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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

I'm On Colbert Tonight

Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM

300px-Dan-savage-gets-nailed.jpg

I Googled my last appearance on the Colbert Report because I was worried that I brought the same shirt with me to NYC. Luckily my boyfriend packed my other teevee shirt. Stephen is going to be talking with me about—can you guess?—Prop 8. And, yes, I am going on Colbert in my official capacity as spokesperson for all gay people everywhere.

 

Comments (83) RSS

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1
Break a leg! And visit Baltimore!
Posted by Balt-O-Matt on November 11, 2008 at 2:44 PM
2
For those of us without the cables, please provide a link tomorrow on the internets. Thank you.
Posted by Reverse Polarity on November 11, 2008 at 2:47 PM
3
Be certain to blame the blacks and latinos. No one knows how to line up a circular firing squad better!
Posted by NapoleonXIV on November 11, 2008 at 2:47 PM
4
Blame senior citizens while you're at it.
Posted by w7ngman on November 11, 2008 at 2:52 PM
5
Yes a link to the chat would be good.
Posted by Sargon Bighorn on November 11, 2008 at 2:54 PM
6
If you got a ride to and from the airport, remember the IRS upped the deductible business mileage reimbursement to 50.5 cents per mile, assuming the paper reimburses for that. If it's for charity it's only 14 cents a mile, and what's up with that?
Posted by tomasyalba on November 11, 2008 at 2:54 PM
7
Cool! Be sure to read Nate Silver as background... http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/11/prop-8-myths.html
Posted by So-called Claire on November 11, 2008 at 2:55 PM
8
Read and linked already, Co-called.
Posted by Dan Savage on November 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM
9
a sportcoat wouldn't kill you.
Posted by max solomon on November 11, 2008 at 2:59 PM
10
Boycott Colbert!
Posted by AJ on November 11, 2008 at 3:00 PM
11
I love Colbert but how in the hell do you prep for that show? He's absolutely mental! Good luck!
Posted by Katy on November 11, 2008 at 3:04 PM
12
Oh god. You're going to talk about black people using the 70% figure, so please at least note the same exit poll showed more white people than black people voted to ban gay adoption in Arkansas. And that 88% of people who go to church once a week voted for Prop 8. Maybe throw in some figures like 27% of gays and 57% of white men voted for McCain, compared to 95% of black people who voted for Obama. Please?
Posted by jrrrl on November 11, 2008 at 3:07 PM
13
Blame senior citizens while you're at it. Clearly pit bulls are at fault.
Posted by kitschnsync on November 11, 2008 at 3:07 PM
14
I disagree with you completely about the Prop 8/black voters issue but good luck. Please don't come off as demonizing black people. :[
Posted by jrrrl on November 11, 2008 at 3:08 PM
15
You should talk about how gays should try to win over the country the way Obama won over the country. Rather than being a dick to those who currently oppose you. In other words, abandon the failed McCain-Palin tactic of insulting the slices of the electorate that currently favor the other side. Be positive. Be nice.
Posted by elenchos on November 11, 2008 at 3:09 PM
16
max @9, a jacket sometimes camouflages the trapezoids, a Glamour Don't for the gay chat-show guest under 50. Sheesh.
Posted by tomasyalba on November 11, 2008 at 3:09 PM
17
Thanks for being THEE gay!
Posted by jimk on November 11, 2008 at 3:12 PM
18
cool, that guy is a complete Spazz - say hi to Gorlock (his financial trader) for me!
Posted by bobcat on November 11, 2008 at 3:14 PM
19
Seriously, pay attention to Nate Silver's stats and don't scapegoat African Americans and other minorities. Colbert comes off like a loon, but he'll show you up as a buffoon and racist so try to be tactful for your own sake.
Posted by Ann on November 11, 2008 at 3:14 PM
20
I can't wait to see it! But I'll have to wait till it's available on iTunes (tomorrow, I suppose) since I don't have teevee. !
Posted by d on November 11, 2008 at 3:14 PM
21
Use that awesome rap line I gave you.
Posted by Mr. Poe on November 11, 2008 at 3:17 PM
22
#15 AND AND REALY ORGANIZE, NOT JUST TALK AND BLATHER ... SFO LOW TURNOUT - NO OUTREACH TO MINORITES - NO AGRESSIVE FIELD, JUST BAD MEDIA TOO LATE BAD CAMPAIGNS LOSE, WHATEVER THE STATS OF THE FINGER POINTING, SORRY
Posted by CAMERON on November 11, 2008 at 3:17 PM
23
Dear god, watch him go on a pointless random white power tangent. I am as white as they come, (lol i have a picture of dale earnhardt hanging up), I have family members with all sorts of racial opinions, but Dan Savage has got to be one of the most clueless mfs ever. I am prepared to be embarrassed.
Posted by EmmiG on November 11, 2008 at 3:18 PM
24
d: You know you can watch it on hulu.com or colbertnation.com, right?
Posted by oscar on November 11, 2008 at 3:19 PM
25
dan...i love you...can we meet up for drinks later? my bf got to meet you...i'm insanely jealous.
Posted by b on November 11, 2008 at 3:26 PM
26
Just keep the talk to sex advice or charming anecdotes from home and you'll be fine! Got to hand it to you, though -- I'd kill to be paid to pontificate on subjects of which I was completely ignorant. Hell of a scam.
Posted by whatevernevermind on November 11, 2008 at 3:27 PM
27
So far on this, you have been Al Sharpton. Don't be Sharpton. Be Obama.
Posted by Terry on November 11, 2008 at 3:31 PM
28
God help us. Now he's going on national television to shit can black people. Which polling data are you going to use?
Posted by HDS on November 11, 2008 at 3:31 PM
29
@27 - I love Al Sharpton. I'm cool with Dan being Al Sharpton.
Posted by Soupytwist on November 11, 2008 at 3:34 PM
30
Last time you were just at his table, no? It looks like this time you're at the big table.
Posted by stinkbug on November 11, 2008 at 3:35 PM
31
what % of gays voted for Prop 8? anyone?
Posted by rococo on November 11, 2008 at 3:40 PM
32
I love seeing you on TV. You always do a great job.
Posted by mj on November 11, 2008 at 3:41 PM
33
It's times like these that I regret not having cable. But I'm sure I'll be able to find it somewhere else later (Woo youtube!).
Posted by Lor on November 11, 2008 at 3:43 PM
34
Hey Faggot! Break a leg!
Posted by Clint on November 11, 2008 at 3:45 PM
35
hey, so we all are trying to run a campaign against mormons I hear. How bout jamming there "chat line" I found on of all places Huffpost.com http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/ask-a-question/chat-live also, you can call them too.. oh fun! 1-888-537-6600
Posted by Joseph Peila on November 11, 2008 at 3:45 PM
36
Mention that we have nothing against straight people as long as they continue to make gay kids. Credit Charles Pierce. Thanks.
Posted by RHETT ORACLE on November 11, 2008 at 3:46 PM
37
11/2006 CR appearance: http://tinyurl.com/5fnvva

