In an Inception-sized bit of irony, Stephen Colbert has been threatened with legal action for being "Stephen Colbert" on late-night television. Allow us to explain.
The real-life actor, comedian and late night host Stephen Colbert recently brought back his brash, Republican Colbert Report character "Stephen Colbert" for a segment about Donald Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. For the piece, he revisited his popular Colbert Report bit "The Word."
Then, last night, Colbert announced that Comedy Central's parent company Viacom threatened him with legal action if he were to use his "Colbert" character.
"This is true, immediately after that show, CBS' top lawyer was contacted by the top lawyer for another company to say that the character Stephen Colbert is their intellectual property," the real-life Colbert said. "So it is with a heavy heart that I announce that thanks to corporate lawyers, the character Stephen Colbert, host of The Colbert Report, will never be seen again.
After the audience booed, he said, "I feel the same way but what can I do? The lawyers have spoken. I cannot reasonably argue I own my face or name. And as much as I'd like to have that guy on again, I can't."
Rather than leave it at that, however, Stephen Colbert went one step further — he introduced a third Stephen Colbert, who he described as his "identical cousin." The new Stephen Colbert arrived with a new segment — "The Werd."
Watch the Colbert ridiculousness unfold below.
The real-life actor, comedian and late night host Stephen Colbert recently brought back his brash, Republican Colbert Report character "Stephen Colbert" for a segment about Donald Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. For the piece, he revisited his popular Colbert Report bit "The Word."
Then, last night, Colbert announced that Comedy Central's parent company Viacom threatened him with legal action if he were to use his "Colbert" character.
"This is true, immediately after that show, CBS' top lawyer was contacted by the top lawyer for another company to say that the character Stephen Colbert is their intellectual property," the real-life Colbert said. "So it is with a heavy heart that I announce that thanks to corporate lawyers, the character Stephen Colbert, host of The Colbert Report, will never be seen again.
After the audience booed, he said, "I feel the same way but what can I do? The lawyers have spoken. I cannot reasonably argue I own my face or name. And as much as I'd like to have that guy on again, I can't."
Rather than leave it at that, however, Stephen Colbert went one step further — he introduced a third Stephen Colbert, who he described as his "identical cousin." The new Stephen Colbert arrived with a new segment — "The Werd."
Watch the Colbert ridiculousness unfold below.
