Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert stayed in character as his right-wing pundit persona for his 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner speech, praising President George W. Bush to his face in terms that were really an indictment of the press and the administration. The room barely laughed; online, it became a sensation. It is a masterclass in sustained irony and a reminder that a speech can succeed with the wider audience while failing in the room.