GREAT PERFORMANCES: STEPHEN COLBERT

Here’s an article that will provide all the background you need to know about the great performance delivered by top-drawer political satirist Stephen Colbert at last weekend’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner. This is just about the ballsiest thing I’ve ever seen—talk about subversion from inside the system. Colbert’s take-no-prisoners address, delivered in the character of his Bill O’Reilly parody character from Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report, was a blast of irreverence and subtly slashing wit, a stab with an icy knife delivered directly to the heart of the beast, who just happened to be sitting on the same stage just a few seats away. And, just as fascinating, take note of the timidity of said White House Correspondents as they chuckle uncomfortably at the beginning and grow ever more silent and horrified. Somewhere, on whichever level of hell they’re currently broiling, Mark Twain and H.L. Mencken must be howling with approval. If you haven’t yet seen it, take 20 minutes out and avail yourself. This is what free speech is all about and, with all due respect to Tom Cruise in M:I3, it's easily one of the best performances of the year so far.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three