with you 100%.

[villager]

3. hmmm... interesting theory!

Now I'll have to watch it again...

& Welcome to DU!

[SeattleGirl]

4. Nice insight, Anser

I had not seen it that way, but what you say makes a lot of sense. It would be interesting to ask Stephen if he really did do that intentionally. Me thinks he probably did -- his talk, and the delivery were so dead on I can't imagine he would have actually messed up. Nice catch!

[Maat]

7. I don't care!

Because it was obvious the One was with him (the Cosmic Consciousness, Goddess, Whichever-you-prefer)! It was a divine performance!

Have a nice evening! I'm going to go watch the last few minutes of Colbert!

[Oversea Visitor]

5. The World know what happened on Tuesday

And he trying to do what he did on Monday on Wedesday.
:puke:

What Mistake

The only mistake is bush.

I dont think they rearranging the deck chair on the Hidenburg
More like the witness stand at the Hague

Colbert cross the line
He woke up from sleep into a nightmare

Others still enjoying the sleep, happy dreaming.
Colbert try to wake them up
But they like their dream more
You know reality.... has is a liberal nightmare

[Swamp Rat]

22. Ya

:hi:

[Cha]

44. "bush got Served"!

Ya!

[WCGreen]

6. I think he was channeling Art Bell.....

jesus, you'd think we were disecting the Bible here or something...

For next weeks Honors English Class, comment on Stephen Cobert's pauses.....

[Anser]

9. Was my first post on the subject

I thought it was an interesting way to read the joke; made it much funnier to me, and I thought I'd share.

[WCGreen]

14. Just kidding.....

It was good, but a tad obscure....

very observant...

[Anser]

17. Thanks

I'm still somewhat new to posting, and your first comment struck home.

I thought as I wrote it that I may be beating a dead um... er.. gilding the flower-type thing... uh.. point is I wasn't sure it was worth sayin'

[Cha]

47. I love that you wrote that

because I didn't see that part and had no idea what you were talking about and am trying to decipher by reading the posts. :)

[kittenpants]

49. funny that you say that... I'm a college English teacher and I'm

racking my brain trying to find a way to justify playing Colbert in my class and having my students discuss/analyze it. We ARE doing a unit on individual vs. society... so it would qualify!

[rpannier]

10. Especially since scrubbie said at a rally in TN

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...it ain't gonna happen."

Source: Fahrenheit 9/11

[Jazz2006]

11. Nah, it was clearly a flub ....

but god, he was wonderful, notwithstanding that screwup.

Still laughing and it's almost Wednesday :)

[Anser]

15. Maybe

But being a late comer to the whole thing, and after hearing about how great the speech was, at first I was surprised.

Surprised that it seemed pretty tame at first. Your standard Cheney shooting, "gut-thinking" comedy fare. It was after the alleged flub that the tone really changed. It was from then on that it seemed to move from generic comedy into the satirical genius. Personally addressing Bush seemed like a fitting segway, or, if not, an amazing recovery.

[Jazz2006]

18. He was great, no question, but

he didn't have to go back and try to 'correct' the flub.... he could and should have just kept going... the essence of the point would never have been missed or compromised if he hadn't made such a point of making it into a "re-do" and the "re-do" just drew attention to his nervousness.

He was terrific ~ no question about it!

And don't get me wrong, I'm not being critical here - just saying that it would have better to leave the flub alone rather than draw attention to it, because by drawing attention to it, it lost some of its impact but had he just carried on, 90% of the population wouldn't even have noticed that it was a flub.

[0rganism]

12. for doing what he did with a straight face, he can make a mistake or two

Colbert rammed the truth up the establishment's collective arse with a blazing red-hot poker of sarcasm. If he stumbled on his delivery in one place, we don't need to apologize for it. If it really was intentional, well, so much the better, but it's hardly necessary.

[OnyxCollie]

20. I agree with you.

The thought that Colbert was playing on Chimpy's "Fool me once" disaster did come to mind. But I believe he really did screw up, and just made a nice save.

