Stephen Colbert | |
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 Colbert in 2024 | |
| Born | Stephen Tyrone Colbert (1964-05-13)May 13, 1964 (age 61) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education | Northwestern University (BA) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Father | James William Colbert Jr. |
| Relatives | Elizabeth Colbert Busch (sister) |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Medium |
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| Genres | |
| Subjects | |
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Stephen Tyrone Colbert (/koʊlˈbɛər/kohl-BAIR;[1] born May 13, 1964)[2] is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting theComedy Central news satire showThe Colbert Report from 2005 to 2014, and theCBS talk showThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert since September 2015.[3][4][5]
Born into aCatholic family inWashington, D.C. and raised inSouth Carolina, Colbert originally studied to be a dramatic actor, but became interested inimprovisational theater while attendingNorthwestern University, where he metSecond City directorDel Close. Colbert first performed professionally as anunderstudy forSteve Carell atSecond City Chicago.Paul Dinello andAmy Sedaris, comedians with whom he developed the sketch comedy seriesExit 57, were in his troupe. Colbert performed onThe Dana Carvey Show (1996) and wrote for the show, before collaborating again with Sedaris and Dinello on thesitcomStrangers with Candy (1999–2000).
Colbert's work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's news-parody seriesThe Daily Show gained him wide recognition. In 2005, he leftThe Daily Show to hostThe Colbert Report. FollowingThe Daily Show's news-parody concept,The Colbert Report was a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows includingThe O'Reilly Factor, in which he portrayed acaricatured version ofconservativepolitical pundits, earning Colbert an invitation to perform as featured entertainer at theWhite House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2006, which he did in character. This event led to the series becoming one of Comedy Central's highest-rated series. After endingThe Colbert Report, he was hired in 2015 to succeedDavid Letterman, who was retiring as host of theLate Show on CBS. Colbert hosted the69th Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2017.
Colbert has won elevenPrimetime Emmy Awards, twoGrammy Awards, and threePeabody Awards. Colbert was named one ofTime's 100 Most Influential People in 2006 and 2012.[6][7] His bookI Am America (And So Can You!) was listed No. 1 onThe New York Times Best Seller list in 2007.
Stephen Tyrone Colbert[8] was born inWashington, D.C.,[1][9] the youngest of eleven children (James III, Edward, Mary, William, Margo, Thomas, Jay,Elizabeth, Paul, and Peter) in aCatholic family.[10][11] He lived for a few years inBethesda, Maryland.[12] Next, he grew up inJames Island, an island and a suburb ofCharleston, South Carolina. His father,James William Colbert Jr., was animmunologist and medical school dean atYale University,Saint Louis University, and at theMedical University of South Carolina in Charleston. From 1969, James Colbert Jr. was the school's first vice president of academic affairs.[13] Colbert's mother, Lorna Elizabeth Colbert (née Tuck), was a homemaker.[14][15][16][17]
In interviews, Colbert has described his parents as devout people who nevertheless strongly valued intellectualism, and taught their children it was possible to question the Church and still be Catholic.[18] He has said his father was interested inFrench humanist writers includingLéon Bloy andJacques Maritain, while his mother was fond ofCatholic Worker Movement leaderDorothy Day.[19][20] Regardless, Colbert recalls having a "pretty conservative upbringing"; with his mother voting for aDemocrat,John F. Kennedy, exactly once in her life.[21] In an interview, his mother has described him as "rambunctious".[22] As a child, he observed that Southerners were often depicted as being less intelligent than other characters on scripted television; to avoid that stereotype, he taught himself to imitatethe speech of Americannews anchors,[23][24] particularlyJohn Chancellor.[25]
Colbert sometimes jokingly claims that his surname is French. His ancestry though is actually 15/16 Irish, and one of his paternal great-great-grandmothers was of German and English descent.[26][27] Many of his ancestors emigrated fromIreland to North America in the 19th century before and during theGreat Famine.[14][28] Originally, his surname was pronounced/ˈkoʊlbərt/KOHL-bərt in English; Colbert's father, James, wanted to pronounce the name/koʊlˈbɛər/kohl-BAIR, but maintained the/ˈkoʊlbərt/ pronunciation out of respect for his own father. He offered his children the option to pronounce the name whichever way they preferred.[10] Colbert started using/koʊlˈbɛər/ later in life when he transferred toNorthwestern University, taking advantage of the opportunity to reinvent himself in a new place where no one knew him.[1] Colbert's brother Edward, an intellectual-property attorney, retained/ˈkoʊlbərt/; this was shown in a February 12, 2009, appearance onThe Colbert Report, when his second-oldest brother asked him, "/ˈkoʊlbərt/ or/koʊlˈbɛər/?" Ed responded "/ˈkoʊlbərt/", to which he jokingly replied, "See you in Hell."[29]
