Colbert pokes fun at Pasco

So did you see it? Colbert sure made fun of Pasco's "wizard" substitute teacher and even turned School Board chairwoman Kathryn Starkey into a frog after drowning out her explanations with a blah, blah, blah.

We all knew it would be sarcastic, with the possibility of making Pasco look foolish. Some readers have already chimed in with their opinions. They say the piece was hilarious, or embarrassing. Maybe both. Did you laugh? Thoughts, anyone?

Comments

[Timmy!]

Good natured fun.

Hopefully Pasco can refuse to be offended and laugh along with us - relieved that Stephanie Raguso wasn't inserted in the plot line.

[An angry SAC chairman]

The Colbert piece was satirical but I was not amused by it. I spend many hours volunteering in my child's school and donate a lot of money to it. I even volunteer many hours in the cafeteria, of all places. I am very proud of her school and I do not like our school district being made fun of on Comedy Central.

It does not surprise me that Starkey appeared in the segment. I do not know her and she may be a nice person. However, I regularly attend school Board meetings and I am not impressed with her leadership. When there is free media coverage, of any type, Starkey is there in all of her glory. Watch out for her. It is clear to me that she is power hungry and using the Starkey name to seize it. I do not like her style. Her response to the wizard story should have been no comment.

I would use my real name in this entry but I fear repercussions from the school board.

[Kee]

Polk County Talibans?

They remind me Of Bush!
Clueless like Bush. They have a grip on the definition of "Wizardly" like Bush knows what "Sovernity" means.

[Mark]

Wow!
Polk County is giving Polk County a bad name!
REALLY THOUGH they can NOT afford to get rid of any teachers! One of the extra cars or sheds in the yard could figure out it was a way to get the kids attention to start class.

[Tim]

Did any of the hillbillies notice he had a piece of tape on his thumb?
Most Wizards I know that teach in the school systems don't use tape.

IT is sad he probably was one of the few teachers who can get the little heathens attention!

WHo's gonna teach now a box of rocks?

[Charlie]

Good grief.

[Octobass]

Angry SAC Chairman's comment is funnier than the Colbert piece, which was plenty funny.

An "angry SAC chairman" says of School Board Chairwoman Starkey, "Watch out for her."

Yes...be afraid...be very, very afraid.

[Kenny]

Angry SAC

Hard to laugh through gritted teeth. You must be a real gem to work with.

Why not slap Colbert with your anti-bullying laws? That would show him.

Or take Kee's suggestion and just 'blame Bush", you only have a couple of months before that too gets stale.

It was a good piece and did not change my good opinion of Polk county.

Wish I could say the same for some of these comments. (can you say WORLD wide web).

[Pasco Parent]

The two interview pieces with the Piculus sitting down shows him mumbling to himself and then unable to speak a sentence with a coherent thought. I am glad he is not subbing anymore.

[Joe]

Piculus is too dumb to realize how much of an idiot they made him out to be. Instead, he is probably upset because he didn't even put the tape on properly and is showed. If this guy can't put tape on all the way, how could he teach? LMAO

[Jorge de Burgos]

Laughter is a devilish wind which deforms, uh, the lineaments of the face and makes men look like monkeys. Therefore, I did not laugh.

[wizard]

my favorite part was when the wizard turned pasco county into polk county. that was amazing.

[pasco]

It's Pasco you idiots, not Polk!!!!!

[Hmmm]

Why is Angry angry? Or does he/she like to call him/herself angry?

Chances are he/she is an old and angry person in all areas of life. He/she is often a wet blanket because he/she complains all the time. He/she is probably alone because no one likes complaining angry people around.

Sad, very sad....maybe the wizard can make him/her happy again?

[Octobass]

Angry SAC Chairman's comment is funnier than the Colbert piece, which was plenty funny.

An "angry SAC chairman" says of School Board Chairwoman Starkey, "Watch out for her."

Yes...be afraid...be very, very afraid.

[Wizard Karl]

LOL the KKK thought the teacher was mocking the Imperial Wizard so he was fired for bla bla bla!

Polk Pasco toomatoe tommmatoe
whats the difference?

lmao...seriously i cant stop...this has got to be the best thing ive seen in a while...gotta love comedy central!!

[Billy Bob]

I heard that the Wizard was spreading malicious lies that the Ku Klux Klan was endorsing Barack Obama for President!

Silly silly teacher toothpick season!

carl hiassen could write a book out of this

[Sister and mother of Billy Bob]

Even the school board members could not figure out the Sorcerers magic tooth pick trick so he was fired.
He is now eligible for work man's comp $275 a week, food stamps, Medicaid, newest member of the local food bank program, a modification of his home loan etc etc.........He now finally has something in common with the folks of Paso/Polk County!

