#ColbertCountdown: Stephen Colbert's Super Pac Becomes Official With an Attack Ad

The Colbert Report ends on Dec. 18. Until then we'll be counting down each remaining episode with a look back at our favorite moments.

Back in 2011, just as the presidential campaign was heating up, Stephen Colbert formed the Colbert Super PAC (also known as Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow) to demonstrate — comically — how money influences politics.

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The potential candidate had to hand over his PAC funds to fellow Comedy Central late-night host Jon Stewart when he wanted to explore a presidential run — keeping them would have been a no-no.

Stewart was then free to use the PAC money to run a Mitt Romney attack ad, which Colbert then played on his show.

If that seems complicated, it was. Colbert often had his "personal lawyer" Trevor Potter on the show to explain how the PACs worked.

The super PAC gag did more than entertain — it won Colbert a Peabody Award in 2012 for his seriously funny explanations.

The final episode of Colbert Report airs Dec. 18.