"The Colbert Report" celebrated its one-year anniversary by offering the show's devoted audience — the "Colbert Nation" — a piece of its leader.
Colbert announced on Tuesday that he will auction the portrait that hangs above the fireplace on the set of his Comedy Central show. The painting depicts a debonair Colbert standing in front of the very same portrait of himself.
The portrait will be auctioned on eBay until Oct. 27, with the winner announced on the show on Oct. 30. Proceeds will benefit Save the Children.
"I've already saved the world. How hard could saving the children be?" Colbert said in a statement.
The effect of the painting is that of a hall of mirrors — not unlike the strange reflections of Colbert's comedy, which bounces back and forth between reality and truthiness. A spinoff of "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report" has built a following of its own since debuting last year, when it famously coined "truthiness" as truth that comes from the gut, not books.
The "Colbert Report," a deadpan parody of combative, conservative talk shows, also recently wrapped up its "Green Screen Challenge," in which viewers were urged to supply new video background to footage of Colbert fighting with a lightsaber.
A video by a viewer identified as Bonnie R. trumped a late entry from — as Colbert introduced — George L. It turned out to be the work of "Star Wars" director George Lucas, who appeared on the program last week.
"The Colbert Report" airs Mondays through Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.