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"I'm in violation of the FEC laws, and so can you!"

Several facets of Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert’s South Carolina-only presidential campaign puts him seriously at odds with the outfit that oversees federal elections. There’ve been a lot of campaign laws concocted since Pat Paulsen ran for president.

And readers of this magazine know that Doug Stanhope quickly abandoned his run for the White House when it became clear that a comedian running for president faces monster fines or, at the very least, lots of red tape.

Colbert’s campaign is doomed. Sure, he’ll get plenty of publicity, but Viacom probably won’t fancy paying six-figure (or more!) fines when the FEC comes a-knockin’!

“How serious can you get about running as a joke?” said Massie Ritsch, communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan group that tracks campaign finances. “The Federal Election Commission doesn’t have a great sense of humor.“

Nor does Pepsico, we imagine. That company owns Doritos, who is “sponsoring” Colbert’s campaign. Corporate sponsorship of a presidential campaign is strictly forbidden!