January 17, 2008
Mr. Colbert Goes To The Smithsonian
Is there anything Stephen Colbert can't do with a little prodding (and a lot of shouting) on his Comedy Central talk show? After several days of needling by the faux-conservative pundit, Washington's own notoriously buttoned-up Smithsonian Institution "agreed to go along with the joke" this week and hang Colbert's "triple portrait" for a limited time at the National Portrait Gallery.
In several recent episodes of the "Colbert Report," the would-be presidential candidate urged the Smithsonian to treat him as a "national treasure" and offered to donate his portrait, which actually features three different images of Colbert, to the National Museum of American History. The director of that museum, perhaps not willing to endure months of taunting by the often relentless comedian, compromised and offered the painting to the National Portrait Gallery, which "after much 'discussion'" agreed to hang it in an "appropriate place" -- between the bathrooms and above the water fountain near its "America's Presidents" exhibit.
AP has more on this story. If you want to see the portrait, act quickly: The Smithsonian is taking great pains to let everyone know this little charade won't last forever. The museum has details here.
Photo by Amy Baskette for the National Portrait Gallery
