ON THE MEND
Leave it to a celebrity to find a way to make money off of a quasi-tragedy.
Fans of Stephen Colbert know how much the 43-year-old comedian has been milking his wrist injury over the past few weeks. A couple of months ago Colbert took a dive while running around his New York studio before tapping an episode. As a result, he was fitted with a cast and debuted it on his program’s July 26 episode.
Since then, Colbert has squeezed every drop of material out of the injury. Seriously, the guy has come up with some of the funniest and original gags involving wrist injuries, including creating a red “WristStrong” bracelet, which parodies the yellow “LiveStrong” bands developed to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
And just when I thought there was nothing more he could possibly do to bring awareness to his injured wrist, Colbert just announced he plans to auction his cast to the highest bidder and give the proceeds to the Yellow Ribbon Fund (a charity that helps injured service members and their families).
“If I had known that it would give me the opportunity to help our wounded veterans, I would have shattered my triquetrum a long time ago,” Colbert said in a statement.
If that cast doesn’t bring in some major dough I will be completely shocked. The cast now bears the autographs of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CBS “Evening News” anchor Katie Couric, NBC “Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams, Fox News “The O’Reilly Factor” host Bill O’Reilly, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, NBC “Meet the Press” host Tim Russert and White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.
It will be auctioned on eBay after tonight’s “The Colbert Report,” on Comedy Central. Bids will be accepted until September 3rd, with the winner to be announced the week of September 10th on Colbert’s show.
A NEW HOUSEWIFE
The ladies on Wisteria Lane will have a new neighbor this season.
According to “Desperate Housewives” producers, actress Dana Delany is currently on the set of the hit ABC show playing a new housewife. Delany’s character Katherine is reportedly a conservative Republican with “an All-American wholesomeness and a master of passive aggressiveness.”
In addition, “Firefly’s” Nathan Fillion has signed on to play Katherine’s hunky, tight shirt wearing younger husband.
And here’s an interesting bit of TV trivia: Delany originally read for the role of Bree Van de Kamp, but “Desperate Housewives” creator Marc Cherry turned her down three times before hiring Marcia Cross to play the uptight housewife.