Volt Birth Watch 95: Lutz Vs. Colbert
In true Colbert Report fashion, a “tip of the hat” to the General Motor’s spinmeisters for letting GM Car Czar Bob Lutz walk into the lion’s den, knowing full well Colbert would make him look like an idiot. Mission accomplished. For example, Mr. Colbert pushed Maximum Bob on his stance on global warming, forcing the winner of our annual Bob Lutz Award to claim the Volt was for people interested in operating “cost per mile,” not the environment. Bob’s request for a change of subject was far from elegant (somebody help me, please!). Although Colbert managed to make Lutz look tongue-tied, nervous and shifty– only one of which you’ll see in person– the interview never got to the heart of the matter. So a “wag of the finger” to Stephen Colbert for not asking the obvious questions: is the Volt currently for sale? How much? Does GM have the financial liquidity to make it happen? On that note, Mr. Colbert should take a gander at GM’s market share slide before suggesting (however saracastically) that Lutz should take over the U.S. financial system (shiver). And to think I once compared Stephen Colbert’s passion for truth to the honest goodness of a Ford Ranger. Fake news should be ashamed of themselves.
More by Sajeev Mehta
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"We tried that but people kept running over it." Actually, Lutz held up his end of the humor pretty well. The interview probably could have been funnier but I think it's hard for Lutz to let go of his principal mission: SELL THE VOLT.
Colbert has this amazing ability to being simultaneously stabbing you and laughing with you without serious insult.
I've watched a lot of Colbert interviews, this has to be one of the worst (i.e. for the guest). That line about attracting "no-makeup environmentalists" almost made me die laughing. But the biggest question I have now is this: am I ready to buy an electric car from a man who believes that global warming is caused by sunspots?
I'd love to see any of the supposed B&B sit in the seat across from Colbert and be able to say three words in a row. I think Lutz did splendidly.