Colbert on Palin fatigue

Ah, Stephen, Stephen, Stephen, will you never cease to make me laugh? From the 18 January 2011 edition of The Colbert Report, here's the transcript of part of a segment entitled, "Mika Brzezinski Experiences Palin Fatigue." (Brzezinski is cohost on MSNBC's Morning Joe. She had expressed her disgust on the air at having to cover yet another Palin story on the show because she felt the story had no news value.)

Mika, you need to buck up.

I know you think this story has no purpose other than keeping Sarah Palin's name in the headlines for another news cycle.

I know you think she has nothing to offer the national dialogue and that her speeches are just coded talking points mixed in with words picked up at random from a thesaurus.

[voice rising] I know you think Sarah Palin is at best a self-promoting ignoramus and at worst a shameless media troll who'll abuse any platform to deliver dog-whistle encouragement to a far-right base that may include possible insurrectionists.

I know you think her reality show was pathetically unstatesmanlike and at the same time I know you believe it also represents the pinnacle of her potential, and that her transparent--transparent desperation to be a celebrity so completely eclipsed her interest in public service so long ago that there would be more journalistic integrity in reporting on one of the lesser Kardashians' ass implants.

And I know--I know that when you arrive at the office each day you say a silent prayer that maybe, just maybe, Sarah Palin will, at long last, shut up for ten f---ing minutes.

I know--I know 'cause I can see it in your eyes.

[sternly] Well guess what, Mika? That's the gig. And it's only January 2011, kiddo. You have a minimum of two more years of this ahead of you. You want to stay in this game, you dig deep. You find another gear. You show up to work every day, get your hair and makeup done, you slap on a smile, get out there on TV and repeat what Sarah Palin said on Hannity last night right into the lens. You know, news.