Stephen Colbert's Top Publicity Stunts

By Amber James Posted Nov 3rd 2009 03:47PM

On Monday Stephen Colbert announced his show 'The Colbert Report' has become the primary sponsor of the U.S. Speedskating team. "On their enormous, billboard thighs, it will say, 'Colbert Nation.' Be looking for that logo as it comes around the final turn. It will be easy to see because it will be in first place," Colbert said. Honestly, we shouldn't expect anything less from Colbert who has staged many headlining stunts. Let's take a look at how influential Colbert has been on the nation and beyond. >>>

Olympic U.S. Speedskating Sponsor

Stephen Colbert's show is the primary sponsor of the U.S. Speedskating team after the team's largest annual cash sponsor, DSB Bank NV, left the team after it declared bankruptcy in October. "Colbert Nation" will now be emblazoned on the team's uniforms during the Winter Olympics starting Feb. 10 in Vancouver.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

In 2007, Ben & Jerry's ice cream company named a flavor after him called "Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream." It is vanilla ice cream with fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and caramel. Ben & Jerry's called it, "The sweet taste of liberty in your mouth."

Colbert For President

Colbert tried to run for president during the 2008 election, but shortly after the Stephen Colbert '08 presidential campaign filed to run on the Democratic ballot in South Carolina's primary, the state party voted to kick the comedian out of the race. According to the Associated Press, party officials met for approximately 40 minutes and then voted 13-3 to remove Colbert from the ballot.

Colbert In Space

In April, Colbert encouraged his fans to suggest his name for NASA's newest space station module. NASA received more than 230,000 write-in votes to name the node "Colbert", but astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams broke the news that the space agency would not be naming the new Node 3 module after the comedian. Instead his name would fly in space attached to the node's new treadmill.

Colbert Art

Stephen Colbert petitioned to have his portrait hung in the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery in Washington - and got it. His portrait was up for a six-week showing in what the museum considers an "appropriate place" - right between the bathrooms near the "America's Presidents" exhibit.

Colbert Is A Spider Man

After a spider was named after legendary rocker Neil Young, Colbert wanted to be named after one, too. After much pleading, East Carolina University associate professor Jason Bond named a species of trapdoor spider Aptostichus stephencolberti in honor of Stephen Colbert.

Stephen Colbert Salutes Hungary

www.colbertnation.com

The Colbert Bridge?

In 2006, The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Transport of Hungary held a contest in 2006 to name its Northern M0 Danube bridge. When Colbert caught wind of it, he urged viewers to write him in. It worked. The name "Stephen Colbert" won by nearly 9,000 votes (No. 2 was Jon Stewart ). The Ministry acknowledged the win and the country's ambassador came on The Colbert Report to share the news. But in the end, the Ministry overruled the vote and declared the bridge's official name The Megyeri Bridge.

Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle

The junior hockey club at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has Colbert to thank for the sudden interest in the team's jerseys and hats, which now are selling in places as far and wide as California, Ireland and Scotland. When the team announced it was seeking a name for its new eagle mascot, Colbert began pleading on the air for the Spirit to name it after him. The team obliged in September, and Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle was born.

Air Colbert

Virgin America named one of its new A320 jets "Air Colbert." A 'The Colbert Report' decal has been affixed to the nose of the plane.