Depending on your political perspective, seeing Stephen Colbert, a faux pundit, testify before Congress is either completely surreal or just about right. But that's where Colbert was today, sitting next to United Farm Workers President Arturo S. Rodriguez and giving his opinion on jobs and migrant farm workers. The story was reported by The Huffington Post, with video of Colbert's testimony (see video below).

Colbert started out in character, saying he hoped his star power would give the issue enough of a boost to make it to C-Span 1. He drew a few smiles but most of the gallery did not seem amused; some appeared bored, others even hostile.It's not the first time this week Colbert has addressed immigrant farm workers. One of the funniest segments on 'The Colbert Report' this week had Colbert in the field, literally, picking vegetables at a farm in New York.

He related that experience, begging on the verge of tears, "Please don't make me do this again. It is really, really hard. For one thing, when you're picking beans, you have to spend all day bending over. It turns out, and I did not know this, most soil is at ground level."

The most extraordinary thing happens around minute four, when Colbert drops the act for just a moment and becomes a voice of reason, pointing out that offering the migrant farmers visas might be the best strategy, since they will be doing the job anyway, and might raise the standards to the point where Americans will want to do the job again. Colbert couldn't drop the persona for too long, but that moment, amidst his usual hilarity, makes this video worth watching.

Colbert in Congress: