Thursday, September 25, 2008

Cosmic Election Links


EW.com has a funny and slightly poignant interview with John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Both men are funnier when they let their on screen persona slide and divulge how they feel about politics. Actors (and whatever Stewart is - hosts?) assume, and have imposed upon them, a public personality that partially shields them from critique. It would be interesting to ask Stewart and Colbert if they notice the similarity between those dramatic facades and the behavior of politicians. Is there an important difference? Stewart seems to have reluctantly accepted his role as de facto shaper of public opinion. Colbert is much more comfortable explaining it all away as he satirical work of a fictional character. A fictional character also named Stephen Colbert. Is this all part of our gradual acceptance of electronic consciousness transferance? Ah, well I'll save that bad craziness for another post, here are the quotes:

Here's John Stewart on the value of 24 hour news channels: "We've got three financial networks on all day. The bottom falls out of the credit market, and they were all running around. On CNBC I saw a guy talking to eight people in boxes, and they were all like, ''I don't know!'' It'd be like if Hurricane Ike hit, and you put on the Weather Channel, and they were yelling, ''I don't know what the f--- is going on! I'm getting wet and it's windy and I don't know why and it's making me sad!"

And here's Stephen Colbert channeling South Park: "I don't know if you've paid much attention to the past eight years, but it has been a s---burger supreme. If somebody gives me an empty burger, it's better than eating s---."


Then we have Sarah Palin responding to Katie Couric's renowned hardball journalistic techniques by babbling incoherent talking points. A 5 minute segment of The News Hour burnt to CD and left floundering in the back seat of my car for a few months would sound something like Sarah's response.


Finally, you've been RickRolled, but have you ever been....BarackRolled? How will that internet fad be explained to subsequent generations?

12 comments:

Herr Zrbo said...

Wow, was that Sarah Palin thing real?? It's like Sarah Qualin.

The barackrolled is pretty good, where the hell'd you find it?

Herr Zrbo said...

Wow, there's a whole slew of good one's on youtube, check this one out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TiQCJXpbKg&feature=related

yoggoth said...

Yeah, isn't that Palin clip funny? She didn't know how to respond so she just said anything that came to mind.

The Barackroll was linked in another forum. From whence it came no mortal knows. Masked heresiarches whisper of a Greater Internet, of which our own dear web constitutes but a mere page. The mind recoils from such cosmic scales, yet a crumpled hint of extra-dimensionality seems inescapable when viewing some of the more persistent of internet memes....

Your second comment links back to this very comments section. A shrewd commentary on the forbidden topics of which I dare not speak at greater length or an error in html copy-pasting?

Herr Zrbo said...

That's weird cause it's definitely a link to youtube, why does it link to blogger? Try copy/pasting it, that seems to work.

Seriously, it's like Barackrolled taken to a whole new level.

ninquelote said...

I think all we really learned from barackrolled was that Ellen is a much better dancer than Obama. Maybe if he spent a little less time being elitist and a little more time at the clubs shakin' his bacon with some fine honeys, this country would be in such financial turmoil.

ninquelote said...

That's "wouldn't" above.

Little Earl said...

You see, the genius of the composers of "Never Gonna Give You Up" (perhaps Rick himself had a hand?) is that they created lyrics so cliched and generic that you could take a stockpile of clips from any prominent media figure and create some credible Rickrolling. Has anyone tried "Nixonrolling"? How about "Thatcherrolling?"

Speaking of media figures, it looks like Katie Couric has finally found the one person to interview who makes her look like a serious journalist in comparison. Couric has a look on her face in those reaction shots that's like, "Honey, you are not helping the cause here."

Herr Zrbo said...

You're not kidding. I saw more of the interview being replayed on various media outlets last night and Palin was a-w-f-u-l. Her answers reminded me of that Miss Teen USA girl last year who just muttered nonsense for her answer. Clip here

Here's that Barackroll'd link again, seriously, you really need to watch this one.

Little Earl said...

Watched the clip.

See, THAT is why you never use a bluescreen in your nomination speech people.

Unknown said...

I understand Reagan tried 'Thatcherrolling', but the lady ain't for turning.

Unknown said...

The first debate was pretty good (i.e. even enough to count as a home draw for McCain, now he has to go away from home and try to win...) but I really can't wait for the Biden-Palin debates. She must have a lot of homework to do right now.

yoggoth said...

Damn Peter, you beat me to it. New post up if anyone wants to continue the discussion.