On September 11, 1974, when Colbert was ten years old, his father and his brothers Paul and Peter, who were closest to him in age, died in the crash ofEastern Air Lines Flight 212 while it was attempting to land inCharlotte, North Carolina.[30][31] They were en route to enroll Paul and Peter atCanterbury School inNew Milford, Connecticut.[11][32] He has discussed the impact the tragedy has on him and his philosophy of grief and suffering.[33][34] Lorna Colbert moved the family from James Island to theGeorge Chisolm House, in downtownCharleston, and she ran thecarriage house as abed and breakfast.[35][36][37]
Colbert found the transition difficult and did not easily make friends in the new neighborhood.[10] Later he described himself during this time as being detached, lacking a sense of importance regarding the things with which other children concerned themselves.[24][38] "Nothing made any sense after my father and my brothers died. I kind of just shut off," he recalled.[39][40] He developed a love of science fiction andfantasy novels, especially the works ofJ. R. R. Tolkien, of which he remains an avid fan.[41] Colbert says two of his favorite chapters inThe Lord of the Rings are "The Shadow of the Past" and "The Council of Elrond".[42] During his adolescence, he developed an intense interest in fantasyrole-playing games, especiallyDungeons & Dragons,[38][43] a pastime which he later characterized as an early experience in acting andimprovisation.[44]
Colbert attended Charleston'sEpiscopalPorter-Gaud School participating in several school plays and contributing to the school newspaper but he was not highly motivated academically.[38] During his adolescence, he briefly fronted "A Shot in the Dark", aRolling Stonescover band.[8][45][46][47] When he was younger, he had hoped to studymarine biology, but surgery intended to repair a severelyperforated eardrum caused him inner-ear damage severe enough to preclude a career involvingscuba diving, and leaving himdeaf in his right ear.[10][48]
For a while, he was uncertain whether he would attend college,[49] but eventually he applied and was accepted toHampden–Sydney College inVirginia, where a friend had also enrolled. Arriving in 1982, he majored in philosophy and continued to participate in plays.[50][51][52] He found the curriculum to be rigorous, but was more focused than he had been in high school and was able to apply himself to his studies. He developed an appreciation forstoicism, and the writings ofMarcus Aurelius, jokingly claiming that "[I] was a stoic before it was cool".[53] Despite the lack of a significant theater community at Hampden–Sydney, Colbert's interest in acting escalated during this time. After two years, he transferred in 1984 toNorthwestern University as a theater major to study performance, emboldened by the realization that he loved performing, even when no one was coming to shows.[38][54][55] He graduated from Northwestern'sSchool of Communication in 1986.[56]
While at Northwestern, Colbert studied with the intent of becoming a dramatic actor; mostly he performed in experimental plays and was uninterested in comedy. He began performing improvisation while in college, both in the campus improv team No Fun Mud Piranhas[57][58] and at theAnnoyance Theatre in Chicago as a part ofDel Close'sImprovOlympic at a time when the project was focused on competitive, long-form improvisation, rather than improvisational comedy. "I wasn't gonna do Second City", Colbert later recalled, "because those Annoyance people looked down on Second City because they thought it wasn't pure improv – there was a slightly snobby, mystical quality to the Annoyance people".[44] After Colbert graduated in 1986, however, he was in need of a job. He was accepted for an internship atLate Night with David Letterman, which he rejected because it was unpaid.[59] A friend who was employed at Second City's box office offered him work answering phones and selling souvenirs.[38] Colbert accepted and discovered that Second City employees were entitled to take classes at their training center free of charge.[44] Despite his earlier aversion to the comedy group, he signed up for improvisation classes and enjoyed the experience greatly.[60]
Shortly thereafter, he was hired to perform with Second City's touring company, initially as an understudy forSteve Carell. It was there he metAmy Sedaris andPaul Dinello, with whom he often collaborated later in his career. By their retelling, the three comedians did not get along at first – Dinello thought Colbert was uptight, pretentious and cold, while Colbert thought of Dinello as "an illiterate thug"[61] – but the trio became close friends while touring together, discovering that they shared a similar comic sensibility.[38]
