Dec 3 2009 10:04 PM ET

Speedskater Shani Davis calls U.S. team patron Stephen Colbert 'a jerk'

Categories: Uncategorized

U.S. speedskater and Olympic gold medalist Shani Davis called Colbert Report star and U.S. Speedskating patron Stephen Colbert “a jerk” on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. Davis, who has trained in Calgary, was reacting to a question from the Canadian Press about the late-night host’s Canada-bashing, which included references to the residents of that country as “syrup-suckers,” “Sasketchewhiners,” and “Canadian iceholes.”  Colbert, a proud patriot (and aggressive satirist) who raised $300,000 via his website for U.S. Speedskating after Dutch bank DSB pulled out of its sponsorship, was reacting to the restrictions placed on foreign teams attempting to use Canadian facilities to train for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Talk about it on PopWatch:
Stephen Colbert: Is speedskater Shani Davis beggin’ to be put On Notice?

Comments (1-15) of 83 Add your comment

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  • Chris Richards

    I hope that she was either misquoted or did not know the context, because Colbert is hilarious. And, really, he raised 300 grand for the speedskaters, so how much of a jerk can he be?

    • John

      Shani’s a dude. He was also the first African American male to an Olympic Gold Medal in the winter olympics. He is talented but has no sense of humor.

  • Susan

    Chris – Shani is a dude. Won a gold medal in 2006 – known for NOT being a team player.

    • Skip182

      if not for colbert, he wouldn’t even have a team to embarass.

      • Ice Ice Baby

        It’s not a team sport….

    • J

      Davis’s comment does not surprise me. As I recall, he was a first rate jerk at 2006 games.

      • robert

        from the “takes one to know one” book people – move along nothing more to say – everyone is entitled to their opinoin of people – you all have or will call your boss a jerk – yet – have any of you turned away the paycheck

      • Chuck

        Yea but my boss isn’t Stephen Colbert, and I wouldn’t call my boss a jerk for making jokes…on a comedy program! If my boss gave me 300,000 bucks, he could spit on my grave for all I care, let alone make some competetive humor. So I’d say shani davis is jerk, a joke, and a crybaby. You can put that on paper.

  • Amanda

    doesn’t he know that most of what he says is a joke. for any one to take him seriously should just not make comments because they look like the jerk.

  • Ann

    I seem to remember Shani Davis being particularly bitter at the world at the last olympics. And that was after he had won a gold medal, which ordinarily makes people pretty happy. So I’m not all that surprised that he still can’t interact with people in a humorous, or even just baseline normal, sort of way.

  • Sarah

    Doesn’t Shani also realize that the public Stephen Colbert is also a persona? He is purposely trying to be a jerk. But did Colbert do to be a jerk?

  • Cris

    I’m waiting for Miracle Whip to take on Shani Davis as its sponsor to double-team Colbert.

    • Greg

      I’m waiting on Tampax to sponsor shani davis, he could use one.

  • Secondrink

    Oh, that was a mistake. Shani is going to hugely regret that comment because Colbert will now mock him mercilessly. Woohoo! Additionally, few people in entertainment are as well regarded as the Daily Show’s alums. And really, he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a small sport in this country. Come on! [/GOB]

    • D

      Shani should be put ON NOTICE.

      • robert

        Meghan – tell you media folks to shut up then

  • Meghan

    1) Colbert is VERY POPULAR IN CANADA.
    2) We KNOW he’s a satirist and are not offended.
    3) We kind of like it when he mocks us, let us know he remembers we exist!

    • Dory

      Agreed 100%.

    • Whatever

      What a great way of looking at this. Funny post!

    • Ice Ice Baby

      This is why Canadians are awesome!

    • Keith

      Thank you for posting this. I was worried our neighbors to the north lost their sense of humor. When Colbert does his “Canada-bashing” jokes he is making fun of us American’s and the attitudes we sometimes have toward Canada. Maybe it is just this member of the press, and Davis, who don’t get it.

      • fullojoy

        Exactly! Its like when he mocks Obama – everyone (who watches the show, anyway) knows its his character, and he does it to expose the hypocrisy of people. Canada loves Colbert!

      • Rock Golf

        Tru dat! Since his show (& The Daily Show) are carried by CTV, Canada’s most popular network at midnight & 12:30am, almost half the total viewing audience for both shows are actually Canadian viewers. Statistically, Canadians are 5 times more likely than Americans to watch Colbert.

    • Ambient Lite

      Shani’s just not in on the joke. I’m glad to hear there’s at least one person in Canada that “gets it”!
      Colbert’s whole schtick is being overwhelmingly patriotic and Canada’s one of the few countries he can target with jokes and NOT start up some sort of international incident.
      Poor, silly syrup-sucking Shani. Colbert’s a good guy.

  • Lea

    Shani Davis definitely talks like an icehole.

  • jon

    obviously a joke. get over it. slow news night i guess.

  • Al

    Colbert’s act got tired long ago. These publicity stunts to keep his name in the news are just pleas for attention. I’m starting to wonder if he wants to rig online votes, announce he’s running for President and get into these public sqabbles as part of his character, or just because he’s an attention whore.

    • Skip182

      You’re on notice Al.

      • Jen

        Congrats, Al. You made it to number two on the Threatdown — as a humourless moron.

    • Hmmmm

      It’s a little odd for someone who claims to not like people who seek attention to be reading entertainment weekly online isn’t it?

      • Rock Golf

        Bazinga.

    • kat

      You’re getting a wag of the finger, AI!

    • Keith

      Another person who doesn’t get it. Colbert does these things to make a point, a very funny point. Many of these “publicity stunts” are to show how easy it is to manipulate the public when you are a member of the media. He is poking fun at, most notably, the right-wing talk show hosts, and us Americans. Steven Colber is our generations Andy Kofman. If you get it he is hillarious, if you don’t then everything he does seems “stupid”.

    • Nancy

      Al, You are DEAD TO ME!

    • Tim

      It’s his job to be popular, he’s a celebrity. It’s our job to be entertained. If you are getting offended or annoyed by his humor, watch Nickelodian. But if anybody needs to stop talking all together, its shani davis, unless he wants to lose even more support. Cuz honestly, gold medal skater is still second fiddle to anybody with actual personality.

  • Enrique

    Shani is the jerk.Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.Seriously,who cares about speed skating?I would think it needs not just all the money it can get (which Colbert is getting,but all the publicity it can get.I’ve never watched speed skating and Colbert is the one who brought it to my attention.I still won’t be watching it because the Olympics is for cheats.Gimme the X-Games any day.

  • Jenn

    Shani, don’t bite the hand that feeds you my man.

    I remember this guy from the last Olympics. He didn’t seem to be a very pleasant fellow.

  • cthemusic

    I love Stephen Colbert and I’m Canadian!

  • Kaylie

    This is just a misunderstanding. He probably didn’t know who Stephen Colbert is or that he was just be sarcastic. I hate when journalists manipulate a situation that way.

    • Lauren

      No, this guy is just kind of a massive douche. He’s the type that would steal candy from a baby

      • Ice Ice Baby

        No he’s not, he just doesn’t have a sense of humor. Doesn’t make him a bad person. Trust me, I’ve seen multiple interviews with him on tv.

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