Or maybe not.

[OhNoTheyDidNot]

23. Oh, no doubt about this at all ... this was a fine tuned peice of artwork

this pretend f up was intentional - no doubt about it

[benny05]

25. Potomac Tea Party

done nicely..with lots of humor..

[theophilus]

28. I've thought about this a lot and I agree. I think his "flub" was

planned. I'll admit that for a few seconds I felt he had really messed up and I felt really bad for him because his performance had been so perfect. But then I thought about the preznit's "fool me once" gaff and I changed my mind. I believe Colbert did just as you say. He highlighted the Bushisms.

Colbert "breaks up" occasionally on his show and I think that about half the time it is an act. He often "cries", too. That is all an act. This was a classic example of his acting ability. You can ask my wife - I said the same as you said almost immediately. I watched it several times since and I feel it now more than at first.....the flub was planned and well executed.

Also, the "I believe" section was based, I feel, on a feature developed by Edward R. Murrow. Any "journalists" there would have caught on to the fact that Murrow was being referred to in the Colbert monologue. Murrow is the patron saint of true journalists and Colbert introduced him, in spirit, without a direct mention. Another act of subtle genius, imo.

What would Murrow have done at the dinner? Probably exactly what Colbert did.......
Bravo Stephen! No flubs here.

[Karmakaze]

29. Actually it might be a case of having to see it to believe it...

I have only read the transcript, and your interpretation was exactly what I thought was going on. In fact it never even occured to me that it was an error and not a poke at Bush's own flubbing.

Maybe it seems different when you see the video, or maybe Colbert is simply a very good actor :)

[Cha]

48. He is a good actor and

I suddenly see movies in his future.

[ms liberty]

30. I had not looked at it from that viewpoint before - interesting...

Both times I've watched it, at the time I thought it was just an unintentional flub. looking at it from that perspective, I think you may have a point there! Very interesting observation. I'll have to view it again with that idea in mind. You are correct that it was at that point that he began to mercilessly speak truthiness to power. Hmmm...

Welcome to DU!

[DoYouEverWonder]

32. Colbert is one of the most

'in control' humans I've ever seen. He hardly moves a muscle that's not intentional when he performs. Its part of his greatness.

[ShortnFiery]

36. I agree, and his emotives are excellent.

Nope, nobody's perfect but THIS action was NO mistake, but carefully planned and executed.

I fully concur. :hi:

[Beelzebud]

34. I just assumed thats how everyone saw it.

I didn't know people thought it was a real flub.

It was obvious to me what he was doing. Especially when he skipped to the "backwash" punchline, in the same way Bush skipped ahead to "Can't fool me again".

[Skinner]

35. It was a flub.

Mistakes happen. Colbert is great, but he does not walk on water.

[theophilus]

40. A definite possibility, but I think Colbert is quick enough on his feet

that after saying, "Don't listen to those who say the glass is half full" that he could have corrected without apologizing. All he had to do was say, "It's not half full it's one third full". I know it would have been a little strange but wouldn't it have been smoother. Anyway, I agree he doesn't walk on water. I just think it would be nice if his speech was "perfect" in this instance. Maybe we will hear from him on this eventually. Does anyone on the board know him and could find out? :hi:

[Anser]

52. Smoothness

It's true he's quick on his feet, as you say, since he had his comedic beginnings in Improv.

However, I think the very fact that the seeming mistake was so NOT smooth was the way he was able to get everyone's guard down, and to really transition into the heart of the speech.

[rman]

42. Flub? How so?

What would he have said instead if he hadn't made this supposed "flub"?

[Skinner]

51. Well, for one thing

he wouldn't have stopped in mid-joke, said "It's important to set up your joke's properly sir," and then start the joke again from the beginning.

I'm not a comedian, but in the business I think that is considered to be a flub.

[Anser]

55. Nobody is perfect but...

It does not follow that that particular part of the act was a mistake.

