Stephen Colbert Praises His Hometown, Slams San Francisco

Comedian Stephen Colbert presented an award to his hometown at the annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards Monday night, riffing on Southern stereotypes while talking up the pleasantness of Charleston, which welcomed more than 4 million tourists last year and was named the favorite US city of the magazine's readers.

In thanking Traveler for the award, Colbert reminded the crowd that his hometown "does have a history of lashing out violently when Yankees make decisions they don't like."

The comedian also claimed that while growing up in Charleston he and his childhood friends would direct visitors to the mansion of John C. Calhoun — as well as to the home of Rhett Butler and the coop where Foghorn Leghorn was hatched.

But it was frequent award winner San Francisco that drew the best barb of the night: "Suck it you Rice-A-Roni eating bastards."