September 3, 2015

Jeb pre-blows his appearance on the first Stephen Colbert "Late Show" show.

Without getting the okay from Colbert, Jeb's campaign is trying to raise money by raffling off a "VIP" ticket to the show, which triggers this kind of funny but obviously also angry response from Colbert:



Jeb! quickly gets a social media response to Colbert...


... but the whole thing feels sad. Both men look worse — Jeb! with his low-energy scripted humor and Colbert with his hard-edged, cranked-up, beaming face.

ADDED: I think this hurts Colbert more than Bush, because it's Colbert who's trying to establish credibility as a late-night host to mainstream America. This video has too much of the feeling of the old Comedy Central show. Don't pre-blow it!

54 comments:

iowan2 said...

Same old leftist double standard. Any Dem could have done this, and nothing.......crickets. Behavior is always judged by leftist starting by identifying political affiliation first.

I'll go with the Gore response Alex. 'there is no controlling legal authority.'
Option B is the Bill Clinton's wifes response. 'nothing I have done is illegal.'

Bob Ellison said...

Colbert anger over this seems too sincere. Sort of a "Don't you know who I am?!" moment. And Jeb doesn't seem to know that Colbert's audience will never vote for him anyway.

Oil and water won't mix, and I won't watch.

Curious George said...

Jeb. Not Funny. Colbert. Even less.

Bob Ellison said...

Maybe Jeb's does know, and he figures nobody at all will applaud him, so he must seed the front (VIP) row with one Jeb fan who gave $3.

A good Moby strategy would be to flood Jeb's raffle with $3 contributions from leftists.

damikesc said...

It's the combo of a bad politician and a hack "comedian".

Nichevo said...

Haven't watched, quiet car, but...


Have we forgotten that GWB went on Letterman? Punked the host a little? For whatever saturation bombing of "humor" Colbert can bring to bear, a)Jeb looks bold, b) N million LIVs will now know his name and face. Which they now largely don't. What he does with that first impression is on him, but maybe if he's not afraid of Colbert he won't be afraid of Putin. Or something.

You want people to counterpunch the media, people, this is counterpunching the media. Every blow is not a haymaker for the knockout, nor can or should it be.

I hope I am going to enjoy these clips. Ann, was the above the bottom line of your opinion, or shall you add some more color so we can criticize your ill judgment more fully?

Nichevo said...

Also, on the psychological tip, relationships are often better founded on a negative first encounter, I suppose some reaction formation thing. Maybe Jeb seeks to take the starch out of Colbert prior to f2f. In that sense Ann may be right about pre-blowing as in pre-blowing off some steam.

Frankly the encounter would weigh with me more in terms of judging Colbert, as I have never seen anything of him but disgusting prancing in short clips. Being new, maybe he also has something to prove. Depends what that is...

Bob Boyd said...

I don't know, but I'm guessing the show gave Bush's people a number of VIP tickets and they assumed they could, in turn, give them to whoever they wanted.
Bill Clinton would have used the tickets to bring a couple of hot, young women.
After this, Jeb will probably invite an undocumented immigrant who's in the third trimester.

Wait...Hillary and Jeb both have exclamation points behid their names? OK, Whatever.

rehajm said...

Wait...Hillary and Jeb both have exclamation points behid their names? OK, Whatever.

Hillary used to have a slammer after her name, but Jeb ripped it so she couldn't use it.

Hillary in response stole the 'H' from the hospital road sign.

Curious George said...

They had time to write and edit, and they still thought "Geborge Klush" was funny.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

So Jets owner Woody Johnson is all in with Jeb!? Figures. Two silver spoon spawn of wealth and privilege with about a teaspoon of charisma between the both of them, and even less connection with the common man. Two losers.

Bob Boyd said...

The lucky winner will find out at dinner that Woody's mad too because Jeb's been raffling off Jets tickets without asking.

tim in vermont said...

Color me shocked that Colbert is using his show to take partisan shots.

Tank said...

