Interestingly, while Stephen Colbert didn't really mention it yet this week, on Monday's show, Jon Stewart took a look at Fox News's very negative reaction to Stephen's testimony before Congress last Friday.
Video and transcript below the fold.
As you probably know by now, last Friday, "comedian" Stephen Colbert ruined Congress. Not content with sabotaging my Rally to Restore Sanity (October 30th, Washington, D.C., ... bring your kids), not satisfied with sabotaging this for his much less popular let's all be scaredy-pants Keep Fear Alive jamboree, Stephen Colbert has mocked our legislators to their faces when he went to Washington, walked into a Congressional hearing room, and testified on the point of undocumented farm workers, stealing a job that is traditionally done by baseball players on steroids and not really at all apologetic CEOs.
STEPHEN COLBERT (9/24/2010): Congresswoman Lofgren asked me to share my vast experience spending one day as a migrant farm worker. ... I was a cornpacker. I know that term is offensive to some people, because cornpacker is a derogatory term for a gay Iowan.
Oh! Ha. Ha. Ha. The term is also offensive to fans of the great Arena Football franchise, the Green Corn Packers.
Wow, I've been working out, apparently. Thank you, by the way, whoever Photoshopped that picture.
And I wasn't the only completely humorless C-Spaniard who was offended.
REP. JASON CHAFFETZ, R-UT (9/23/2010): It's a serious issue. It's broken. And they call in Colbert as the first guy?
REP. STEVE KING, R-IA (9/24/2010): I think it's an insult to the time, and an insult to the intelligence of the American people that Congress is conducting themselves in this fashion.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, R-OH (9/26/2010): They've got time to bring a comedian to Washington, D.C., but they don't have time to eliminate the uncertainty by extending all of the current tax rates.
REP. STENY HOYER, D-MD (9/26/2010): I think it was an embarrassment for Mr. Colbert, more than the House.
Of course Colbert is more embarrassed than the House of Representatives. Colbert still has dignity and integrity left to lose! You can't embarrass Congress! How could you? You can't embarrass the House of Representatives. They're the Andy Dick of our government. It's like when you make out with Andy Dick, he's not the one worried about cold sores.
Colbert's loudest critic might have been Iowa Republican Steve King, hero, who immediately rushed from the time-wasting hearing to do the people's work, complaining on Fox News about all the time wasted.
REP. STEVE KING, R-IA (9/24/2010): You know how lawmakers are. There were more cameras in the room than I've seen in a long time, and so they're very aware of that, and they're always glad to get a little camera time.
Yes, it is annoying how enamored certain congressmen are with seeing themselves on camera in the middle of a workday.
Although to be fair to Steve King, he does burn the midnight oil, not just with his legislative duties, but with his side business, building border defense walls to protect this country against tiny Mexicans.
REP. STEVE KING, R-IA (7/12/2006): We could also electrify this wire, with the kind of current that wouldn't kill somebody, but it would simply be a discouragement for them to be fooling around with it. We do that with livestock all the time.
Yes, yes. It does work with livestock all the time. But of course, in this case, we are talking about human beings.
But there was one person even more worked up than Steve King, his interviewer.
MEGYN KELLY (9/24/2010): Congressman, do you think that Zoe Lofgren owes this country an apology for wasting our taxpayer dollars and your time? There's a lot of problems going on in Capitol Hill right now, there are a lot of problems in this country.
True. The country doesn't have 10 minutes that it took for Colbert to testify in front of Congress, thereby giving massive media attention to the issue of the working conditions for undocumented farm laborers, because there is so much that is more important to focus on. By the way, Megyn, what's your next story? Go.
KELLY: Congressman Steve King, we always love hearing from you. Thank you for being here.
KING: Thank you, Megyn, I appreciate it.
KELLY: And you gotta tip your hat to John Conyers, calling out his fellow Democrat. And another Fox News alert for you, a new sequel for troubled actress Lindsey Lohan. A California judge, sending her back to jail. With no bail.
In a pail. She's got mail. Oprah's best friend is Gayle. I love rhymes.
I'm sorry, we were talking about problems in this country. Anyway, the fact is, the so-called comedian wasn't even funny. And it's not just me saying that.
GRETCHEN CARLSON (9/27/2010): Do you think this was funny? "I don't want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American, then sliced by a Guatemalan, and served by a Venezuelan, in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian."
No. That's not funny. In fact, nobody in Congress laughed at that. The whole time Colbert spoke, they only laughed at one thing, really.
STEPHEN COLBERT (9/24/2010): I trust that following my testimony, both sides will work together on this issue in the best interest of the American people, as you always do. (laughter)
That's what they laughed at in the room! See, it's funny, cuz it's sad. So they complain when Colbert was being funny, what about when he was being more serious? At the end of his statement, he made a perfect plea for the plight of these workers and quoted Scripture, which from what I understand is the good book. Something Wal-Mart would sell.
TUCKER CARLSON (9/24/2010): Any comic who says, "I'm here to speak for people who have no voice," is no longer a comic, but a pompous jerk.
Yes, pompous jerk, as opposed to an arrogant douche, who apparently gets to decide who is and who is not a comic. You know, it's actually... it's OK, Tucker and I can talk like this, because we already have a visceral negative reaction to each other. Not an ounce of friendship or respect between us! Truly, one of the only people in the world I feel that way about. But sure, this is really about Congress. Thank God, with Colbert gone, they can get back to the business at hand.
CHRIS MATTHEWS (9/23/2010): The U.S. Senate failed to move forward on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
HOUSE CLERK (9/14/2010): ... resolution commending the University of Southern California Trojan men's tennis team ... [C'mon Diane Watson (D-CA)!! You're a Bruin!! Why are YOU the one introducing this resolution?? Let one of the Trojan grads do it!!]
DANA PERINO (7/30/2010): ... a failed measure that would have given health care to 9/11 first responders sickened by dust at Ground Zero ...
HOUSE CLERK (9/22/2010): H.R. 1454, an act to provide for the issuance of a Multinational Species Conservation Fund symposium stamp...
GERRI WILLIS (7/30/2010): The small business bill, yesterday, it failed to pass a procedural vote.
SENATE CLERK (9/16/2010): ... resolution 628, recognizing the 10th anniversary of the National Book Festival.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN (7/14/2010): Congress did not pass the defense supplemental before the July 4th break.
HOUSE CLERK (9/22/2010): ... concurrent resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway ...
KATE BOLDUAN (7/8/2010): 2.1 million unemployed Americans will have lost their jobless benefits. That's because lawmakers failed to pass an extension before taking their summer break.
Colbert, you should be ashamed of yourself.