Robert Smigel, initially looking for Carell, scouted Colbert at Second City and became "obsessed" with working with him.[62] Smigel tried to get him hired atSaturday Night Live, for which Colbert unsuccessfully auditioned, in 1992.[63][64] A year later, Smigel, then head writer atLate Night with Conan O'Brien, wanted to get him involved in the show either as writer or performer, but after Colbert had a meeting with O'Brien, the host did not think there was a place for him.[63][62] When Sedaris and Dinello were offered the opportunity to create a television series forHBO Downtown Productions, Colbert left Second City and relocated to New York to work with them on the sketch comedy showExit 57.[38] The series debuted on Comedy Central in 1995 and aired through 1996. Although it lasted only 12 episodes, the show received favorable reviews[65][66] and was nominated for fiveCableACE Awards in 1995, in categories including best writing, performance, and comedy series.[67]
Following the cancelation ofExit 57, Colbert worked for six months as a cast member and writer onThe Dana Carvey Show, alongside former Second City castmate Steve Carell, and also Smigel,Charlie Kaufman,Louis C.K., andDino Stamatopoulos, among others. The series, described by one reviewer as "kamikaze satire" in "borderline-questionable taste", had sponsors pull out after its first episode aired and was canceled after seven episodes.[68] Colbert then worked briefly as a freelance writer forSaturday Night Live with Smigel, after unsuccessfully auditioning for a second time.[69] Smigel brought his animated sketch,The Ambiguously Gay Duo, toSNL fromThe Dana Carvey Show; Colbert provided the voice of Ace on both series, opposite Steve Carell as Gary.[70][71] Needing money, he also worked as a script consultant, forVH1 andMTV,[38] and applied to be a writer on theLate Show with David Letterman, alongside his writing partner Paul Dinello,[59] before taking a job filming humorous correspondent segments forGood Morning America.[38] Only two of the segments he proposed were ever produced and only one aired, but the job led his agent to refer him toThe Daily Show's producer,Madeline Smithberg, who hired Colbert on a trial basis in 1997.[72][clarification needed]
During the same period, Colbert worked again with Sedaris and Dinello to develop a new comedy series for Comedy Central,Strangers with Candy. Comedy Central picked up the series in 1998 after Colbert had already begun working onThe Daily Show. As a result, he accepted a reduced role, filming only around 20Daily Show segments a year while he worked on the new series.[38]
Strangers with Candy was conceived of as a parody ofafter school specials, following the life ofJerri Blank, a 46-year-olddropout who returns to finish high school after 32 years of life on the street. Most noted by critics for its use of offensive humor, it concluded each episode by delivering to the audience a skewed, politically incorrect moral lesson.[73] Colbert served as a main writer alongside Sedaris and Dinello, and portrayed Jerri's strict but uninformed history teacher,Chuck Noblet, seen throughout the series dispensing inaccurate information to his classes.[74][75] Colbert has likened this to the character he played onThe Daily Show and laterThe Colbert Report, claiming that he has a very specific niche in portraying "poorly informed, high-status idiot" characters.[11] Another running joke throughout the series was that Noblet, acloseted homosexual, was having a "secret" affair with fellow teacherGeoffrey Jellineck, despite the fact that their relationship was apparent to everyone around them.[76] This obliviousness also appears in Colbert'sDaily Show andColbert Report character.[77][78]
Thirty episodes ofStrangers with Candy were made, which aired on Comedy Central in 1999 and 2000.[79] Though its ratings were not remarkable during its initial run, it has been characterized as a cult show with a small but dedicated audience.[80] Colbert reprised his role for afilm adaptation which premiered at theSundance Film Festival in 2005 and had a limited release in 2006. The film received mixed reviews. Colbert also co-wrote the screenplay with Sedaris and Dinello.[81]
Colbert joined the cast of Comedy Central's parody-news seriesThe Daily Show in 1997, when the show was in its second season. Originally one of fourcorrespondents who filmed segments from remote locations in the style of network news field reporters, Colbert was referred to as "the new guy" on-air for his first two years on the show, during which timeCraig Kilborn served as host. When Kilborn left the show prior to the 1999 season,Jon Stewart took over hosting duties, also serving as a writer and co-executive producer. From this point, the series gradually began to take on a more political tone and increase in popularity, particularly in the latter part of the2000 U.S. presidential election season.[82] The roles of the show's correspondents were expanded to include more in-studio segments and international reports, which were almost always done in the studio with the aid of agreenscreen.[38] Colbert usually wrote and edited his own pieces.[83]