Which one of these guys is supposed to be funny?

Barry Dauphin said...

Colbert might well become the new Chevy Chase of late night.

pm317 said...

Low energy Jeb! look at him in that video, at an airport, haggard, no tie, jacket skewed (I don't like pics of men where their jackets don't hang well), bag on shoulder. hehe

Christopher said...

So classless and petty of Colbert. And Jeb's response has the production values of a hostage video.

Great experience all around.

Cynicus said...

Is Jeb only giving $1 to the charity?

Bob Boyd said...

"Is Jeb only giving $1 to the charity?"

And it's probably a dollar that was donated to his campaign in the first place.

CStanley said...

How characteristically nasty and petty of Colbert. Unfortunately, contra- Althouse, I think his fans will eat it up.

Jeb really needs to learn though that this kind of thing is a game that conservatives cannot win. Like thermonuclear war, the only way to win is not to play. OTOH, I really don't care to give him advice.

Cynicus said...

If Colbert wants revenge, he should let Trump in to heckle Bush.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Jeb pre-blows."

Fluffer.

I am Laslo.

Laslo Spatula said...

When the show airs:

Jeb will make some awkwardly-delivered pre-written spontaneous barbs aimed at Trump. Then talk about some variation of getting serious.

Trump will use this as fodder for days, slamming back each volley.

Jeb's advisors will fail to see this coming.


I am Laslo.


Laslo Spatula said...

""Jeb pre-blows."

Fluffer."

And Jeb pre-blows with a sad lack of energy.

I mean, it's Tijuana under the moonlight, Jeb: stop being so lackluster. Suck that donkey cock with some enthusiasm!

The Donkey is a Star, the Donkey needs to Be Ready for The Show, the Audience is Waiting, and you're morosely sucking his donkey cock as if you just realized that all your life amounts to is sucking donkey cock, donkey cock all night long, and you felt entitled to so much more.

Suck the donkey cock with purpose, Jeb: tickle its balls, whisper to it in Spanish.

I think my point is: Jeb sucks Donkey Cock.

In case I was too obtuse.

I am Laslo.



Suck the Donkey cock, Jeb, like

Laslo Spatula said...

The Walrus was Paul.

The Donkey is Trump.

For further clarification.

I am Laslo.

Jake said...

Does Colbert ever get tired of being so smarmy?

traditionalguy said...

A low job lacking energy is better than no blow job at all. Politicians have to find time for sex. They cannot screw everybody.

Bob Boyd said...

"The Donkey is Trump."

But when the curtain comes back it'll be Hillary and Trump in the spotlight.

El niƱo de burros va a su casa sola, as the saying goes.

Diamondhead said...

America gets the Late/Tonight Show hosts it deserves.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

They've probably got a word for it in show business; the phenomenon by which somebody is really, really into some show or entertainer, and then -- POOF!!! -- you lose interest 100% completely for no fathomable reason.

It's happened to me many, many times.

Stephen Colbert is on the list.

Etienne said...

Colbert can't even pronounce his name like an American. I think he's a closet Kraut.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Sort of like a tipping point where you never feel the movement of the seesaw.

traditionalguy said...

Colbert is witty with an iron fisted glove that ridicules life so deep that even his audience is put off.

rehajm said...

Stephen you didn't have to do this. This is like a Prius with a Bernie Sanders bumper sticker.

We got it with the Prius.

Bricap said...

Apparently Jeb believes Colbert's new gig is going to be a rousing success, if he thinks the lucky winner of his raffle will still be talking about it 20 years from now. That could compel me to take the other side of that bet.

Jeb may be the smarter brother, but I don't think he's the better campaigner. Who wants to have a beer with that guy?

William said...

The Republicans have all that Citizen United money and control the media. Colbert is the one, lone voice in all of television and movies with the courage to make fun of Republicans. He should win an Emmy for this profile in courage, but, as everyone knows, the prizes always go to the Republican hacks.

Diamondhead said...

"I think he's a closet Kraut."

