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Colbert Portrait Hangs at Smithsonian

AP
Posted: 2008-01-17 10:17:57
Filed Under: TV News
WASHINGTON (Jan. 17) - Stephen Colbert was denied when he tried to run for president this year in South Carolina. Now the fake TV pundit is getting some love from the city of his birth.

His portrait was hung Wednesday at the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery in Washington for a six-week showing in what the museum considers an "appropriate place" - right between the bathrooms near the "America's Presidents" exhibit. Museum officials stress it's only temporary.

"We agreed to go along with the joke and hang it for a short time in between the bathrooms," said museum spokeswoman Bethany Bentley. "Let me tell you two key things here: His portrait is not coming into the collection, and it's not hanging permanently."

That may come as a surprise to Colbert, who has campaigned for the honor and boasted on his Comedy Central show Tuesday night that his portrait was "hanging in the hall of presidents, just a few yards from the father of our country - exactly where I believe it belongs."

Colbert, who plays a pompous conservative talk-show host on "The Colbert Report" and recently tried to run for president as a Democrat, went to great lengths to persuade Smithsonian Institution officials he was worthy.

The portrait - actually three portraits in one - depicts a debonair Colbert standing at a fireplace in front of a similar portrait of himself posing in front of the same mantel with a third picture of himself.

After the work was rejected by the National Museum of American History, Colbert eventually made his way to the portrait gallery. Bentley said Colbert wasn't begging so much as "making his case." She said they welcome the conversation about whose portraits are included in the gallery's collection. It was just not Colbert's time, she said.

"Who's the competition? Who do I need to knock out of here to get me up?" Colbert asked gallery director Marc Pachter.

Colbert argued he was more deserving than athletes Lance Armstrong or Andre Agassi and pulled out his Hacky Sack for a few kicks in the art gallery to prove it. "You do realize I'm in big trouble if you hit any of these portraits," Pachter said.

Still, Colbert said he thinks his "sack work" ultimately won Pachter over for the temporary display.

"I don't mean to brag, but as it contains three portraits, my portrait has more portraits than any other portrait in the National Portrait Gallery," he said, adding, "All Employees must wash hands before returning to work."

Word of his portrait at the gallery spread quickly among loyal fans.

Unique Bexley, 20, and Jacqueline Canales, 19, both of Washington, said they talked on the telephone after watching the show Tuesday and decided they had to go to the portrait gallery.

"It's kind of sad that this is the first time we've been here," Canales said Wednesday as a steady stream of young admirers took their pictures with Colbert's portrait.

"We might look at the rest of the museum, but we really came for Colbert," Bexley said. "I needed a new Facebook picture, so it might as well be with Stephen Colbert."

Associated Press photographer Jacquelyn Martin contributed to this report.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-01-17 06:52:10
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26 comments

aprildp1975 12:01:46 AM Jan 21 2008

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colbert ROCKS!!!

imaginemmf 11:50:41 PM Jan 20 2008

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stephen colbert is so much more honorable,honest and handsome than most of the presidents he really desrves a better location as representative of america'a great political satirists ,as the wonderfully located Will Rogers statue reminds us.

Hollyjhand 02:51:38 PM Jan 20 2008

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Stephen Colbert rocks! His portrait should stay there He's a true original.

air1whiting 03:27:32 PM Jan 19 2008

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colbert is Smithsonian worthy!!!! everyone who can go see it, should! Then they will accept it in. They will have to. Why else would younger people go?

blondeangel12208 12:31:46 AM Jan 19 2008

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i would vote for him too.

tucker2222 10:11:58 PM Jan 18 2008

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I would vote for Colbert to be President!!!!

kitdiva 04:35:34 PM Jan 18 2008

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I think this is WONDERFUL!!!!! I visited the Portrait that hangs in "Sticky Fingers" in Charleston, SC - Colbert's home state. My whole family had their pix taken with it! GO Stephen Colbert!!!

ElyseMoonblaze 02:41:50 AM Jan 18 2008

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elysemoonblaze 02:26:29 AM Jan 18 2008
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I think this whole thing with the writers guild should have been over with when people started losing their jobs before christmas... obviously there are quite a few hard working people in hollywood that aren't actors, and not writers or directors and don't have million dollar homes and cars and depend on a weekly paycheck and without them the show won't go on, and they lost jobs, their paychecks and right before christmas.. do you think they can explain to their kids why "santa didn't show".. why christmas morning mommy was crying over breakfast? they seem to prove that hollywood is a bunch of overpaid and annoying plastics running around without underwear or a ounce of common sense... I really hope they start thinking about how this affects other people.. and the only people I am really rooting for are the people that are getting ****** over and when they get back to work won't be getting raises or bonuses or residual dividends off

