Colbert, You Thief!

It was hilarious when Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central's Colbert Report compared the GOP presidential candidates to Klingons after the last debate, when they had competed to pledge that it was more honorable to win the war than the presidency.

Well, now Colbert has been charged with theft by the cohost of one of Air America's leading shows, the Young Turks.

Cenk Uygur charges that Colbert stole the joke from a show the Turks aired on September 7. Colbert told the joke on September 11. Uygur has put a $65 million price tag on his suit.

"Look, he's messing with my livelihood. That's how I put food on my kids' table. If I had kids," says Uygur. He warns Colbert and Comedy Central to "lawyer up."

Comedy Central declined to comment on what's clearly a publicity stunt. How do we know?

Uygur explains that he decided on $65 million because he figures his joke is at least as valuable as that pair of pants lost by a Washington dry cleaner that resulted in a failed $65 million lawsuit from an area judge.

"If a pair of lost pants is worth $65 million, then my jokes are worth a hell of a lot more," he says.

By Paul Bedard