September 23, 2015

Trump or Colbert?

I'd be more enthusiastic if I could embed this, but it's a good segment in which Colbert shows Trump a series of quotes, each of which was either said by Trump or the ridiculous conservative character Colbert played on his old show. It ends... strangely.

ADDED: I found an embeddable version:



Via Slate, which knocks Colbert for not being feisty enough:
What might a feistier Colbert have done? He might have included in this seemingly innocent game some of Trump’s most unequivocally racist remarks and made Trump own them in front of an unsympathetic audience. That might have ensured that Trump’s first visit on his show would be his last, but it would’ve been worth it.
Well, that's obtuse. 1. It's a comedy show, 2. The late-night tradition is to be a good host for your guests, and 3.  If you attack Trump, he attacks you. That's his specialty. He gains power.

34 comments:

machine said...

"ridiculous conservative character"...hmmm.

Kory said...

It was obviously a setup attempt by Colbert that failed. He believed that Trump wouldn't remember what statements he made, so he could embarrass him by painting a picture that Trump's statements were indistinguishable from either Colbert's bluster or even Charles Manson.

Trump actually handled himself as well as possible by clearly knowing what he did and didn't say and making the attempted setup largely fail. Nevertheless, he should have just declined to participate to begin with.

Bob Ellison said...

Trump consistently comes across as affable and even a tad modest in his talk-show appearances. Quite a different persona from his usual one.

RMc said...

"This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. If you are using ad blocking software please disable it and reload the page."

Bite me.

tim in vermont said...

I think the Unabomber/ Al Gore thing was more on point. After all, the Unabomber was not going for parody.

Gusty Winds said...

When is Colbert not in character?

Even on his new show he seems more of a character or and act than Jimmy Kimmel or Jimmy Fallon. With Carson and Letterman, even though they were guarded in their personal lives, they seemed genuine on the air, as if that's the way they'd talk to you in a bar.

Colbert just seems phony.

Writ Small said...

Trump is now saying he wasn't treated fairly by CNN even though in the immediate debate aftermath he was quite positive. I wonder how long it will take Trump to realize what an object of ridicule Colbert and his audience see him as.

tim in vermont said...

Colbert just seems phony

"Sincerity, once you can fake that..." - George Burns.

traditionalguy said...

Trump the silly clown act is all the TV talking heads talk about anymore, but this clip shows that Donald is a quick wit with high intelligence communicating using his excellent memory.

Which Donald will be accepted and which Donald will be pushed in a strange mythology land? Stay tuned.

rehajm said...

So the cries for civility from Democrats are off? When do they switch back? Is there a printed schedule somewhere?

Patrick Henry was right! said...

First of all, he hasn't said anything racist. Cite, please.

Etienne said...

Slate is a Jewish rag, so Trump is not Jewish enough, and they label those people racists.

walter said...

"unequivocally racist remarks"

I guess..if referncing a nationality is "racist"...

Bob Ellison said...

I just watched it again. Dang, I could vote for a guy like that. If only he didn't have such a sordid history!

I'd certainly like to have a beer with him.

Achilles said...

I want Trump to burn the whole thing down. At least he can get the ball rolling. His supporters are able to come together and get organized. The political class is going down one way or another.

Brando said...

At this point I have to say I'd prefer President Sanders over President Clinton. At least with Sanders you know what you're getting, and he may be less beholden to crony capitalists.

I've come to terms with the fact that the GOP won't be back in the White House until 2021 at the earliest.

traditionalguy said...

Many important and mature men Italk with assure me that Trump will never win as if that is a relief. They seem to be threatened by his style lthe same wayother Generals felt threatened by George Patton's style.

All I can say back is that we need his rare skills even if we don't like him for having them.
They nod their heads and agree. So Trump mayyet win another one.

Brando said...

"Many important and mature men Italk with assure me that Trump will never win as if that is a relief. They seem to be threatened by his style lthe same wayother Generals felt threatened by George Patton's style."

