NEW YORK — Score one for Stephen Colbert.
Jeb Bush, a scheduled guest on Colbert’s first night hosting CBS’ “The Late Show” on Tuesday, recently sent a letter to potential supporters raffling off a “VIP ticket” to the taping in exchange for a $3 donation to his presidential campaign — a move a CBS entertainment spokesman said wasn’t a coordinated tie-in with the show.
So Colbert took things into his own hands: In a video posted Wednesday, he praised the contest as “a great idea.”
“But here’s the thing,” he said. “No one from Jeb’s campaign asked me if this was OK with me to raise money off my first show. Where’s my cut of that sweet three bucks, Governor? Huh?
“Two can play at this contest,” declared Colbert, unveiling his own raffle: For a $3 (or greater) contribution, you can enter for a chance to be his VIP guest to the premiere taping. The winner gets to bring a friend, and the package also includes flights and accommodations at a four-star hotel.
And another thing: “The lucky winner will get to submit one non-obscene question that I will ask Governor Bush on September 8th,” says Colbert in the video. “For example, one question might be: ‘Don’t you wish you’d consulted Stephen before launching your contest?”’
This “raffle-adjacent” experience is being conducted in partnership with Omaze (an online platform that gives people the chance to win remarkable experiences while supporting social missions), and will benefit The Yellow Ribbon Fund, which supports injured service members and their families.
— Frazier Moore, AP
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