Stephen Colbert Spams Congressional Press Secretaries (UPDATE)

Stephen Colbert Spams Congress

WASHINGTON -- Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert may have failed to run a very good super PAC, and he may have failed to win over voters with his South Carolina presidential campaign, but he's not giving up on politics.

He may be setting his sights a bit lower. The comedy conservative has begun spamming congressional press secretaries.

The email flood stems from a Colbert Nation website gimmick that promises "a new way to get involved." Users click on a map of the United States to invite a member of Congress to participate in a TV segment called "Better Know a District."

"Help YOUR District get Better Known!" the web page says. "Click on the cutting-edge cyberweb technology of the Represent-O-Map 6000 to be instantly e-connected to your U.S. representative or any other member. Or just use the Searchy Box-Thingy 4500 below. Send an email asking them to be a guest on Stephen's "Better Know a District" segment. Let the accountability begin!"

Numerous House flacks report taking incoming from the comedian, but seem mostly amused.

"We've already been on his show," said one.

"The only House members who haven't gone on 'Better Know a District' are the 78 to 81 members of the Communist Party," said another, referring to a recent comment by Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) that dubbed progressives in Congress as communists.

"It's odd. They could just ask the normal way," said a third.

It's not clear how much work the show put into the effort. For instance, all House members appear to be listed as Democrats, including West and House Speaker John Boehner.

But the press secretaries have their own offices to blame for the email in their inboxes, said Steve Albani, a spokesman for Comedy Central, which airs Colbert's show.

"Producers from the Colbert Nation website contacted all of the representatives’ offices and asked each what email address should be used for this feature," Albani explained. "Emails are directed to the addresses provided."

This story has been updated with comment from Comedy Central.

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