I feel less like an infantryman serving under Patton and more like a Persian serving under Darius III just as he's about to face Alexander.

Bilwick said...

Wonder if, when Hillary appears on his show, Jon Stewart's replacement as The State's Favorite Court Jester will ask her about "We're going to take things away from you for your own good" and "We've got to stop obsessing about the rights of individuals."

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
n.n said...

The boys and girls are chasing Trump around the playground. You're it.

One of the little girls, or it may be a boy, has a crush on him. How sweet.

Trump has been Slated for Class President!

Michael said...

I am curious about the "unequivocally racist remarks" that Trump has uttered. Was it the comment about criminals and rapists? What was the racist part? Or do lefty writers put the "unequivocally" in to explain shut up?

Tank said...


Coupe said...

Slate is a Jewish rag, so Trump is not Jewish enough, and they label those people racists.


It's the Joos again. The Joos strike again.

Attacking the Joos on their holiest of days? That's the way the Coupester rolls.

rehajm said...

William Chadwick said...
Wonder if, when Hillary appears on his show, Jon Stewart's replacement as The State's Favorite Court Jester will ask her about "We're going to take things away from you for your own good" and "We've got to stop obsessing about the rights of individuals."


...In a little segment we call, 'Hillary or Mussolini?!!'

Etienne said...

Tank said...Attacking the Joos on their holiest of days?

I wasn't attacking them, I was calling a spade a spade.

"It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things. The man who could call a spade a spade should be compelled to use one. It is the only thing he is fit for." Dorian Gray

Poor Dorian, I have no lovely name for Slate today...

damikesc said...

He might have included in this seemingly innocent game some of Trump’s most unequivocally racist remarks and made Trump own them in front of an unsympathetic audience.

They could also say "Half of the country --- you can safely ignore this show as you did Letterman".

The "entertainment industry" isn't in the business of killing its money. Which is why you also don't see many black leads in movies.

Bilwick said...

"William Chadwick said...
Wonder if, when Hillary appears on his show, Jon Stewart's replacement as The State's Favorite Court Jester will ask her about 'We're going to take things away from you for your own good' and 'We've got to stop obsessing about the rights of individuals.'"

"...In a little segment we call, 'Hillary or Mussolini?!!'"

Yes, rehajm--it's a similar game to one of my favorites, "Obama or Mussolini?" Quick--who said it?

"Nothing outside the State, everything for the State, nothing against the State."

OK, "Il Duce" said it, but "Il Dufe" thinks it. Especially when he's the State.

Drago said...

Writ Small: "I wonder how long it will take Trump to realize what an object of ridicule Colbert and his audience see him as."

I wonder how long it will take Writ Small to realize that Trump knows precisely what he's walking into and simply decides he will walk into and engage them anyway.

Bayoneteer said...

Some gratuitous advice to Trump: Stop taking every invite from these partisan troublemaker late night funnymen! I know your record for handling them is good and the odds of coming through and appearence unscathed are in your favor but... so are the odds in Russian roulette too. And just like with the revolver game you only have to fuck up once and you're dead.

n.n said...

The alleged "racist remarks" were not about blacks, not about Hispanics, not about whites, and not about Asians. Perhaps Slate discovered a prejudice hiding in a penumbra. It's amazing what can be found lurking in the shaded fringes.

averagejoe said...

Trump came across well, humorous, charming, affable, some might call him likable enough; Sounded to me like he won over some of Colbert's crowd.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

I haven't watched the clip; did Trump mention Colbert putting up a picture of the KKK and of Trump at the same time on Colbert's 1st show? I guess that's not remarkable now, really, it's just expected.

The Godfather said...

I still don't like Trump, but I dislike him less.

I think it's because I detest Coal-Bear.

Imagine doing the same thing with Obama.

Really. Imagine it.

Barry Dauphin said...

Colbert talks too much.