Colbert Takes On The Hill

People sometimes view humour like sex, in that the moment it touches something, it corrupts it entirely and therefore there are things that must be protected from humour at all costs. There are, they say, places where humour does not and cannot belong. Certainly humour is dangerous. It reacts to the serious explosively and destructively and that can undermine important issues. But it doesn't have to do so. Humour can enlighten, enrichen and embolden the serious and the critical, raise the level of debate, evince truth, encourage nobility and demand attention.

So it is that while some cry out that Steven Colbert testifying to congress about the conditions of migrant farm workers is a mockery, I say it is awesome. Especially when he drops character slightly and, in his less-intoned voice, speaks from the heart.

CONGRESSWOMAN JUDY CHU: Mr. Colbert, you could work on so many issues, why are you interested in this issue?

COLBERT: I like talking about people who don't have any power. And this seems like some of the least powerful people in the United States are migrant workers who come and do our work but don't have any rights as a result. And yet we still invite them to come here, and at the same time ask them to leave. And, you know, whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers, these seem like the least of our brothers, right now. And I know that a lot of people are the least of my brothers because the economy is so hard, and I don't want to take anyone's hardship away from them or diminish it or anything like that, but migrant workers suffer, and they have no rights."

With his comic spoonful of sugar, Colbert sneaks into the public consciousness, then shoots, scores and buries it to the bone.