Don't listen to the Filter
September 3, 2004 9:06 AM   Subscribe

George W. Bush: Words Speak Louder Than Actions. "So don't listen to the Filter, or the facts. Listen to the words." [6.2MB Quicktime, via Boing Boing.]
posted by homunculus (54 comments total)
 
Also on the Daily Show website.
posted by homunculus at 9:07 AM on September 3, 2004


That .mov link is a pretty cool use of Coral. I knew someone would move something like bittorrent to the server side eventually.
posted by reklaw at 9:17 AM on September 3, 2004


Oh yeah, and well done to the Daily Show for facilely illustrating the obvious. "OMG he moved from bin Laden to Iraq and we found no WMD". Geniuses.
posted by reklaw at 9:21 AM on September 3, 2004


MetaFilter: 50 tons of mustard gas and a turkey farm.
posted by sciurus at 9:23 AM on September 3, 2004


Well when the obvious is as damning as it is, and when 50+% of the American public still doesn't get the obvious, what more does one need to do?
posted by xmutex at 9:23 AM on September 3, 2004


Well, I don't see how choir-preaching dressed up as satire is going to help anything.
posted by reklaw at 9:31 AM on September 3, 2004


reklaw, How's it going to hurt?
posted by fenriq at 9:37 AM on September 3, 2004


Well, reklaw, since it's on, like, TV and stuff, maybe people will, y'know, see it, and maybe, uh, think about it. And then maybe they'll vote. And then maybe we can get started undoing the damage Bush has done to this country.

That'd be one way it could help.
posted by ook at 9:46 AM on September 3, 2004


reklaw:
You also don't get that this is the internet - there ain't no single choir to preach to. Mefi & bOiNG bOiNG will help disseminate this far & beyond, not just to the likely dem voter.
posted by dash_slot- at 9:49 AM on September 3, 2004


Perhaps I expressed my point poorly. What I mean is: what is a comedy show doing producing pure political advertising? Because that's what that is.
posted by reklaw at 10:09 AM on September 3, 2004


Seems unlikely dash.

1) Die hard elephants aren't going to bother clicking the link.

2) Die hard elephants aren't interested in the facts if they conflict with what they want to believe.

Might sway some independents...
posted by Windopaene at 10:10 AM on September 3, 2004


2) Die hard elephants aren't interested in the facts if they conflict with what they want to believe.

I think this applies to most members of any group that has expended a large amount of effort in achieving a goal. It's incredibly hard to admit to yourself, let alone to others, that it was the wrong goal.

Cognitive dissonance is a strange and beautiful thing.
posted by mosch at 10:15 AM on September 3, 2004


Don't listen to the filter? What kind of donkeycrap is that? I love the blue!
posted by kahboom at 10:17 AM on September 3, 2004


what is a comedy show doing producing pure political advertising? Because that's what that is.

It's also funny, therefore meeting the "comedy" criteria.
posted by wsg at 10:18 AM on September 3, 2004


Well, I don't see how choir-preaching dressed up as satire is going to help anything.

Actually, it's a sort of self-promoting move for the Daily Show. Their popularity rests in the fact that they are seen as the only place on television where anyone takes the words of politicians with any sense of skepticism.

It is a political comedy show, after all.
posted by deanc at 10:27 AM on September 3, 2004


WHY DO YOU HATE COMEDY REKLAW?!!

but seriously, how is political comedy new to you? it's been third in line behind fart jokes and sex jokes ever since cavemen discovered the punchline.
posted by badstone at 10:56 AM on September 3, 2004


This must be the work of one of those shadowy 527s that I keep hearing about. Can't something be done????
posted by rks404 at 11:08 AM on September 3, 2004


But that's not political comedy. It's just political full-stop.

Seriously, would someone like to point out the funny bits? I'm obviously missing them.
posted by reklaw at 11:08 AM on September 3, 2004


The bit where all those people died for no reason.
posted by milov at 11:15 AM on September 3, 2004


reklaw, I laughed while watching it on the show. PErhaps you could consider the possibility that you don't find the same things funny as other people? I know this must be true because there are people who laugh at and pay money (probably a better criteria) to see, for example, Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Maher.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:23 AM on September 3, 2004


er... I guess political comedy does tend to be the driest comedy, and some people just don't dig dry comedy, but I think it's the bestest kind. unfortunately, it's also the hardest to explain to someone, so I can't help you here...
posted by badstone at 11:26 AM on September 3, 2004


as a side note, besides bush and blair being buddies, dry comedy is the one thing that Texas has in common with the UK, so that means there must be something special to it!

[on preview, that totally awesome alliteration was not on purpose.]
posted by badstone at 11:29 AM on September 3, 2004


I like 'dry' comedy -- but 'dry' doesn't mean 'not funny'. That was a straightforward timeline, apart from some of the done-to-death Bush-messing-up-words stuff. Most of the audience laughs seemed to be at Bush quotes that sounded a little absurd taken out of context.

