Stephen Colbert declared himself a North Carolina native this week during a segment on "The Colbert Report" in which he discussed his sister, Elizabeth Colbert Busch, losing a congressional election in his home state of South Carolina to former disgraced South Carolina governor Mark Sanford.
The angry Colbert said he felt betrayed by his home state and would turn his back on it. "From now on," he said. "And I never thought I'd say this, I am from North Carolina. No, I have to -- I have to! I'm a Tar Heel now! Whatever the f*#$ that means."
Colbert then went on to profess his love for the state bird, the cardinal (after consulting an Almanac to get the bird's name right). "That's a stupid bird," he said. "But it's mine now."
Colbert also mentioned the state dog (the Plot Hound) before slamming North Carolina 'cue as a "sauceless, vinegar-based meat product that they call barbecue." Colbert then took a bite of some eastern N.C. barbecue and gagged.
We know Colbert is a great, great actor because there's no way he prefers that mustardy South Carolina mess to our delicious pig. Smithfield Chicken N' Bar-B-Q, a local barbecue and fried chicken chain, posted an open letter to Colbert on their website last night, challenging his barbecue tastes and offering to send him some of their barbecue and slaw in an effort to set his mind -- and taste buds -- right.
You can watch the full Colbert segment here.
Last night's "Saturday Night Live" opened with a skit of South Carolina's Governor Mark Sanford, Nevada Senator John Ensign, and North Carolina's former senator John Edwards holding a press conference criticizing the media for their coverage of the Tiger Woods scandal.

Everyone's talking today about the antics of South Carolina's rogue governor Mark Sanford, who disappeared for several days and at one point was reported to be off hiking the Appalachian Trail. Turns out he was actually