stepped out of character for the better part of the interview and discussed his support for his sister who is running for the U.S. House seat that was vacated by Tim Scott after he was appointed to the Senate to replace the Heritage Foundation's latest wingnut welfare recipient, Jim DeMint.

Colbert Busch's leading contender on the Republican primary side is none other than Mr. Appalachian Trails himself, Mark Sanford. If she's fortunate enough to find herself elected to the House, Colbert told Tapper she would be fair game when he's doing his show:

But now Colbert is breaking character to dip his toe into real politics – supporting his sister Elizabeth Colbert Busch, who works in business development at Clemson University and is running for Congress as a Democrat in their home state of South Carolina.

This is the first election Colbert has become involved in.

"I've actually worked very hard not to get involved in an election because I think people expect me - and I don't want to speak for Jon [Stewart], but people expected of Jon to exercise political power because we talk about politics a lot, and we did the rally and stuff like that," says Colbert.

But this time is different, says the Comedy Central star.

"She's my sister and I'm willing to break the jewel of my own creation to try to do something for her. Like I'm not worried about what it would do to me or my show to try to help her as myself, not as my character but as myself, and if people don't think that's the right thing for me to do, I don't care, it's my sister and I'm willing to help her," says Colbert.

Besides, Colbert says, "I've met these people and my sister is in the top decile."

And he would know. Colbert's faux conservative pundit shtick is basically the longest-running spoof of Washington, D.C., on television.