Colbert, Decemberists rattle their light sabers

Two unlikely foes have launched a mock feud to be fought in a sea of green.

Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” earlier this year held a “Green Screen Challenge,” in which he implored fans to fill in the green background of a video of Colbert skewering an imaginary enemy with a light saber.

His loyal Colbert Nation (and George Lucas) responded with a number of creative, animated scenarios.

The Decemberists, the critically acclaimed indie rock group fronted by Colin Meloy, recently announced a competition of their own. Their mtvU-sponsored “Reanimated the Decemberists” offered fans a chance to animate the green background to their new video for “O Valencia!”

1. More Entertainment stories
   1. Autistic ballerina dances her way into hearts
      

      In a popular YouTube video, the beaming little ballerina dances an entire four-minute routine seemingly perfectly, matchin...

   2. Every on-screen drink in 'Mad Men' in 5 minutes
   3. See the 'Dancing' stars' most memorable moves
   4. Emmy's biggest snubs? Cranston, Hamm, more
   5. 'Toy Story' toys burn up in prank on mom

On his show last week, Colbert claimed the Decemberists’ contest was a blatant copycat.

“Green screen? Hmm, where I have heard that before?” said Colbert, who plays a confrontational political talk-show host on the program.

He then issued “Stephen Colbert’s Second Green Screen Challenge,” challenging his fans to edit their leader into the Decemberists’ video using the same light-saber footage available at colbertnation.com.

“Let’s see how they perform their trademark brand of hyper-literate prog rock when I’m slicing off their legs at the knees,” declared Colbert. “Oh, yes, they will feel the pain.”

But Meloy, a charismatic and witty performer himself, hasn’t backed down. In an e-mail to music Web site Pitchforkmedia.com, Meloy and his bandmates responded: “We are asking our fans to help us win this epic battle. That’s right, we want you to help us defeat Stephen Colbert in our video!”

The Decemberists also upped the ante by proclaiming the first “Decemberists vs. Stephen Colbert Guitar Solo Challenge” and concluding, “Your move, Colbert.”