Say what? Colbert says Decemberists 'will feel the pain' for alleged green screen copycatting

A few weeks ago, college-TV network MTVU announced that it would be collaborating with quirky indie rock band The Decemberists on a "green screen challenge" contest for their next music video--fans of the band can use video-editing software to fill in the background of the video however they want, and the winner gets an iMac desktop computer. When the contest began, many an analogy was drawn to Comedy Central talk show host Stephen Colbert, who popularized the "green screen challenge" by encouraging fans to fill in a video of him waving a "Star Wars" lightsaber around.

Well, Colbert has caught wind of the Decemberists' contest, and his blowhard TV persona isn't too happy. On a recent episode of "The Colbert Report," he blasted the Portland, Oregon band for allegedly stealing his idea. Colbert's course of action? Sabotage the contest. "I'm announcing Stephen Colbert's Second Green Screen Challenge: to edit me into The Decemberists' Green Screen Challenge!" he said with mock fervor, gleefully adding that he'd like to "see how well they perform their trademark brand of hyper-literate prog rock when I'm slicing off their legs at the knee."

Colbert then whipped out his trademark lightsaber. "Oh, yes," he mused. "They will feel the pain.

Transcript at Stereogum. Decemberists contest information here; Colbert's Web site here.