9.2 Music 9.3 I Am America (And So Can You!) 9.4 I Am A Pole (And So Can You!) 9.5 America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't 10 See also 11 Further reading 12 Notes


6.2.4 Honors Bestowed by Media Organizations
6.2.5 Arts
6.2.6 Athletics
7 Cultural impact
8 International distribution
9 Related multimedia
9.1 DVD
9.2 Music
9.3 I Am America (And So Can You!)
9.4 I Am A Pole (And So Can You!)
9.5 America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't
10 See also
11 Further reading
12 Notes
13 References
14 External links
Production[edit]

In 2005, The Daily Show won Primetime Emmy Awards, and Comedy Central wanted to expand the franchise.[9] Producers were also looking for a way to hold on to Colbert, Daily Show correspondent and co-writer for six seasons, after the show's other breakout star, Steve Carell, left the program to pursue a career in film and network television. Jon Stewart and Ben Karlin (The Daily Show's executive producer) supposedly came up with the idea for The Colbert Report after watching coverage of the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Bill O'Reilly. Jon Stewart's production company, Busboy Productions, developed The Report. Colbert, Stewart, and Karlin pitched the idea of the show (reportedly with one phrase: "our version of The O'Reilly Factor with Stephen Colbert") to Comedy Central chief Doug Herzog, who agreed to run the show for eight weeks without creating a pilot.[10]
The Colbert Report first appeared in the form of four television commercials for itself which aired several times on The Daily Show, although the themes that form the basis for The Report can be seen in the reports of Colbert's correspondent character on The Daily Show. The show debuted October 17, 2005, with an initial contract for an eight-week run. On November 2, 2005, based on the strong ratings for the show's first two weeks, Comedy Central and Colbert announced they had signed for an additional year, through the end of 2006.[11] In 2007, co-head writer Allison Silverman became an executive producer of the show.[12]

Emanuel warned freshmen Representatives from appearing on the show, a moratorium lasting until Pelosi took back her statement in exchange for Colbert’s support of the DISCLOSE Act.[8] Contents [hide]

ot ultimately win but received an honorable mention in the form of a treadmill) and attempting to pressure Sweden’s tourism bureau into giving Colbert access to the Twitter account @Sweden.[7] The show’s "Better Know a District" segment also received attention after Democratic Party leaders including Nancy Pelosi and Rahm Emanuel warned freshmen Representatives from appearing on the show, a moratorium lasting until Pelosi took back her statement in exchange for Colbert’s support of the DISCLOSE Act.[8]
Contents  [hide]
1 Production
1.1 Program format
1.2 Set
1.3 Writers' strike
2 Episodes
3 Stephen Colbert character
3.1 Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando
3.2 Bears
3.3 Truthiness
3.4 Relation to The O'Reilly Factor
3.5 Green Screen Challenge
3.6 Wrist violence and fictional addiction
3.7 Colbert Bump
3.8 Recurring characters
4 Reception
5 Presented as non-satirical journalism
5.1 Tom DeLay Legal Defense Trust
5.2 Robert Wexler
6 Awards
6.1 Arts honors
6.2 Other honors
6.2.1 Titles
6.2.2 Animals named for Stephen Colbert
6.2.3 Places and Things Named for Stephen Colbert

h the changeover sparked widespread customer complaints.[35] On December 12, 2012, Virgin America introduced their first airport lounge, entitled the Virgin America Loft. The Virgin America Loft is located at LAX's Terminal 3 and drinks, snacks, and Wi-Fi are provided complimentary. While Elevate Gold and Elevate Silver members receive a select number of complimentary day passes

ing to Toronto from Los Angeles and San Francisco, which, pending government approval, would make it the airline's first international destination.[28] On April 2, 2010, the DOT approved Virgin America's proposal to fly to Canada,[29] and flights began on June 29, 2010.[30] However, due to high operating costs and higher demand for Dallas/Fort-Worth, Virgin America terminated Toronto service on April 6, 2011.[31] Virgin America began its service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on December 1, 2010, with non-stop to LAX and SFO.
In 2010, Black Canyon sold its stake in the airline to VAI Partners, a group of investors lead by Cyrus Capital Partners.[32]
In April 2011, Virgin America’s hub at San Francisco International Airport relocated to the newly remodeled Terminal 2,[33] sharing the gates with American Airlines.[34] In late October 2011, the airline migrated to Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS) that handles reservations, frequent-flier accounts, flight operations data and crew scheduling, needed to “handle future growth”, according to the Wall Street Journal. Difficulties with the changeover sparked widespread customer complaints.[35]
On December 12, 2012, Virgin America introduced their first airport lounge, entitled the Virgin America Loft. The Virgin America Loft is located at LAX's Terminal 3 and drinks, snacks, and Wi-Fi are provided complimentary. While Elevate Gold and Elevate Silver members receive a select number of complimentary day passes each year, any passenger flying Virgin America or another Virgin America airline partner may purchase day passes to the Virgin America Loft.[36]
Corporate offices[edit]

Virgin America leases 68,000 square feet (6,300 m2) of space at Bay Park Plaza II (formerly known as the Forbes Building), a building at 555 Airport Boulevard in Burlingame, California in the San Francisco Bay Area, owned, leased, and managed by Equity Office.[37] Virgin America occupies suite 500 in the building, which is located across a lagoon from U.S. Highway 101 (Bayshore Freeway).[37][38]
Destinations[edit]

Main article: Virgin America destinations
Virgin America initially predicted that it would have approximately ten destinations within the first year of service and up to 30 after five years of service.[39]
Virgin America currently flies to twenty destinations in the United States and three in Mexico.
Fleet[edit]



"Air Colbert", the aircraft used on Virgin America's inaugural flight, on the ground at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
Virgin America received its first Airbus A320 on February 24, 2006. The two inaugural flights on August 8, 2007, were on A320s named Air Colbert (named after comedian Stephen Colbert) and California Dreaming.
Virgin America renamed one of its aircraft, an Airbus A320, in honor of