10/2007 CR appearance: http://tinyurl.com/68n2hr
Posted by sir links-a-lot on November 11, 2008 at 3:48 PM
38
@31: Not enough were polled in California for the polling company to report (same issue with black men). They did say 4% of exit polled voters self-identified themselves as gay, though. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls.main/ Can anyone get the CNN site to work? Maybe someone can do some math to find out.
Posted by jrrrl on November 11, 2008 at 3:57 PM
39
Thanks for telling us ahead of time. (I sometimes skip Colbert...) But you sure took a risk! No wonder you don't usually inform us until after the event. Though this was probably 'after the event,' too. Colbert tapes early in the day, doesn't he?
Posted by Ayden/VA on November 11, 2008 at 3:58 PM
40
Looked at Colbert's website and on the left side :-) where he shows upcoming guests I don't see you listed. Why? http://www.colbertnation.com/home
Posted by GDC on November 11, 2008 at 3:59 PM
41
colbert tapes at 4pm our time 7pm their time
Posted by colbert stalker on November 11, 2008 at 4:04 PM
42
Hi Dan, I don't watch Colbert regularly so could you make a post about when it's going to air?
Posted by buck on November 11, 2008 at 4:07 PM
43
I love you, warts and all. Break a leg!
Posted by Vince on November 11, 2008 at 4:12 PM
44
To everyone who didn't get the headline: Dan is going to be on the Colbert Report tonight. It airs at 11:30p.m. on Comedy Central-- usually this is channel 60 around Seattle. If you are unable to watch it at air time, I suggest using these sites: http://www.hulu.com/the-colbert-report http://www.colbertnation.com They don't require your credit card number, they just require a reasonably current version of Flash be installed on your computer. And if I seem humorless, it's because I hate stupid questions.
Posted by Jessica on November 11, 2008 at 4:18 PM
45
welcome to new york! And break a leg =)
Posted by lorinyc on November 11, 2008 at 4:21 PM
46
Someone needs to buy Savage a Tom of Finland t-shirt to wear for media events. Nothing says Gay Spokesperson, like Tom of Finland.
Posted by michael strangeways on November 11, 2008 at 4:22 PM
47
@28 Now he's going on national television to shit can black people. Of course, he's white that's all we ever do... even when we are not doing it out loud, we are thinking about it. That clarified..... Dan, you rock! Say what you think is right and ignore this race-card playing lynch mob
Posted by kelly on November 11, 2008 at 4:49 PM
48
Thank you for NOT wearing a sweater vest. P.S. I hope you bump in to Jon Stewart and his 2 pit bulls Shamsky & Monkey.... & have a POSITIVE life changing experience!
Posted by Julie Russell on November 11, 2008 at 4:55 PM
49
when did racism and blame -- or assigning responsibility -- become card games? No Dan is not the Grand Wizard. He plays the milder form of the game called race baiting. Kind of like bridge vs. spades. And he's good!
Posted by HDS on November 11, 2008 at 5:02 PM
50
Break a nail, Dan.
Posted by It's Mark Mitchell on November 11, 2008 at 5:06 PM
51
This should be fun. :D
Posted by violet_dagrinder on November 11, 2008 at 5:07 PM
52
Gross!
Posted by Too Too Gay on November 11, 2008 at 5:09 PM
53
Well if we gotta have a spokes person... your the one I'd choose. Break a leg!
Posted by molly weiland on November 11, 2008 at 6:36 PM
54
Nate Silver's comments, and the stats he links to, state that NEW VOTERS opposed Prop 8. So if Dan wants to point out that Blacks and Hispanic voters gave Prop 8 its win (a mathematically correct point), he should feel free to.
Posted by Dan on November 11, 2008 at 7:12 PM
55
@4
Posted by jane doe on November 11, 2008 at 8:37 PM
56
You are amazing. You're better than Colbert tonight.
Posted by UChicago on November 11, 2008 at 8:38 PM
57
@49. By your deifinition of "race baiting" there are very few AA journalists and civil rights leaders who don't fit the bill. Do you think that's fair??? Rob Jamison from the Seattle PI wrote a while back that when the topic of Israel came up Jews seemed to be overly defensive and not really open to criticism. Does that make him a race baiting black man??? Under the defintion of "race baiting" should be a photo of Jerimiah Wright. He can criticize everyone, makes crude racial stereotypes and is willing to condone hate speech from Louis FaraKKKahan, . but when anyone says a word about him he rings the bell "THEY ARE ATTACKING THE BLACK CHUUUUUCH!!!!"
Dan gives criticism but he can take it too. Which is more than you are up for apparently.
Posted by jane doe on November 11, 2008 at 8:38 PM
58
omg Dan like... make Colbert speechless four times! I didn't think that was possible!
Posted by ablebacon on November 11, 2008 at 8:40 PM
59
Dan,