I think the point of "what else would he have said" is that without the "flub" the joke is pretty flat. Using an old cliche and replacing 1/2 with 2/3. As others point out, the real joke was the backwash part, which was delivered superbly, and which was set up well by the "mistake."

It was during the "mistake" that Colbert had the president laughing, and then zing, backwash.

[radwriter0555]

37. He compared the bush supporters to SPIT! To BACKWASH! I just realized

that this afternoon as I was running errands....

He's a VERY clever man.

[ShortnFiery]

39. Yeah, that softer last line, "the last 33 percent is usually backwash!"

Then deafening silence ... You could have knocked them over with a feather.

Sorry, I'm NOT really into such seemingly idol worship - everyone has their faults and foibles, but Cobert is one entertainer that is on par with Robin Williams during his prime years. I'd bet even Robin is, at times, impressed by Cobert's ability to fully control the pace and delivery of his message.

His person, in character, is the closest thing to political satire - comedic genius that I've ever seen.

Further - As businessmen, the relationship between Steve Cobert and Jon Stewart is, by all accounts, magnanimous. Jon promoted his THEN subordinate. One can only conclude by his thoughtful actions, that Jon Stewart is one businessman of good moral character ... to fully recognize Cobert's talent potential and not sink into pettiness and jealousy like most bosses are prone to do. IMO, the best in personal character, business smarts, and the true meaning of friendships are demonstrated in full by the behavior of these two comedian pals. ;)

BTW, the run-on sentences above are free of charge. :P

[drbtg1]

60. I believe Stewart is Exec. Producer of Colbert's show

Thus, I'm sure Mr. Stewart is starting to build his little comedic empire, something that can easily be imported into CBS Late Night when Mr. Letterman retires (Comedy Central and CBS (which has done 60 Minutes pieces on both gentlemen now) are both owned by Viacom).

What Mr. Stewart is doing is nice, but hardly altruistic. It's more like a "win-win" situation.

[rman]

41. If it was a mistake, i don't understand how.

Glass 2/3 empty makes perfect sense in the context of W's popular support. I mean, there's little reason to be optimistic and say it's 1/3 full...

[rman]

61. Ok i didn't get it, i get it now...

In all honesty, i'm not so sure his messing up the delivery of the joke was intentional. Not that it matters much..

[lonestarnot]

43. Of course it was intentional, with emphasis on I wouldn't drink it, the

swill is usually just backwash! BBBBBBBBBBBBBBWWWWWWWWWA :rofl: AGAIN!

[helderheid]

45. I believe you are absolutely right - did you notice how completely

unflustered he was during it?

[helderheid]

46. Welcome to DU, by the way!

:hi:

[DS1]

50. I can go with that

:hi:

[librechik]

54. kudos for finding a way to spin that (obvious) flub in Colbert's favor

nice try

And welcome to DU!

:hi:

[wtmusic]

56. I'm not sure what the incentive is

to tie such a remarkable performance up in a neat little bow.

whatever.

[Herman47]

57. Another Possibility is that...

Stephen deliberately "flubbed" in order to linger on Bush's low popularity. Think about it. It was the "flub" that enabled Stephen to address Bush directly, making the idiot squirm just that much longer. Stephen proceeded to rub The Chimp's face in the disapproval of the American people, thereby wiping off the smirk.

[Anser]

59. directness

I agree, if it was intentional, a good reason for it would be to speak directly to Bush.

[nashville_brook]

58. i think BOTH are right -- it was a flub, but he USED it well

oh, to have that presence of mind.

[Dervill Crow]

62. To me, it looked entirely intentional.

My 16-year-old son was watching along with me, and he even commented, "That sounded like something stupid that Bush would say." That was after he picked himself up off the floor over the "backwash" comment. Boys are so gross.
:rofl:

[Goblinmonger]

63. It was intentional

He used it to jab Bush for the "fool me once thing." He would not have ad-libbed with a zing on Bush. His attacks on Bush were too well-scripted for him to want to risk it going off script and saying something he had not planned before.