Comedian and host of "The Colbert Report", Stephen Colbert, gave testimony at the U.S. House subcommittee on immigrant farm labor making reference to his own great-grandfather who traveled from Ireland to start a life in America.
His testimony was filled with one-liners and jokes but, as always, the patriotic conservative commentator got his message across.
He commented that American farms had become far too dependent on foreign laborers saying that his great-grandfather had not come from Ireland to see America "overrun by immigrants." He added that he left "because he killed a man back in Ireland."
The hearing was called to address the ongoing problem: American growers need seasonal laborers, but many of those who take the jobs do not have documentation.
He said that American farms relied on foreign laborers to pick fruit. "Now the obvious answer is for all of us to stop eating fruits and vegetables. And if you look at the recent obesity statistics, you'll see that many Americans already have started," he said.
"I don't want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American, then sliced by a Guatemalan and served by a Venezuelan in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian," he said, according to a Washington Post report.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), as the chairwoman of the immigration and citizenship subcommittee invited Colbert to speak. His appearance caused such a disturbance that the Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) asked him to leave saying "You run your show, we run the committee." Lofgren motioned for Colbert to stay in the room and Conyers withdrew his request.
Not since the impeachment of Bill Clinton has such a large crowd been gathered in the hearing room said Lofgren.
Colbert was joined by Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers Union. He recently spent a day picking vegetables on a farm in New York. He said that it was incredibly hard word and "I don't even want to watch Green Acres again."
At the end of his testimony he told the gathering that he would be happy "to take your questions and pose for pictures with your grandchildren."
Colbert and his mock rival, Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show", will be back in Washington on October 30 where they will hold competing rallies on the national Mall.
12 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.PaulaMarie | Sep 26, 2010, 02:27 PM EDT
I'm an American decended from Irish immigrants as well. I love Stephen Colbert. Good for him for making fun of Congress, they deserve no less.
joanmoody | Sep 26, 2010, 12:47 PM EDT
My great-grandmother came over in the 1850's married in Texas in 1869 to a soldier and then went around the state with him. She ended up starting a laundry at Ft. Brown ( now Brownsville) Texas where she hired immigrant women and natives to do the laundry of the military. She eventually sold it for a profit, moved to San Antonio and wanted to buy land near the Alamo which her husband wouldn't let her saying San Antonio would be nothing but a cow town but both lived far enough into the 20th century to see the dawn of the air age. She would have been wealthy if allowed to do what she wanted.
allentown | Sep 26, 2010, 12:14 PM EDT
Why didn't Colbert site the H2A Visa Program available for agricultural workers to enter the USA legally to work on farms? He obviously has a poor understanding of the problem.
killowen | Sep 26, 2010, 10:44 AM EDT
Colbert is deaf stupid I could not believe his attempts at being somebody important - he's very frenchie looking. his antics ill serve to excite for a march on washington.
jamthecat | Sep 26, 2010, 10:38 AM EDT
Stephen Colbert takes the Right's arguments to their illogical conclusion to show how dumb they are, so it's destined that those who don't like being made fun of will not think him funny. But the rest of us can see the joke, and good on him for making it.
joanxis | Sep 26, 2010, 09:56 AM EDT
Some of you who dismiss Stephen Colbert and his effort to make a point about immigration, simply don't get it. You must not watch his show enough to know that he is using satire to point out the injustices in our political process as well as problems, such as immigration, facing out country.
newcanaan | Sep 25, 2010, 07:24 AM EDT
this is just one more reason to vote out these bums in november. Stephen Colbert advising on immigration, james cameron advising on oil leaks, bono advising on world hunger.what next? Niall O Dowd advising on fairness in the main street press.?
Dublinjas | Sep 24, 2010, 08:41 PM EDT
LOL Rolling on the floor, Well said Stephen lolololol keep up the good work....Brazilian lollol
McNamara31 | Sep 24, 2010, 07:24 PM EDT
Self serving idiot.........
Eire2009 | Sep 24, 2010, 07:09 PM EDT
Plastic paddy
CanadianPat | Sep 24, 2010, 04:17 PM EDT
I am often amazed by what Americans think funny.Colbert has his moments but in general is not worth the attention or the money he makes! Buffoonery directed at so serious a subject in miss placed!I totaly agree with "maloney".
maloney | Sep 24, 2010, 02:43 PM EDT
The dems. just wasted $125,000 of tax payers money on this buffoon.