You totally rocked Colbert!

Thanks and love,

wiseblood
Posted by wiseblood on November 11, 2008 at 8:41 PM
60
The shirt looks very new.
Posted by VDD on November 11, 2008 at 8:41 PM
61
"It's what we do after saddlebagging." HAR!
Posted by Superfrankenstein on November 11, 2008 at 8:42 PM
62
That was amazing... I've never seen Colbert cover his face with cue cards in delight like that before.
Posted by Mifflin & Bassett on November 11, 2008 at 8:44 PM
63
Colbert is no match for you Dan!
Posted by idaho on November 11, 2008 at 8:46 PM
64
Everybody already said what I was going to say. You flummoxed Colbert. Good job. That was some entertaining television...
Posted by Julie in Chicago on November 11, 2008 at 8:48 PM
65
You can be my spokesman anytime, Dan.
Posted by sfdj on November 11, 2008 at 8:49 PM
66
Just watched you on Colbert... I know it's his style to interrupt and misconstrue, but I wish you would have had more of an opportunity to talk.
Posted by Katie on November 11, 2008 at 8:49 PM
67
Good work today, Dan! You're "rantcast" was spot on and you killed on Colbert! I loved your dog whistle analogy. I think the opportunity is there to change the frequency now... the energy feels different, right? (too bad it wasn't there BEFORE the vote, though =/)
Posted by lorinyc on November 11, 2008 at 9:22 PM
68
shit, "your" (sorry, grammar queen)
Posted by lorinyc on November 11, 2008 at 9:23 PM
69
So, do we NOW have to sign on to an assisted suicide prop... you know, to help the old folks along?

I'll sign onto that!
Posted by Dan on November 11, 2008 at 9:51 PM
70
I "spokesfaggot" a term in use? Because if it's not, it should be.
Posted by Judah on November 11, 2008 at 10:25 PM
71
@54- What version of Silver did you read? The one I read said that new voters voted against Prop 8:
"Exit polls suggest that first-time voters -- the vast majority of whom were driven to turn out by Obama (he won 83 percent [!] of their votes) -- voted against Prop 8 by a 62-38 margin."
Voting 'against' = voting on our side.
Posted by BeenThere on November 11, 2008 at 11:11 PM
72
You were wonderful, Dan - just wish you could have been on longer!