For me, it crossed the line between 'political comedy' and 'politics with a few token jokes'. The Daily Show is becoming that which it used to mock.
posted by reklaw at 11:36 AM on September 3, 2004


Describing why something is funny is like an anatomical descrption of a smile. "Well, the jaw muscles pull the lips apart and upward, resulting in a compression of the fatty tissues of the cheek, thereby exposing the teeth and sometimes the gums ..."

How about this? It's funny because it's true and it shows the irony of an allegedly straight-talking President being shown to be spectacularly, gloriously inconsistent and out of touch with reality.

Everyone I've talked to has thought this was hysterical. Perhaps you don't find it funny because of your political opinions or it doesn't suit your temparement? It's all hard to say without delving into the personal.
posted by rks404 at 11:37 AM on September 3, 2004


"I don't think Osama Bin Ladin would understand the joy of Hanukkah" was clearly funny.
posted by abcde at 12:01 PM on September 3, 2004


reklaw, did you miss that part in High School English where you learned about "satire" and its function? Go read some Swift, or some Mark Twain, and report back on your findings. And please don't tell me that you thought it really did make economic sense to eat those babies.
posted by jokeefe at 1:06 PM on September 3, 2004


Even I, a humorless twit, found this funny.
posted by found missing at 1:06 PM on September 3, 2004


Is anyone with me on this? Anyone?

I guess it must just be because I'm not American. I am quite aware of the concept of satire, thank you -- and this is not fucking satire. It's a set of political attacks masquerading as satire. I hate Bush as much as the next guy, but this isn't satire, it isn't funny, it isn't even very effective. Sorry, but I find the idea that this Daily Show turd could be compared to Jonathan Swift on any level deeply -- deeply -- offensive.

This seems to be some kind of trend in American comedy in general. "That guy agrees with me, therefore: funny". Sorry, no.
posted by reklaw at 1:19 PM on September 3, 2004


Anyone want to mirror that on a standard port? The firewall here is blocking it.
posted by AstroGuy at 2:01 PM on September 3, 2004


I guess it must just be because I'm not American.

Ah... that explains it. Most of us Americans have been living through an "up-is-down" world from the White House and from the media for years. It was cathartic and funny to see someone make fun of this in a retrospective-style video.

When you aren't American, I guess you look at the video and think, "ok, Bush said something. Now something different happened. Alright, I get it. This isn't funny." When you're American, you look at the video and remember, after each statement, how the press trumpeted Bush's announcements as though it was the God's honest truth, only to have reality intrude and the pronouncements that Bush made end up lost into their ether. And you have to laugh. Because that's all you can do.
posted by deanc at 2:12 PM on September 3, 2004


Is anyone with me on this? Anyone?

No. Just like no one was with you last time you had this argument.

The Daily Show comes on four times a week. Most British comedy touted as being great produces six episodes a year if they're really keen about it. Maybe you're just comparing apples and oranges? Come over here and start watching Jay Leno or Carson Daly. Then you'll understand.
posted by Gary at 2:31 PM on September 3, 2004


Yeah, deanc's explanation makes sense to me, sad as it is.

This isn't really the same argument as last time, though. Before, from my English point-of-view, at least I could see how things on the Daily Show were trying to be funny, and occasionally succeeding. The linked video, to me, seems to have given up all pretense of comedy, and just gone straight to a kind of sarcastic political advertising.

I'll just chalk the humour up to desperation in the face of lazy and right-wing-biased US media, I guess -- the same way Chappelle's Show is only funny to you guys, I've come to think, because of most of America's still screwed-up attitudes towards race. It just doesn't travel.
posted by reklaw at 2:44 PM on September 3, 2004


reklaw, you can't look at America's still-screwed-up attitudes toward race and laugh?
posted by emelenjr at 2:51 PM on September 3, 2004


Yeah. British humor is really more about the screwed-up attitudes towards hotel managers.
posted by sonofsamiam at 2:55 PM on September 3, 2004


That's alright. The only recent Canadian comedy I watch is about a gas station in Saskatchewan.
posted by Gary at 3:13 PM on September 3, 2004


reklaw: Because the only thing to do when you are an egomaniacal tool is to go on and on about it.
posted by n9 at 3:35 PM on September 3, 2004


On a side note, I watched this video the other night and kept thinking about one of my friends. She has a three-year-old son who has trouble processing language; his mouth garbles what his brain tells him. (He's in speech therapy for it and making excellent progress, by the way.) Whenever he'd try and say something and it would start to come out jumbled, my friend would tell him, "Honey, use your words," with an emphasis on words much like Steven Colbert's in the video.

And now, whenever I see the President give a speech and mangle his delivery, I'm going to hear this voice that's a hyrid of my friend's and Colbert's saying, "Mr. President, use your words."

And what deanc said. Comedy doesn't work without context. If your news media doesn't suck ass, and if you haven't gotten your information from those collections of BIG VOICES and BIG HAIR and OVERWRAUGHT NARRATION that we call our news personalities (and there's a phrase from the bowels of hell if ever there was one), then TDS just ain't gonna be funny. Just like my non-Catholic friends didn't think that Father Ted was funny (which I sure as feckin' hell do). I dunno; maybe we should give the BBC and ITN, say, Wolf Blitzer, Paula Zahn, and the jackhole local anchors we have in LA?
posted by RakDaddy at 3:39 PM on September 3, 2004


Gary, that looks like some good stuff. Who carries it in the States? Or do you have to be within CBC range to pick it up?
posted by RakDaddy at 3:44 PM on September 3, 2004


Q: Seriously, would someone like to point out the funny bits?

A: That was a straightforward timeline...
posted by iamck at 3:55 PM on September 3, 2004


"I hate Bush as much as the next guy, but this isn't satire, it isn't funny, it isn't even very effective."

You don't get it. Full stop.
posted by y6y6y6 at 4:12 PM on September 3, 2004


Gary, that looks like some good stuff. Who carries it in the States? Or do you have to be within CBC range to pick it up?

I live in Canada, so I'm not sure. The DVD set for Season 1 comes out on October 19th, but only in Canada. I suppose we're too self-depreciating to think anyone else would enjoy our humour.
posted by Gary at 4:21 PM on September 3, 2004


Reklaw, if you don't like our humor, why come on the site and comment about it? Or is this some silly British thing?

All countries have good humor. Some humor doesn't appeal to others. You seem unable to find The Daily Show funny. Well, I never found Absolutely Fabulous funny. Would you equate me with some ignorant idiot then?

Just because you don't get it, doesn't make it bad. Try to show some empathy sometime okay?

(sorry, im just sick of reading comments on metafilter from people who do not like a topic. For God's sake, if you don't like it, or don't think it's funny, or don't think it should be an FPP, then DON'T COMMENT ON IT. Gosh, some people really like to rain on other's parades. )
posted by Dantien at 4:39 PM on September 3, 2004


Well, I think my little 'issue' has been solved now, and I love that "BIG VOICES and BIG HAIR and OVERWRAUGHT NARRATION" comment.

The only reason I'm still here, actually, is because Dantien seems to be implying that I find Absolutely Fabulous funny. This will absolutely not stand.
posted by reklaw at 4:52 PM on September 3, 2004


Reklaw has a point, you mohawk wearing, college free basing freedom haters. Obviously, we need a president that can protect us. One that knows what America is all about, and one that will stop the terror happening on our soil.

It is obvious that John Kerry can't do this. It is obvious that George W. Bush can. He's from Texas.

All joking aside, why exactly would we be any less safe with John Kerry as our next president?
posted by Keyser Soze at 5:16 PM on September 3, 2004


The linked video, to me, seems to have given up all pretense of comedy, and just gone straight to a kind of sarcastic political advertising.

Did you ever watch Spitting Image when the tories were in power?
posted by inpHilltr8r at 5:49 PM on September 3, 2004


there's a new Get Your War On--maybe you'll find that funny?
posted by amberglow at 6:05 PM on September 3, 2004


Us British are very snobbish when it comes to comedy. Peter Ustinov once observed that all nationalities have a sense of humour, it's only the British who accuse others of not having one.

The video uses a lot of well worn clips, but I thought the bombast made for a good parody of political advertising. You'll either find highlighting Bush's shamelessness funny or not depending on your political affiliation I guess.

The golden rule is that jokes are funny, but the truth is funnier so you just can't beat the Iraqi Olympics ad - that crass female touchy-feely voiceover just cracks me up.
posted by dodgygeezer at 3:17 AM on September 4, 2004


The site says that Corner Gas is also on the Comedy Network on Saturdays, but I have no idea if that's in the US or not.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:10 AM on September 4, 2004


That was hillarious, "because I say so"!


God, I wish the Daily Show aired in my country!
posted by sic at 9:57 AM on September 4, 2004


That's alright. The only recent Canadian comedy I watch is about a gas station in Saskatchewan

The only recent Canadian comedy I watch is about a trailer park in Nova Scotia.

And yes, it airs in the U.S. — for those who get BBC America (go figure).
posted by filmgoerjuan at 11:24 AM on September 4, 2004


"A joke is when funny words come out of your mouth and I laugh." said by Gina, the female lead in a fairly funny BBC show (from a couple of years ago, I think) now showing on BBC America
posted by billsaysthis at 4:11 PM on September 4, 2004


Sorry, the character's name is Jeannie, not Gina. That's a funny mistake, yeah?
posted by billsaysthis at 4:13 PM on September 4, 2004


sic, they show a condensed version of it weekly on CNN International.
posted by amberglow at 5:30 PM on September 4, 2004


Here's another link.
posted by homunculus at 5:06 PM on September 8, 2004


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