Unlike Stewart, who essentially hostedThe Daily Show as himself,[84] Colbert developed acorrespondent character for his pieces on the series that was a parody of conservative political pundits such asBill O'Reilly.[85] Colbert has described his correspondent character as "a well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot"[86] and "a fool who has spent a lot of his life playing not the fool – one who is able to cover it at least well enough to deal with the subjects that he deals with".[38] Colbert was frequently pitted against knowledgeable interview subjects, or against Stewart in scripted exchanges, with the resultant dialogue demonstrating the character's lack of knowledge of whatever subject he is discussing.[87][38] Colbert also made generous use of humorousfallacies of logic in explaining his point of view on any topic. OtherDaily Show correspondents have adopted a similar style; former correspondentRob Corddry recalls that when he andEd Helms first joined the show's cast in 2002, they "just imitated Stephen Colbert for a year or two".[88] CorrespondentAasif Mandvi has stated "I just decided I was going to do my best Stephen Colbert impression".[89] Reminiscing on his hiring, Smithberg said, "We saw what comedy genius was up close".[90]
Colbert appeared in several recurring segments forThe Daily Show, including "Even Stevphen" withSteve Carell,[91] in which both characters were expected to debate a selected topic but instead would unleash their anger at one another. Colbert commonly hosted "This Week in God", a report on topics in the news pertaining to religion, presented with the help of the "God Machine". Colbert filed reports from the floor of theDemocratic National Convention and theRepublican National Convention as a part ofThe Daily Show's award-winning coverage of the 2000 and2004 U.S. presidential elections; many from the latter were included as part of theirThe Daily Show: Indecision 2004 DVD release. Other pieces that have been named as his signature segments include "Grouse Hunting in Shropshire", in which he reported on the "gayness" of British aristocracy, his mock lionization of a smoking-rights activist and apparent chain-smoker, and his cameo appearances during his faux campaign for president.[92] In several episodes ofThe Daily Show, Colbert filled in as anchor in the absence of Jon Stewart, including the full week of March 3, 2002, when Stewart was scheduled to hostSaturday Night Live. After Colbert left the show,Rob Corddry took over "This Week in God" segments, although a recorded sample of Colbert's voice was still used as the sound effect for the God Machine. Later episodes ofThe Daily Show have reused older Colbert segments under the label "Klassic Kolbert". Colbert won threeEmmys as a writer ofThe Daily Show in 2004, 2005, and 2006.[93]
Colbert hosted his own television show,The Colbert Report, from October 17, 2005, through December 18, 2014.[94]The Colbert Report was aDaily Show spin-off that parodied the conventions of televisionnews broadcasting,[23] particularly cable-personality political talk shows likeThe O'Reilly Factor,Hannity, andGlenn Beck.[44][85] Colbert hosted the showin-character as a blustery right-wingpundit, generally considered to be an extension of his character onThe Daily Show. Conceived by co-creators Stewart, Colbert, andBen Karlin in part as an opportunity to explore "the character-driven news", the series focused less on the day-to-day news style of theDaily Show, instead frequently concentrating on the foibles of the host-character himself.[95]
The concept forThe Report was first seen in a series ofDaily Show segments which advertised the then-fictional series as a joke. It was later developed by Stewart'sBusboy Productions and pitched to Comedy Central, whichgreen-lighted the program; Comedy Central had already been searching for a way to extend the successfulDaily Show franchise beyond a half-hour.[96] The series opened to strong ratings, averaging 1.2 million viewers nightly during its first week on the air. Comedy Central signed a long-term contract forThe Colbert Report within its first month on the air, when it immediately established itself among the network's highest-rated shows.[97][98]