ElyseMoonblaze 02:39:40 AM Jan 18 2008

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elysemoonblaze 02:26:29 AM Jan 18 2008
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I think this whole thing with the writers guild should have been over with when people started losing their jobs before christmas... obviously there are quite a few hard working people in hollywood that aren't actors, and not writers or directors and don't have million dollar homes and cars and depend on a weekly paycheck and without them the show won't go on, and they lost jobs, their paychecks and right before christmas.. do you think they can explain to their kids why "santa didn't show".. why christmas morning mommy was crying over breakfast? they seem to prove that hollywood is a bunch of overpaid and annoying plastics running around without underwear or a ounce of common sense... I really hope they start thinking about how this affects other people.. and the only people I am really rooting for are the people that are getting ****** over and when they get back to work won't be getting raises or bonuses or residual dividends off

ElyseMoonblaze 02:39:36 AM Jan 18 2008

Report This!

elysemoonblaze 02:26:29 AM Jan 18 2008
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I think this whole thing with the writers guild should have been over with when people started losing their jobs before christmas... obviously there are quite a few hard working people in hollywood that aren't actors, and not writers or directors and don't have million dollar homes and cars and depend on a weekly paycheck and without them the show won't go on, and they lost jobs, their paychecks and right before christmas.. do you think they can explain to their kids why "santa didn't show".. why christmas morning mommy was crying over breakfast? they seem to prove that hollywood is a bunch of overpaid and annoying plastics running around without underwear or a ounce of common sense... I really hope they start thinking about how this affects other people.. and the only people I am really rooting for are the people that are getting ****** over and when they get back to work won't be getting raises or bonuses or residual dividends off

ElyseMoonblaze 02:39:14 AM Jan 18 2008

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elysemoonblaze 02:26:29 AM Jan 18 2008
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I think this whole thing with the writers guild should have been over with when people started losing their jobs before christmas... obviously there are quite a few hard working people in hollywood that aren't actors, and not writers or directors and don't have million dollar homes and cars and depend on a weekly paycheck and without them the show won't go on, and they lost jobs, their paychecks and right before christmas.. do you think they can explain to their kids why "santa didn't show".. why christmas morning mommy was crying over breakfast? they seem to prove that hollywood is a bunch of overpaid and annoying plastics running around without underwear or a ounce of common sense... I really hope they start thinking about how this affects other people.. and the only people I am really rooting for are the people that are getting ****** over and when they get back to work won't be getting raises or bonuses or residual dividends off

ElyseMoonblaze 02:39:11 AM Jan 18 2008

Report This!

elysemoonblaze 02:26:29 AM Jan 18 2008
Report This!

I think this whole thing with the writers guild should have been over with when people started losing their jobs before christmas... obviously there are quite a few hard working people in hollywood that aren't actors, and not writers or directors and don't have million dollar homes and cars and depend on a weekly paycheck and without them the show won't go on, and they lost jobs, their paychecks and right before christmas.. do you think they can explain to their kids why "santa didn't show".. why christmas morning mommy was crying over breakfast? they seem to prove that hollywood is a bunch of overpaid and annoying plastics running around without underwear or a ounce of common sense... I really hope they start thinking about how this affects other people.. and the only people I am really rooting for are the people that are getting ****** over and when they get back to work won't be getting raises or bonuses or residual dividends off

ElyseMoonblaze 02:39:08 AM Jan 18 2008

Report This!

elysemoonblaze 02:26:29 AM Jan 18 2008
Report This!

I think this whole thing with the writers guild should have been over with when people started losing their jobs before christmas... obviously there are quite a few hard working people in hollywood that aren't actors, and not writers or directors and don't have million dollar homes and cars and depend on a weekly paycheck and without them the show won't go on, and they lost jobs, their paychecks and right before christmas.. do you think they can explain to their kids why "santa didn't show".. why christmas morning mommy was crying over breakfast? they seem to prove that hollywood is a bunch of overpaid and annoying plastics running around without underwear or a ounce of common sense... I really hope they start thinking about how this affects other people.. and the only people I am really rooting for are the people that are getting ****** over and when they get back to work won't be getting raises or bonuses or residual dividends off

winraywin 12:34:41 AM Jan 18 2008

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stupid...take it down!!!!!

dgh1009 11:30:38 PM Jan 17 2008

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I'm pleased to see the Smithsonian has a sense of humor. He has affected American culture as much as some of the people in the entertainment section. Of course he can't be in with the presidents, but he deserves a place in our museum of popular culture.

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