Stephen Colbert, CBS The Late Show host, was in full activist mode on Wednesday’s show when he attacked Mehmet Oz on abortion and Tudor Dixon about sexually explicit material in school libraries. He also gave the floor to Nikole Hannah Jones from The 1619 Project to attack conservatives in general.
Oz was the first Colbert target. “Dr. Oz has had problems running for Senate in Pennsylvania. He is a New Jersey resident. He was also very anti-choice in primary. When asked about it last night, he misunderstood what he meant.
Colbert then played a clip from Oz at the debate declaring that he didn’t want the federal government involved in the matter. I want women, doctors and local political leaders–
Colbert then played The Price is Right’s fail horn and declared: “Oh, so close!” Colbert declared, “Oh, so close!”
Colbert and the rest of media keep trying make media make the standard GOP-federalism argument look silly. This says more about them that it does about Oz. As he moved to the Michigan governor’s race, Colbert would reveal more about himself.
He showed a video of Dixon explaining that “pornographic material” should not be included within school libraries. Colbert dismissed this seemingly obvious point with a flippant dismissal. “Ah, yes. Childhood.” All of us have happy memories of bedtime. We remember when we would get out of bed, change into our PJs and head down to the bus stop to listen to a story by a drifter called ‘Shambles’.
Dixon then played another clip of Dixon discussing “this guy she totally made up”. Dixon recounted the story of a father who found “content in my school library” that described how to have sex with his son. I went to the Democrats and I said, “I cannot believe that this is in there.”
Democrats could be in this state or this man’s local school district, but Colbert thought differently and initiated a satirical telephone call with Chuck Schumer’s Office.
Dixon also decried Dixon’s third clip, saying that “What these parents are referring to are not textbooks which will help children learn more about themselves.” These books are teaching children how to have sex.
Colbert again dismissed the idea. “She’s right.” We checked it out, and we found a lot of classic books for children that teach kids how to do it. There’s also Where the Wild Things Bone, if you give a mouse some cookies, and Green Eggs & Butt Stuff.
Colbert later invited Hannah-Jones on the show to discuss her work. The conversation began well enough with history lessons about slavery and Jamestown. But Colbert asked, “It seems that that’s an important fact to know about your country… What is your theory on why there’s been so much backlash in certain parts of the country?”
Critics never focused on Jamestown’s history, it was her portrayal. Hannah-Jones replied that “conservatives have truly understood… if your goal is to win politically, scaring people into believing that their children are learning a past that’s teaching them that the oppressor, and that heroes can’t exist if they are white, has been a very effective propaganda strategy.”
She concluded by absurdly claiming that book banning and curriculum setting are the same thing. “But it should go without being said that regardless of how anyone feels regarding The 1619 Project, and trust me most people trying to ban them have never read it. It is clear that a free society does not ban books, regardless of how you feel about it. “A free society doesn’t do that.”
Comedy shows should be funny, but we are.
These segments were sponsored Progressive.
Here’s a transcript from the October 26th show:
CBS The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
10/26/2022
11:40 ET
STEPHEN COLLBERT: Dr. Oz has had problems running for Senate in Pennsylvania. He lives in New Jersey, for one. He was also very anti-choice in primary. When asked about it last night, he misunderstood.
Here are the people Oz believes should be involved when making medical decisions about women.
MEHMET OZ – As a physician, it’s not uncommon for me to be present in a room where there are difficult conversations. I don’t want any federal government involvement in this. I want women, doctors and local political leaders to be involved in this.
COLBERT: So close! [The Price is Right fails horn]. There is no reason for anyone–anyone–to have to discuss health care issues with their local politicians, especially if they live in small towns like mine where the mayor is a dog.
…
11:42 PM ET
COLBERT – Yesterday saw a debate between Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan Governor) and Tudor Dixon (Kirkland brand Gretchen Whitmer). Dixon is another anti-choice MAGA Republican. It turns out that this is not very popular in Michigan. So she has shifted her campaign to another issue, which was brought up again last night.
TUDOR DIXON – Parents across the state have complained about inappropriate content in school libraries. If there is material in your school that you cannot read to children at bus stops because it is pornographic or inappropriate, it should not be in our schools.
COLBERT: Ah, yes, childhood. We all have happy memories from bedtime. You’d get out of bed in your PJs and grab a glass water before heading down to the bus stop to listen to a story by “Shambles”.
He hears the voices, not just does it. Tudor–happy memories, sure. Happy memories. Dixon is not the only one concerned about this issue. This is the guy she made up.
DIXON: A gentleman approached me a few nights back and said that he had found content in his school library that described how to have sex with my son. I went to the Democrats and said, “I can’t believe this is in there.”
COLBERT: Okay. Fine. “That happened.” But even though it did, why would someone go to the Democrats if they found a book they didn’t like in a school library? It’s like asking, “Excuse us, is this Chuck Schumer? The finale of House of the Dragon was not something I enjoyed. This natural peanut butter is too oily in the cupboard, but too hard in the fridge. I’m voting Republican! Good day, sir! I said “Good day!”
Dixon then continued, for reasons of her own.
DIXON: These parents are not talking about books that will help their children learn about themselves. These books are teaching children how to have sex.
COLBERT: She’s right. We did a search and found many classic books for children that teach kids how to do it. There’s also Where the Wild Things Bone, Give a Mouse a Cookie, and Green Eggs and Butt Stuff.
There’s one– oh! Oh! Would you? Could you?
LOUIS CATO: Oh, god.
COLBERT – Would you, could, in a box?
…
12:30 AM ET
COLBERT
NIKOLE HANNAHJONES: It is.
COLBERT –about your country. Yet, 14 states, 14 US states, tried to ban or ban The 1619 Project being taught in public schools. Is there a reason why there has been such strong backlash in certain parts of the country?
HANNAH-JONES : I believe we are in a deeply polarized society. Conservatives have understood that the oldest divide in America, the race, is the race divide. So, if you want stoke division and win politically, scaring people into believing that their children are learning a history which teaches them that they are the oppressor and that heroes can only be had if they are white has been a very effective propaganda campaign.
It should be obvious that no matter how you feel about The 1619 Project, and I can assure you most of those who are trying to ban it have never even read it. It is clear that a free society does not ban books, regardless of how you feel about it. A free society doesn’t do that.
