 The word was listed in the annual " Banished Word List " released by a committee at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste . Marie , Michigan in 2007 . The list included " truthiness " among other overused terms , such as " awesome " celebrity couple portmanteaus such as " Brangelina " , and " <unk> " . In response , on January 8 , 2007 Colbert stated that Lake Superior State University was an " attention @-@ seeking second @-@ tier state university " . The 2008 List of Banished Words restored " truthiness " to formal usage , in response to the 2007 @-@ 2008 Writers Guild of America strike . 