[Kal]

Hey Commentor Joe,

Showing the tape was i n t e n t i o n a l. It made it f u n n y.

[An angry SAC chairman]

No, I am not an angry person. Actually, I am a very well respected part of the volunteer team at my child’s school. And, I have a very good sense of humor. I just feel strongly that the education of our children is a very serious matter especially in this time of the “politicizing” of school funding. And, Comedy Central poking fun and earning some advertising dollars at the expense of the reputation of our school district should not have been sanctioned by the school board chairperson. That is my point.

If you do not agree with my take on this I respect that. And, I respect our rights as Americans to have an opinion and the freedom to express it.

[PAt]

Dude, your the one who called yourself the Angry SAC chairman..i thought the same thing.

Now back to wizard topic: it is obvious the tooth-pic guy and starkey do not watch the comedy channel, or they would have known they were the ones going to come out looking like idiots...rbit, rbit

[It-o-it skool bored member]

An angry SAC chairman: are you really welcomed at the school?
Do a magic trick and disappear, just leave the rabbit for the kids please!

He is one of the few Florida teachers not having a text message, after school, field trip having, in my car after lunch teachers and WE FIRE him??

Say your sorry and give him his class back and a lifetime of tooth picks and tape!

TRICKS ARE FOR KIDS Angry Mutha!!!!

[Huh?]

"He is one of the few Florida teachers not having a text message, after school, field trip having, in my car after lunch teachers" ???? What? Huh?

This has to be Piculus because he can't make a coherent sentence.

Classic Colbert. Loved it!

We could all use a few laughs in this day and age. Colbert wouldn't make fun if the situation didn't warrant it. Lighten up people!

I couldn't think of a group of Americans more deserving of this kind of humor. Yeh, that's right, Floridians.

[help]

Dear God,

Please let the voters pass a voucher program so I can take my tax dollars to my child's private school.

If these are the mo-rons in charge of the school board, I do not want them spending my money. I certainly would never let them get my hands on my children.

From what one teacher told me, no one can control the disrespectful brats at Rusche Middle School.

[It-o-it skool bored member]

Huh: knowing you are from Po-ghetto I tried to be down.

[It-o-it skool bored member]

Dear "help"

Poof abra-ca-dra-ba $$$

You can send your children to a nice private school where the teachers are real Wizards are getting your child's attention and teach them something!
Sorry this teacher lost his job, but he was too good for Polk county so I took him.

God

[Joe]

Hey Kal, how do you know the tape was suppose to be showing? Are you Piculus?

He got his 15 minutes of fame, (well 4 minutes), and he blew it by not being able to speak clearly or do his trick without giving the secret away.

I wonder what school would hire this guy as he would have to teach to the almighty FCAT! Boy would scores drop then.

[Susie]

What was the LEQ?

[Wizard]

I wonder if Piculus was practicing all last year as he made Cathi Martin disappear and not attend board meetings/workshops?

How many has she missed since the public called for her to return her salary and resign?

Do you guys know she also missed at least the April 1, 2008 workshop? Jeffrey what is her attendance record?

Was the wizard refreshing his skills on 4/1/08 - if so make her disappear once and for all.

[Just asking]

Angry how can you be angry when your the chairman? Are you not doing a good job?

Funny stuff! I taught in Pasco County forty years ago and am pleased to see that nothing has changed. Dr. D.

[Dedicated School Board Members Wanted]

Board member Cathi Martin also showed up late for a March 4 board meeting. I guess she forgot what time the meetings are or how much time she has to allot for traffic.

Maybe the wizard made her brain disappear?

[ssmith@yahoo.com]

Does anyone know why he was really fired? Was the witch teaching evolution?

and school districts wonder why they embarass the entire state!

[teacher]

Joe, the tape is there on purpose, you moron! It's to subliminally make you think about the fact that it's not wizardry at all. Are you the guy in the video with the thick southern accent?

[Joe]

Teacher, unless you are Piculus,ther is no way you would know that for a fact. Could it be the producers and camera man let it show because they realized he would look like a dork!

By the way, I am the one who comes over after you leave so get to work. Oh, that is right, you are a teacher and have the summer's off.

[Heidi]

Susie, that's great! LEQ- Hilarious!

Who cares what you are teaching as long as you are implementing Max Thompson's Learning Focused Strategies like a good little worker bee!

[Ed_Student]

wahhahahaahahahha
I love Florida.
God Help us all.

[teacher]

That's right, Joe so get busy. I'm coming to the McDonald's drive thru in a bit so make sure there are some fresh salads for me! ROTFL!

[Nice police]

Be nice teacher, you called him a moron and referred him to the guy in the video.

Remember, to be a representative of your profession and others.

[USEP Member]

To my fellow colleague, please be kind many of our parents/guardians work at McDonalds.

You know we are fighting for some important issues and the public has not been supportive. By making attacks on other people's profession, you open all us teachers up for attacks.

[Joe]

If you only knew.

[Depends]

Hey Angry Old SAC Chairwoman we haven't heard from your wet Depends in a few days...

Did you go to the school board meeting?

Did you quit from being a SAC Chair because you can't do your job?

Did you find a toothpick that disappeared?

Did you find out your not liked at the school you and your wife volunteer?

Did you get a life?

Most importantly did yourself "Angry SAC chariman" get the pathetic attention you needed to fill your empty, unhappy soul?

[Voice of Reason]

I love how people on this forum jump to personally attacking anyone with a differing viewpoint. Instead of going after a stranger's character (about which you know nothing) why not show how your opinion is valid?

What's that? You can't? You have to stoop to petty attacks about the person's popularity?

And learn the difference between "your" and "you're" before you attempt insulting posts, as in, "You're an idiot and didn't pay attention to your teacher when she covered this lesson."

[Voice of Reason]

I love how people on this forum jump to personally attacking anyone with a differing viewpoint. Instead of going after a stranger's character (about which you know nothing) why not show how your opinion is valid?

What's that? You can't? You have to stoop to petty attacks about the person's popularity?

And learn the difference between "your" and "you're" before you attempt insulting posts, as in, "You're an idiot and didn't pay attention to your teacher when she covered this lesson."

[Voice of Reason]

I love how people on this forum jump to personally attacking anyone with a differing viewpoint. Instead of going after a stranger's character (about which you know nothing) why not show how your opinion is valid?

What's that? You can't? You have to stoop to petty attacks about the person's popularity?

And learn the difference between "your" and "you're" before you attempt insulting posts, as in, "You're an idiot and didn't pay attention to your teacher when she covered this lesson."

[Who me?]

Angry is now very, very, very angry, that he posted the same comment 3 times. Therefore, the comments must be true.

[Joe]

Angry, you make reference to petty attacks and yet you attack.

Talk about the kettle being black (or white, or Asian, or etc.).

LMAO and ROTF.

Gotta love the web...it brings close friends together from all around the world.

To Timmy: you are right..laugh and move on

To It-o-it skool bored member: you are funny; keep up the comments...I loved the return letter from God.

To Kal: Relax, the tv people knew the tape was there, whether it was with Pickle's concent or not, it was done to make him look a certain way. However, just relax.

To Joe: your points bring out people's insecurities; keep up the good work.

To Angry man (voice of reason): Relax you are the one who opened yourself up to the comments when you called "yourself" the Angry whatever it is you do...

To the teacher: Be the professional you claim to be.

To Susie: Who cares why he was actually fired, look at all the comments that came out of it. Good LEQ comment, though.

To Cathi Martin: I also wish you were the toothpick.

To the rest of the group: It is Friday, have a cold one and laugh...I am....but not on the floor.

[Voice]

I am sorry my post is mistaken for Chairman's. I did not mean to bring him (or her) under more fire here. I was just posting because I, too, have come under very personal attacks when I put my real name on here, and it's not right. You have stopped arguing your points and have sunk to attacking a person's character:

(some comments about Chairman)
"Did you find out your not liked..."
"Did you get a life?"
"...to fill your empty, unhappy soul?"
"Chances are he/she is an old and angry person in all areas of life."
"...often a wet blanket..."

You are not commenting on his opinion that he did not like the piece; you are aiming for him directly.

I find that to be in very poor form, and it really shows the immaturity of the people unwilling to consider (or ignore) a differing viewpoint.

As to why it posted 3 times, I have no idea. I only clicked "Post" once!

Dude, relax the old fart brought it on himself. However, you also attacked people for attacking people.

Either get in the game all the way, or not at all. But doing so half way....well that doesn't cut the mustard.

[Exposed]

Voice = Angry old man

[Big Dog]

If you can't stand the heat, barking, and growling....get off the porch.

[teacher]

Wait, wait... So because I'm a teacher I am to be opinionless? I thought everyone wanted teachers who were capable of thinking critically. I love how I have to be professional but no one else has to. Get real, people.

[teacher]

By the way, I too have done my time at McDonalds. I chose to get out on MY dime, not Mommy and Daddy's.