ROB SCHNEIDER: Colbert gets crash course in what freedom of speech really means
I also respect Colbert's direct criticism of his employer, CBS/Paramount and his opinion that they caved to President Trump when they settled their lawsuit against the sitting president. That took guts, I will give him that. But Colbert, like ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel, excluded conservatives completely from his show and limited (prevented) his audience from hearing opposing viewpoints.
Colbert fed liberal slop to his liberal-minded Kamala supporters and cared less about challenging them intellectually by actually appealing to their higher nature or engaging in thought-provoking debate. Nah, just keep sh---ing on half the country that is no longer afraid to say women don't have penises and boys shouldn't get to beat up girls in girls' sports. So while I support Mr. Colbert's First Amendment right to free speech, that constitutionally only applies to the government not being able to silence you or seek reprisals. As for CBS/Paramount, they are a private company and they pay the bills… Or used to. So they can fire anyone they want! And Colbert, who earned an estimated $20 million salary, was reportedly losing the company $40 million per year.
That's the potential price tag for using your "Free Speech." It is not free from consequence. I, too, have experienced repercussions, both financial and career-wise, for my willingness to express my thoughts and opinions in the public square. For my outspoken support of parents who's children suffered neurological disorders from a mandated drug their pediatrician assured them was completely safe but turned out not to be, I lost work. In 2023, I was fired from a movie because of my opinions on the COVID vaccine and my public statements against people being forced to take it. I'm proud of that. And I was disgusted that Colbert had dancing syringes on his talk show, cajoling his audience into taking the experimental gene therapy while he and Kimmel and even President Biden shamed and belittled the unvaccinated. Kimmel even suggested that those who refused to take the 'vaccine' should be denied treatment in the hospital.
While CBS claims the firing of Colbert is purely financial, his show being the most expensive in late night and being consistently walloped in ratings by the superior Gutfeld!, the timing is suspicious. Yes, these pricey late-night relics are on their way out. More people will read this tweet than the number of 18-35-year-old demographic that is the be-all-end-all for TV advertisers, so the writing was on the wall. But pissing off his bosses at the network made their financial decision even easier and apparently speedier.
All of us who make our living being paid by the conglomerate behemoths who own and run show business must decide what, how much and when to use and exercise our freedom of speech. I, for one, value my freedom of speech more than making money at the expense of watching my culture and country get sucked into the Woke totalitarian demonizing, shaming and censoring machine that Colbert and Kimmel had no problem going along with and profiting from. Now the time has come when companies like CBS/Paramount, who used to be immediately cowed by the Woke mob of illiberal lunatics, are not so scared anymore. And they shouldn't be. The freak show Woke empire of intolerance and envy in the guise of good manners has fallen from its purity-enforced grace and America's flirtation with repackaged communism is dead.
Finally, it may be okay to say on any remaining late-night talk shows that women do not have penises, men don't get pregnant, and children should not be mutilated. I wish Mr. Colbert much success in whatever he does next. Show business is a tough business.
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