“It still tragically involves a lot of Canadians.”

“On their enormous billboard thighs, it will say Colbert Nation.”

So said Stephen Colbert yesterday – announcing an agreement to sponsor the U.S. Speedskating team in Vancouver in 2010 after two different banks failed on their promise to deliver funding to the team.

The show, network, and host are not simply writing a big check. According to the article on ESPN:

Colbert is calling on his fans to donate to the team via www.colbertnation.com and www.usspeedskating.org. In the past, Colbert has had a great deal of success raising money this way. He has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Yellow Ribbon Fund, a charity that assists injured service members and their families.

You can read the full story here and enjoy the product placement hurtling toward you in the months to come. One downside for Colbert:

“It still tragically involves a lot of Canadians,” the comedian said. “It’s kind of unseemly how many Canadians I’m going to have to be dealing with.”

Bummer, eh.