Stephen Colbert's 'embarrassing' congressional testimony [video]

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last updated 8 January 2015

The video: Comedy Central star and fake conservative pundit Stephen Colbert testified before Congress Friday—in character—to advocate for immigrant farmworkers. Colbert was invited to appear by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chairwoman of an immigration and citizenship subcommittee, but critics said having a comedian deliver testimony using his tongue-in-cheek TV persona made a mockery of the panel's work. "I certainly hope that my star power can bump this hearing all the way up to CSPAN-1," Colbert quipped at the beginning of his testimony. Was his presence an "embarrassment," as some critics have claimed?

The reaction: The Democrats who run Congress "are now openly mocking Americans by inviting leftist comedians" into the Capitol as expert witnesses, says Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit. And exactly what expertise does Colbert have? He "worked on a farm for one day." Actually, says Dan Amira at New York, Colbert was brilliantly successful at highlighting how absurd the anti-immigrant demagoguery has become in the country. Besides, "we much prefer this to the way congressional hearings are normally run. Can he come back all the time, please?" Watch video of Colbert testifying: