Stephen Colbert's jab at Windsor called 'cheap shot'

Politicians in Windsor, Ont., have reacted to American comedian Stephen Colbert's description of Windsor as "the Earth's rectum."

The insult comes in his new book, America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t.

In a chapter about green energy, Colbert writes:

"Before we can harness geothermal power, we have to take the planet’s temperature with a geothermometer. And I have no idea where the Earth’s rectum is!"

A footnote at the bottom of the page simply reads "Windsor, Canada."

"It's not unusual for a humorous comedian to use somebody as a whipping boy on a repeated basis. It's a convenient and easy way for them to get a laugh," Windsor-Tecumseh NDP MP Joe Comartin said. "But as always, it's a cheap shot."

Windsor West NDP MP Brian Masse wants Colbert to visit Windsor before rushing to judgment.

"I would just invite Stephen Colbert to come to Windsor, get out of his basement, and to come over here and talk with people, see people," Masse said. "Obviously; he's off his medications and hopefully Obamacare will come from him and rescue him from his situation

There is the off-chance Colbert could be referencing Windsor, N.S., since the footnote does not mention Ontario. There is also Grand Falls-Windsor, N.L.

Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis responded to the insult by saying, "There are many Windsors in Canada. So it could be Windsor, Nova Scotia, Windsor, Quebec, Windsor, Newfoundland. But with regards to Colbert, it's just Colbert being Colbert. Like I've said before, I don't even think he's been through the city."

Francis went on to say that Colbert was just a comedian trying to sell books and get a few laughs.

Five years ago, Colbert called Windsor, Ont., "the worst place on Earth" during his Word segment on The Colbert Report.