Stephen Colbert Keeps the Gloves on, Aiding and Abetting "Both Sides" Meme

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Wednesday June 22, 2016 · 10:14 AM PDT

2016/06/22 · 10:14

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I love Stephen Colbert -- from his early Daily Show bits like the 2000 Republican Convention “nest of evil” report, to the brilliant and courageous 2006 White House Correspondents’ Dinner routine, to The Colbert Report’s nightly brilliance.

That’s why I strongly disagree with the current Diary, Colbert Takes the Gloves Off, applauding Stephen’s ripping the Senate on gun control.

Of all people, Colbert should know he’s reinforcing the terrible “both sides” meme that enables “the tribe that rubs shit it its hair” (h/t Driftglass) to avoid primary responsibility not only for killing gun control, but for every lunatic policy they advocate.

It’s better not to do it at all than to blur Republicans’ primary responsibility.

On his old show, Colbert would have used his Republican character to devastatingly ridicule Republican gun arguments. He could get away with it not just because it was cable, but because the character made the satire less threatening — even though it clearly blamed the Republicans.

I like some of the new show — his “Hungry for Power Games” and other bits have been quite good. But he hasn’t figured out how to be as effective without the Report’s character -- the monologue and the bits seem toothless in comparison to the Colbert Report — not very different from Fallon, etc.

Yelling at “the Senate” is that kind of toothless bit.

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