Quote:
Originally Posted by Mecca
(Post 6541041)
Why is Stephen Colbert on the Olympics?
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Its a really cool and long story. Around October or so, he wanted to start doing bits on the coming olympics for the Colbert Report show on Comedy Central, and they were trying to brainstorm a way to figure out how to work it in so early months in advance.
Meanwhile, a huge mega-bank in Europe, which was the big sponser of USA speedskating, suddenly had an old-fashion run on the bank, went bankrupt, and could not make a $300,000 sponsership payment that was due to USA speedskating. 3 months before the olympics, too soon to find another sponser, left high and dry, seemingly totally screwed. The USOC was scrambling to try to make up the shortfall to make sure the team made it to Vancouver, but some corners would have to be cut, maybe another sport which would have otherwise gotten aid would suffer.
Colbert, who for some odd reason just happened to always love speedskating, saw the story and jumped all over it. The Colbert Report called USA Speedskating and offered, not a guarantee, but their best effort to get the Colbert nation (the fans of the show) to donate. The head of USA speedskating went on the show and they actually signed an official sponsership agreement on the air. The old bank patches were removed from the uniforms, replaced by these big goofy-looking "Colbert Nation" patches on the speedskating helmets and legs. (only in world cup events, the olympics doesnt allow these sponsership decals).
In 4 days, fans of the show donated $75,000. They started selling these red Colbert Nation caps with the USA speedskating logo on the back, with 70% of all proceeds going to USA speedskating. (I bought one, I have the red Colbert Nation/Speedskating cap on the desk now) In about 2 weeks, the fans of the show raised $300,000. By the start of the olympics, they raised over $350,000, more than the speedskaters lost from their bankrupt sponser. (They now need to find a new permanent sponser, this is just a one-year gag/band-aid/bailout to get them through the olympics)
Colbert took advantage of the whole incredible situation with all these hilarious bits of him "trying out" for various olympic teams. The USOC was obviously grateful enough to play along as he tried luge, bobsled, curling, and finally tried to race Shani Davis with a massive head-start 90% of the way to the finish line. (he still got smoked by Davis)
Sports Illustrated liked the whole amazing story so much, they put him on the cover of SI in one of their olympic preview issues. The speedskating team officially makes him a member of the team as the assistant sports psychologist. Now he basically can go to the olympics and obviously wants to film for his show, but there's a problem: NBC has exclusive rights.
NBC obviously cant say no to Colbert after all this, they would look like total bastards. So, Ebersol went on the Colbert Report, gave him an NBC sweater-vest, and invited him to film speed-skating for a week for his show in Vancouver, if he would agree to an interview with Costas (which we just saw)
The End.