Posted by Ayden/VA on November 11, 2008 at 11:56 PM
73
My boyfriend didn't understand why I thought you were so funny and good for the gay community. He does now!
Posted by jonB on November 12, 2008 at 12:01 AM
74
You were great tonight. I enjoyed watching you out insult Colbert. You both are sexy.
Posted by K. on November 12, 2008 at 12:25 AM
75
@57

I'll reserve opinion on whether I think Jamison's calling Jews defensive is race baiting until I read him. It might well be. But I'm certainly not going to take your word for it. It would depend on how he framed the accusation. It might indeed have been needlessly antagonistic, mean spirited, inaccurate, misleading, an assertion stitched together with faulty data, or an overly generalized statement (kind of like what Savage has done over the last few days)!

Dan is a race baiter because -- and I'm quoting myself because its faster -- His initial and continued framing of this discussion casts blacks as the primary villain in the passage of prop 8 -- whether you are anyone else acknowledges that or not -- when race is only one of a huge range of ways of looking at what happened and when the polling data he cites is suspect. He is so totally clueless about homophobia in black communities (note the plural) that he can't help but be needlessly antagonistic.

He is a race baiter because he doesn't seriously entertain the idea that there are other ways of defining the constituencies that put prop 8 over the top that are not as obvious and easy to target as black ethnicity; he doesn't attempt to understand important shortcomings in comparing the black civil rights struggle with the struggle of gays for civil rights, He doesn't question the use and misuse of polling data or its sources, and he doesn't say anything about how he decided at what threshold homophobia gets a color and becomes especially threatening.

He just starts with a headline that screams "Black Homophobia!!!" and asserts baldly that it is more of a problem for gay black people than the racism from "the handful" of white gay people that we encounter. Says who?!

Also, again repeating myself, the reason we are all talking past each other on this blog is because we are starting from the presumption that there is a gay community. There isn't. The idea of a community based on sexual orientation is dubious and will disappear entirely once major civil rights hurdles for gays are out of the way. That is ultimately why many black gay people don't trust Savage ( to put not to fine a point on it) and is one of the sources of their lack of full participation in the gay rights struggle.
More...
Posted by HDS on November 12, 2008 at 12:45 AM
76
AHH! YOU TOTALLY FRIKKEN ROCKED THE REPORT!!! that is definately my most favorite clip of the colbert report ever. and that's saying something.
good job!!! way to represent us!!
Posted by UROCKDAN on November 12, 2008 at 4:06 AM
77
Fantastic job, Dan. You're damn good.

Now, way back up there @ 9 and 16 there was some discussion of wardrobe. My humble opinion is that a jacket wouldn't kill you -- it's always nice to look like you made a bit of effort!
Posted by itsmarkmitchell on November 12, 2008 at 8:36 AM
78
I was following my morning routine, watching The Daily Show and the Colbert Report on Hulu at work, and got very giddy when you were introduced.

You did a great job, one of the funniest segments I've seen! My favorite... 'But old people are the real villain of the piece, but they're dying, which is of some comfort.' HAHA
Posted by erly on November 12, 2008 at 8:51 AM
79
Dan Savage, you're my hero!
Posted by Jake Arakelian on November 12, 2008 at 9:28 AM
80
very, very well done, dan. i knew you had it in you, man. smart, funny, and engaging. some of your best work, easily.

how many people get colbert to (nearly) break character? i didn't think he would make it! *snorting*

i saw your first interview on the report also, and you certainly held you own then too. this one was better than the last, and - at the risk of being jinxy! - your next appearance will outshine this one. very, very well done.
Posted by happyhedonist on November 12, 2008 at 10:15 AM
81
wow u're kind of a sick fellow. Ur comments about Morman boys was scary, disturbing and rather pedaphelic. Great way to make the rest of America warm up to gays. "black men pinning" you down, "sopping up"? you are a seriosuly disturbed individual. Keep that kind of perversion for the bed room withh individuals 18 and older.
Posted by innocentAnnieApples on November 12, 2008 at 12:13 PM
82
This is now one of my favorite Report moments ever. I thought nothing could top the gay polygamy line... then you came out with "after saddlebacking" and I did a spit take. Genius! Just genius! Thank you, Dan!
Posted by Nine of Cups on November 12, 2008 at 1:29 PM
83
Fantastic job. Your last line about the divorce rate among straights was fucking spot on and loaded with irony and meaning.

This is why so many of us love and respect you.

Well done.
Posted by Tracy on November 12, 2008 at 3:19 PM

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