Stephen Colbert is the AP celebrity of the year.

While most TV characters remain boxed inside the frames of our sets, Stephen Colbert has routinely injected his on-screen persona into everything from the presidential race to ice cream.

Colbert failed to get onto the primary ballot in his home state of South Carolina, dooming his hopes for the White House. And his show went 0-for-4 at the Emmy Awards, including an especially painful loss to Barry Manilow.

But Colbert did win one honor: He was voted AP Celebrity of the Year by newspaper editors and broadcast producers who said Colbert had the biggest impact on pop culture in 2007.

This would be joyful news if it did not immediately remind me that I have gone over three weeks now without seeing any new Colbert Reports or Daily Shows, which just makes me feel very, very sad.

Dear Santa, guess what I would like for Christmas.