Stephen Colbert stole my Sharpie!

So there I was...where was I? In Al Faw Palace witnessing the amazing transformation of the rotunda into a TV studio for "The Colbert Report!" Not only is it cool that one of my favorite shows came all the way to Baghdad to film a week of shows, but I got to be in the audience for one of them! I even got to be on TV (for my 15 milliseconds of fame as the camera panned over the crowd). This was the first time a TV show has actually filmed and broadcast from a combat zone. Stephen and his crew were all very nice and did what they could to accomodate autographs and photos, even in the midst of all the work of producing a TV show. I did not get a photo with Stephen but I did get an autograph. But there's a dark side to the story.
At the end of the last show, 2 folks from my office and I descended from the 3rd floor to try to get a picture on the stage before the crew started tearing everything back down. We were denied, because Stephen was taking pictures with his crew and with the soliders who worked all week playing roadie for the show. Side note, so they get deployed to do THAT? Anyway, whilst denied the chance for a photo, one of the guys I was with suggested we try to get Stephen to sign a poster-sized IAG (see previous post) logo we have. We ran back upstairs, grabbed the 4' x 4' poster and went back to try to catch Stephen before he left. We once again were rebuffed by overly self-important MPs. However, one of our little band was friends with the Public Affairs Lt who was ostensibly running things, and he called her over, and asked if she would take the poster back to get Stephen to sign it. She said she would try. However, there was nothing with which to sign the poster! I quickly came to the rescue and offered my trusty black Sharpie that, as a trained higher-headquarters-staff killer, I carry with me at all times. The day was saved! A few minutes later, the Lt returned with our poster, complete with a John Hancock-sized autograph from Stephen. But wait! Where was the Sharpie? I know not. It was not returned and so I can only surmise that STEPHEN COLBERT STOLE MY SHARPIE!! If you see him, tell him I want it back. It was a nice one with the grippy stuff on the front too.
What was the Al Faw Rotunda is now the "Colbert Report" studio.
I did manage to sit in Stephen's chair on stage, but this was before they started taping the shows, and the stage hands had taken down all the "sandbags" that were made up to look like an American flag. Too bad, but I did get on stage! I really liked the backdrop that they used for the show all week. They used the palace, an M1 tank, an aircraft carrier, a squadron of F-16s, and a squadron of port-o-johns!

Pre-show. Shortly after I got this picture we were all told to go stay in our seats. Somebody must have started some trend that the security folks didn't like. Great, they ruined it for everyone!

At the end of the rehearsal show. Stephen went and sat in the crowd. Can you find him? I'll give you a hint, he's wearing green.