Two Congressmen Wed, Colbert Claims Credit

Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central’s late-night faux conservative talk-show host, is claiming credit for the recent respective nuptials of two Jewish Democratic congressmen: Brad Sherman of California and Steven Rothman of New Jersey.

Sherman’s marriage to Lisa Nicola Kaplan, a State Department antisemitism specialist, was announced Sunday in The New York Times. The next day, in his December 4 broadcast, Colbert quipped, “What better way to be pro-Semitism than to breed with Brad Sherman?”

Colbert offered his congratulations, and noted that Rothman also had appeared on the show before finding his match, Jennifer Beckenstein, community affairs coordinator of the Center for Food Action in Englewood, N.J.

“Lonely congresspeople, I have a better success rate than eHarmony,” Colbert boasted. “Plus I don’t make you fill out a bunch of useless forms. I’ll be the one to decide if you are fit and toned.”

Rothman, who has two children from a previous marriage, told The Shmooze that things have been going “great” with his new wife, but he denied Colbert credit for an assist.

“I actually was dating her at the time [I appeared on the show], so he can’t claim credit,” Rothman said.

The New Jersey lawmaker said that he found Beckenstein after logging about two years on JDate.com. “She’s wonderful,” he said.