Poe's Law is a staple in just about every religion/philosophy forum I've ever visited, especially when a new poster comes along.

It's easy to come across as suspiciously Poe-like on the Internet. Double credit to Colbert for pulling it off on TV.

Stephen Colbert is a good example. Seen a few people not realize he's a satirist right away.

Seen an entire reception planning system not realize he was a satirist.

See: 2006 whitehouse correspondent's dinner.

The Whitehouse Correspondent's Dinner invites comedians knowingly. Wanda Sykes was a speaker for Obama's first one.

Yeah, but they usually don't brazenly humiliate the President and the entire Washington press corps simultaneously.

and it does not apply to liberal ideas, does it? Remember PETA sent this thing to catch flies when Obama killed a fly on air with his bare hand? I'd say it's joke, but it's on their website: http://blog.peta.org/archives/2009/06/obama_and_the_f.php

I've never seen it applied to liberal ideas but I'm sure it's possible. Part of the problem is that English speakers (and Americans) are far enough to the right of the rest of the world that you can actually find earnest and serious proponents of far-left ideas that, to English speakers, are absolutely insane.

americaspeakingout.com is filled with examples of this law in action.

"I propose a constitutional amendment that solidifies the fact that America is a Christian Nation to counteract the liberals assertation that it is not. "

Q.E.D.

Republicans quickly established a powerful online presence with that project.

poe'd!

My favorite example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvVAV09-dQ8

This instantly reminded me of Pastafarianism: http://www.venganza.org/