Sean Hannity gets slapped around by Charles Grodin.

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Tuesday December 18, 2007 · 8:46 AM PST

2007/12/18 · 08:46

Actor, author, former talk show host and all-around strange fellow Charles Grodin gave Sean Hannity a shellacking on his show the other night.

I've always liked Grodin as an actor, and he's an... interesting, personality in his way. Quite the eccentric.

But in this clip from the Hannity-and-Liberal Punching Bag Show, Grodin demonstrates that it doesn't take much to intimidate big talker Hannity, and throw him totally off his game. He calls Hannity a "fascist" and doesn't let him run the conversation for more than two seconds at time. Far too many other guests -- including our ostensible progressive leaders -- act helpless in the face of blowhards like Hannity, and Grodin shows that it ain't hard to back a media punk like Seanny-boy down.

Watch below:

As you can see, Grodin treats Hannity with bemused contempt, and never lets him set the terms of the debate. He obviously knows that Hannity is a tool, and gives him not a bit of respect. He jokes around at will, dismisses Hannity and interrupts him whenever he wants, and generally treats the whole thing like the sick little freak show it is.

And as per usual, Liberal Punching Bag Colmes mostly performs his potted plant role.

This is the way to do it, you hapless media victims. Not everyone can be Charles Grodin.. nor should be, since he's certainly an odd bird. I don't agree with all of his points, such as they were. I even think Hannity landed a weak glove on Grodin in this segment when he mentioned Grodin's OJ obsession back in the 90s.

But Grodin knows better than to treat this forum -- or his hactackular hosts -- with any solemnity or even respect. It's junk TV, peddling sensationalist propaganda, and he treats it accordingly. In doing so, he throws a lunkhead like Hannity off his usual game... which scares the living crap out of Hannity, and makes him sputter and whine.

Lessons for media victims:

Don't take the show or the "hosts" seriously. Really, who the hell cares if you insult them? Play directly for your audience, and give them a good show as you mess with your pompous hosts' heads.

Be funny. Mock them.

Don't let your "host" run the conversation. Say whatever you want, and interrupt at will, especially if your host uses that technique himself.

Be funny. Mock them.

Do the show live in studio if possible. It makes it harder for them to screw with your mike and your sound. Plus, a coward like Hannity can be intimidated more in person.

Be funny. Mock them.

Don't accept idiotic rightwing rhetoric. When Hannity said "far-left extremist," Grodin did not only NOT let it go, he escalated it. He made Hannity regret his boilerplate snotty rightwing talk by not letting it go. When someone throws out a rightwing frame, it should be a full stop in the proceedings. They don't get to go on with the question, period.

Be funny. Mock them.

Grodin is weird, and didn't pwn Hannity at every second. But he came close by having a situational awareness, and treating the whole sordid affair with the respect it deserved. That is to say, none.

Add your thoughts and advice for media victims below.

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