Hmm, I think Krauts pronounce their Ts.

Krumhorn said...

CBS made a huge mistake with this casting. That's the problem with lefties; they just can't imagine that half the country actively despises them.

- Krumhorn

Sebastian said...

"it's Colbert who's trying to establish credibility as a late-night host to mainstream America."

Assumes facts not in evidence, counselor.

Scott said...

"Colbert might well become the new Chevy Chase of late night."

Yeah, for real, the smell of flop sweat is in the air. Colbert's success on Comedy Central was built on assuming a persona. We might not like him the way he really is.

Scott said...

"The Republicans have all that Citizen United money and control the media."

Hello, and how long will you be visiting from your alternate universe? Conflate much?

David said...

I think this hurts Colbert more than Bush, because it's Colbert who's trying to establish credibility as a late-night host to mainstream America. This video has too much of the feeling of the old Comedy Central show.

Perhaps he thinks that mainstream America is like the audience of Comedy Central, where everything is a joke. If so he has it wrong.

Bricap said...

I doubt he will beat out Fallon in the ratings picture, but he has a chance to beat out Kimmel. Figuring out how a comic will do in a straight(er) role is never easy.

Scott said...

Weekly averages for Dec. 8-12 2014 (the last head-to-head comparison between Letterman and Colbert):

Letterman: 2.837 million
Colbert: 1.300 million

ken in tx said...

I just realized that Colbert reminds me of that Bob character on the Enzyte commercials.

damikesc said...

Colbert's success on Comedy Central was built on assuming a persona.

Looking at his ratings, "success" was a stretch.

I doubt advertisers really care if the host of the show has YouTube videos of him slamming conservatives if nobody is watching the telecast.

Weekly averages for Dec. 8-12 2014 (the last head-to-head comparison between Letterman and Colbert):

Colbert couldn't beat O'Reilly, last I checked. He has no shot here.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Watch Exit 57 or Strangers With Candy--Colbert is a very funny comic actor. His show/current persona, though, is pretty much indistinguishable from your typical "comic" Dem. w/a byline, which in its own way is sad.

Colbert is a funny guy, but he's chosen to be "edgy" and "important" like Stewart, and by doing so he becomes unfunny.

mikee said...

Colbert has a chance to use riducule and ridiculous comedy to destroy pompous asses of every stripe, but chooses not to do so.

He would do the country a great service by getting Trump, Bush, Hillary, Bernie on his show and asking them ridiculous questions, such as, "Did you ever have sex in the White House? Who with?" and following it up with "Because every other presidential candidate on my show has been asked and answered those questions!"

William said...

@Scott: Thanks for telling me that my sarcasm isn't too heavy handed.

Bricap said...

That comp between Letterman and Colbert is not bad, actually, considering it is also cable versus network. If Colbert had a bump in his final week, though, it's probably not the best set of numbers for the comparison.

How relevant is political persuasion when it comes to succeeding on a late night network talk show, anyway? Letterman did okay, and he made no secret as to his politics. If his monologues are funny and he connects well with guests, he should do fine.

Brando said...

"Hello, and how long will you be visiting from your alternate universe? Conflate much?"

I assumed that was sarcasm.

Brando said...

I'm not sure whether I find John Oliver or Colbert more smugly annoying--there's just something so punchable in the way they come across. Even Jon Stewart at times could be tolerable (until you remember he decided to be Obama's unofficial press secretary).

Is Colbert planning to continue doing his one-joke pony where he plays an exaggerated Bill O'Reilly? Because that got tired pretty fast and I don't see it being successful with the broadcast audience.

Gerrard787 said...

I think Jeb pulled a fast one on Colbert and Colbert took the bait.

Kansas City said...

Ann has been Trumped. Now, she is calling Bush "low energy." Soon, she'll be on the trump bandwagon.

I thought they both were doing what they do. Colbert doing a funny bit and getting attention. And Bush doing a typical politician comedy bit, not great but not awful.