Much of Colbert's personal life was reflected in his character onThe Colbert Report. With the extended exposure of the character on the show, he often referenced his interest in and knowledge of Catholicism, science fiction, andThe Lord of the Rings, as well as using real facts to create his character's history. His alternate persona was also raised inSouth Carolina, is the youngest of 11 siblings and is married.[99] However, Colbert's actual career history in acting and comedy was often downplayed or even denied outright, and he frequently referred to having attendedDartmouth College (which was at the forefront of the conservative campus movement in the 1980s) rather than his actual alma mater, Northwestern. In July 2012, Colbert added two years to his contract with Comedy Central, extending the run ofThe Colbert Report until the end of 2014.[100]
Thefinal episode on December 18, 2014, featured a rendition of "We'll Meet Again" and appearances from former guests of the show, includingJon Stewart,Randy Newman,Bryan Cranston,Willie Nelson,Yo-Yo Ma,Mandy Patinkin,Neil deGrasse Tyson,Tom Brokaw,David Gregory,J. J. Abrams,Big Bird,Gloria Steinem,Ken Burns,James Franco,Barry Manilow,Bob Costas,Jeff Daniels,Sam Waterston,Bill de Blasio,Katie Couric,Patrick Stewart,George Lucas,Henry Kissinger,Cookie Monster,Alan Alda,Eliot Spitzer,Vince Gilligan,Paul Krugman, and a text fromBill Clinton. There were appearances byAlex Trebek, U.S. and coalition Afghanistan forces, and further characters (for example a space station astronaut,Santa Claus, andAbraham Lincoln).[94]
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On April 10, 2014, CBS announced in a press release that Colbert "will succeedDavid Letterman as the host ofThe Late Show, effective when Mr. Letterman retires from the broadcast."[101] On January 12, 2015, CBS announced that Colbert would premiere as theLate Show host on Tuesday, September 8, 2015.[102] The first guest of the new Late Show wasGeorge Clooney.[103][unreliable source?] The show has a much more political focus than David Letterman'sLate Show.[104][105]
During his tenure as the host ofThe Late Show, Colbert hosted the69th Primetime Emmy Awards, broadcast on CBS on September 17, 2017.[106] In 2021, he and his Spartina Productions company signed a deal withCBS Studios, through which programs such asTooning Out the News andFairview were produced. Colbert was also an executive producer on Comedy Central'sTha God's Honest Truth.[107] On August 30, 2023, Colbert and fellow talk show hostsJimmy Fallon,Seth Meyers,Jimmy Kimmel, andJohn Oliver, began hosting the comedy podcastStrike Force Five to support their staff members out of work due to the2023 Writers Guild of America strike.[108][109][110] From 2024 to 2025, he was a producer on the CBSlate-night comedy panel game show,After Midnight, alongside his wife Evie.[111][112] The show ended after two seasons, following hostTaylor Tomlinson's departure.[113]
On July 17, 2025, CBS announced that it would endThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert and retireThe Late Show franchise altogether in May 2026 after 33 years.[114][115] The network, noting that the show has been No. 1 in late night for nine straight seasons, said: "Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult. With much gratitude, we look forward to honoring Stephen and celebrating the show over the next 10 months alongside its millions of fans and viewers."[116]
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert had been subject to speculation that its July 17 cancellation, reportedly due to high production costs and declining advertising revenue, was tied to a settlement agreement reached two weeks earlier betweenDonald Trump and network parentParamount Global in the former's lawsuit against CBS—filed in December 2024—alleging deceptive editing of a60 Minutes broadcast featuring then-Democratic presidential nomineeKamala Harris, which occurred as the company soughtFCC approval (regarding the transfer of its broadcast station licenses) for its merger withSkydance Media (which was completed on August 7, when the merged company was reincorporated asParamount Skydance).[117][118] Fellow talk show host Kimmel defended Colbert, calling Paramount's cited reasons "nonsensical",[119] while Trump cheered it and said he "absolutely loves" that CBS canceled Colbert's show.[120]
Although, by his own account, he was not particularly political before joining the cast ofThe Daily Show, Colbert has described himself as aDemocrat according to a 2004 interview.[121][122] In an interview at theKennedy School of Government atHarvard Institute of Politics, he said he has "no problems withRepublicans, just Republican policies".[123] Columnist and close friendJonathan Alter has described him as "left of center".[124] On the intersection of religious faith and politics, Colbert has pointed out that his views are in line with those ofCesar Chavez.[125][126][127]
Alluding to the perception by the general public, due to his criticism of theTrump administration, Colbert has said: "People perceive me as this sort of lefty figure; I think I’m more conservative than people think. I just happen to be talking about a government in extremis".[128]
Colbert owns a 1972Richard Nixon campaign poster, which hangs on a wall in his office. The poster reads: "For the first time in 20 years we are spending more on human resources than on defense!" and highlights Nixon's compromise towards progressive issues.[129] Colbert has half-jokingly made reference to those views: "He started theEPA. He openedChina. He gave18-year-olds the vote. His issues were education, drugs, women, minorities, youth involvement, endingthe draft, and improving the environment.John Kerry couldn't have run on this!"[130] As a child, he recalled being transfixed by theWatergate hearings, while his siblings explained the importance of what had happened. In 2013 he said that Nixon's prolongation of theVietnam War for political gain, "Led to the deaths of tens of thousands of peoples, shattered the trust of the American people to the American military establishment, to trusting the president, and changed your [the press] relationship to the president forever." Adding that, "the depth of his selfish evil musn't be forgotten. Because while he's not the only one, he's the Ur for me".[131]
Initially "all in" forRonald Reagan, Colbert's political ideas shifted left as he went to Northwestern: "I'm not buying the hype because I see how well-staged all of this is. Then after that, I was in theater and there's no turning back."[21] He has joked that Reagan is "in hell" for his handling of theAIDS crisis.[132] While teaching improv atThe Second City he would tell his students to read and stay informed; recommending them the works ofNoam Chomsky.[133]
Colbert has criticized the United States'use of drone strikes,[134][135][136][137] andNSA's surveillance tactics, during theObama administration.[138][139] He has also described the2016 Democratic candidate,Hillary Clinton, as someone who has "been around for a long time, but actually represents [...] what you would think of as the common systemic corruption of Washington, D.C." adding "I think people's hesitancy about Hillary Clinton is completely reasonable. [...] I can imagine that Trump might be the only person she could beat because she's not a great candidate. And she's got a lot of flaws and a lot of baggage that she can't shake off, however historic or even prepared for the job she is in this case."[140][141]
Colbert supports the implementation of theMedicare for All plan introduced byBernie Sanders, considering it "a sensible fix to Obamacare".[142] When asked about his views onabortion, Colbert positioned himself aspro-choice.[143] During the2023 writers' strike he showed his support to the writers, saying: "I'm a member of the guild. I supportcollective bargaining. This nation owes so much tounions."[144] In May 2023, Colbert was permanently banned from enteringRussia alongside 500 other Americans, due to being "involved in the spread ofRussophobic attitudes and fakes." These bans were made in response toU.S. imposed sanctions on the country.[145]
Colbert has been critical ofIsrael's treatment of Palestinians.[146][147][148][149] Hecalled for a ceasefire in Gaza after the 2024World Central Kitchen aid convoy attack carried by theIDF. Addressing Israeli prime ministerBenjamin Netanyahu he said: "Nothing just happens. You are responsible. If your answer is, 'This happens in war,' then maybe consider ending the war."[150] He also defended thepro-Palestine college protests saying: "Students should be allowed to protest. It's their first amendment right."[151]
In March 2024, he moderated a fundraiser for theJoe Biden 2024 presidential campaign featuringJoe Biden,Bill Clinton andBarack Obama that raised $25 million.[152][153] Following his performance in thefirst presidential debate on June 27, Colbert suggested that Biden shoulddrop out of the race.[154] In November 2025, he endorsedDemocratic candidateMikie Sherrill for the2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election.[155]
On Saturday, April 29, 2006, Colbert was the featured entertainer for the 2006White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Standing a few yards from U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush[156] – in front of an audience theAssociated Press called a "Who's Who of power and celebrity"[157] – Colbert delivered a searing routine targeting the president and the media.[158] Inhis politically conservative character fromThe Colbert Report, Colbert satirized theGeorge W. Bush Administration and theWhite House Press Corps:
I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not onlyfor things, he standson things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound – with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.[159]
He turned his attention to the press:
As excited as I am to be here with the president, I am appalled to be surrounded by the liberal media that is destroying America, with the exception ofFox News. Fox News gives you both sides of every story: the president's side, and the vice president's side.
But the rest of you, what are you thinking, reporting onNSA wiretapping orsecret prisons in eastern Europe? Those things are secret for a very important reason: they're super-depressing. And if that's your goal, well, misery accomplished.
Over the last five years you people were so good – overtax cuts,WMD intelligence, the effect ofglobal warming. We Americans didn't want to know, and you had the courtesy not to try to find out. Those were good times, as far as we knew.
But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works: the president makes decisions. He's the Decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know – fiction![160]
Colbert received a chilly response from the audience.[161] His jokes were often met with silence and muttering, apart from the enthusiastic laughter of a few in the audience.[162] The major media outlets paid little attention to it initially.Washington Post columnistDan Froomkin andColumbia University Graduate School of Journalism professorTodd Gitlin claimed that this was because Colbert's routine was as critical of the media as it was of Bush.[163][164]Richard Cohen, also writing forThe Washington Post, responded that the routine was not funny.[165] The video of Colbert's performance became aninternet and media sensation,[166][167] while in the week following the speech, ratings forThe Colbert Report rose by 37% to average just under 1.5 million total viewers per episode.[168] InTime magazine,James Poniewozik called it "the political-cultural touchstone issue of 2006".[169] Writing six months later,New York Times columnistFrank Rich referred to Colbert's speech as a "cultural primary" and called it the "defining moment" of the2006 midterm elections.[170][171]
Under his fictional persona inThe Colbert Report, Colbert dropped hints of a potential presidential run throughout 2007, with speculation intensifying following the release of his book,I Am America (And So Can You!), which was rumored to be a sign that he was indeed testing the waters for a future bid for the White House. On October 16, 2007, he announced his candidacy on his show, stating his intention to run on both theRepublican andDemocratic platforms, but only as a "favorite son" in his native South Carolina.[172] He later abandoned plans to run as a Republican due to the $35,000 fee required to file for the South Carolina primary;[173] however, he continued to seek a place on the Democratic ballot and on October 28, 2007, campaigned in the South Carolina state capital of Columbia, where he was presented with the key to the city by Mayor Bob Coble.[174]
After announcing his presidential ticket, he asked his viewers to cast their votes by donating toDonorschoose.org, an online charity connecting individuals to classrooms in need.[175]Colbert's promotion inspired $68,000 in donations to South Carolina classrooms, which benefited over 14,000 low-income students.[176]Colbert teamed up withDonorschoose.org again in 2008 by asking supporters ofBarack Obama andHillary Clinton to do the same. As a lead-up to the Pennsylvania primary, he created a "straw poll that makes a difference" by which people could donate to Pennsylvania classroom projects in honor of their favorite candidate.[177]Colbert viewers donated $185,000 to projects reaching 43,000 students in Pennsylvania public schools.[178]
On November 1, 2007, the South Carolina Democratic Party executive council voted 13–3 to refuse Colbert's application onto the ballot. "The general sense of the council was that he wasn't a serious candidate and that was why he wasn't selected to be on the ballot", stated John Werner, the party's director.[179] Several days later he announced that he was dropping out of the race, saying he did not wish to put the country through an agonizing Supreme Court battle (referencing the2000 election, wherein a tight recount in Florida was settled ina landmark Supreme Court decision).[180] CNN has reported that Obama supporters pressured the South Carolina Democratic Executive Council to keep Colbert off the ballot. One anonymous member of the council told CNN that former State Superintendent of EducationInez Tenenbaum had placed pressure on them to refuse Colbert's application despite his steady rise in polls.[181]
Though Colbert's real-life presidential campaign had ended,Marvel Comics editor-in-chiefJoe Quesada established in an interview onThe Colbert Report that Colbert's campaign was still going strong in the fictionalMarvel Universe, citing the cover art of a then-recent issue ofThe Amazing Spider-Man which featured a Colbert campaign billboard in the background. Background appearances of Colbert campaign ads continued to appear in Marvel Comics publications, as late as August 2008'sSecret Invasion No. 5 (which also features acameo of an alienSkrull posing as Colbert). In October 2008, Colbert made an extended 8-page appearance webslinging with Spider-Man inThe Amazing Spider-Man issue No. 573.[182] Colbert voiced the president of the U.S. in the 2009 filmMonsters vs. Aliens.[183][184][185]
Colbert arrived inBaghdad, Iraq, on June 5, 2009, to film a week of shows called "Operation Iraqi Stephen:Going Commando" sponsored by theUSO (United Service Organizations).[186] Colbert had a suit tailored for him in theArmy Combat Uniform pattern.[187] During the first episode (which featured a cameo appearance from U.S. presidentBarack Obama), Colbert had his hair cropped in a military style to show his solidarity with the troops. One Army major said that "shaving of the hair is an amazing show of support" that was "very touching." USO Senior Vice President John Hanson said the shows are an important diversion for the troops.[188]
On September 24, 2010, Colbert testified in character before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Security. He was invited by committee chairwomanZoe Lofgren to describe his experience participating in theUnited Farm Workers' "Take Our Jobs" program, where he spent a day working alongsidemigrant workers in upstate New York.[189][190][191] At the end of his often-humorous testimony, Colbert broke character in responding to a question from Rep.Judy Chu, D-CA, and explained his purpose for being at the hearing:
I like talking about people who don't have any power, and this seems like one of the least powerful people in the United States are migrant workers who come and do our work, but don't have any rights as a result. And yet we still invite them to come here and at the same time ask them to leave. And that's an interesting contradiction to me. And, you know, 'Whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers,' and these seem like the least of our brothers right now ... Migrant workers suffer and have no rights.[192]
Democratic committee memberJohn Conyers questioned whether it was appropriate for the comedian to appear before Congress and asked him to leave the hearing.[193] Though Colbert offered to depart at the direction of the committee chairwoman, Lofgren requested that he stay at least until all opening testimony had been completed, whereupon Conyers withdrew his request.[194]
Conservative pundits took aim at Colbert's Congress testimony not long afterwards.[195]
'Painfully awkward and pointless, it made the committee's majority members look ridiculous. Colbert can be very funny, but his kind of sarcasm only works in some contexts, and a House committee hearing room does not appear to be one of them.' – Yuval Levin, The Corner[193][196]'As John Conyers notes, the media and spectators turned out to see whether Colbert would address the panel seriously as an expert on immigration and make the panel a joke, or stay in character and make the panel a bigger joke,' –Ed Morrissey, Hot Air.[193][197]
In September 2010, followingGlenn Beck'sRestoring Honor rally, a campaign developed that called for Colbert to hold his own rally at theLincoln Memorial.[198] On the September 10, 2010, episode of theDaily Show[199] andTheColbert Report, Stewart and Colbert made preannouncements of a future event. On September 16, 2010, Stewart and Colbert announced competing rallies on the Washington, D.C., Mall on October 30, 2010, Stewart's "Rally to Restore Sanity", and Colbert's "March to Keep Fear Alive". Both were eventually merged into theRally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.[200][201]
In May 2011, Colbert filed a request with theFederal Election Commission (FEC) asking for a media exemption for coverage of hispolitical action committee, ColbertPAC, onThe Colbert Report.[202][203] In June 2011, during a public meeting, theFEC voted 5–1 to grantThe Colbert Report a limited media exemption. The exemption allows unlimited donations of airtime and show resources to promote the Colbert Super PAC without requiring disclosure to the FEC, but only for ads appearing onThe Colbert Report. Following the hearing, Colbert formally filed paperwork for the creation of hisSuper PAC with the FEC secretary.[204]
After the 2012 New Hampshire primary, a poll for the South Carolina primary taken by Public Policy Polling (of 1,112 likely GOP voters, January 5–7, 2012) was reported to place Colbert at 5%, one point ahead ofJon Huntsman polling at 4%, in spite of the fact that Colbert was not on the ballot.[205] This poll showed Colbert to be closely behindRick Perry's 7% andRon Paul's 8% (withMitt Romney at 27%,Newt Gingrich 23% andRick Santorum at 18%).[206] On the January 11 episode ofThe Colbert Report, Colbert asked his audience if he should run for president in South Carolina, to which he received strong applause. He then stated that he would be making a "Major Announcement" during the next day's show.[207] On January 12, Colbert started his show by discussing his role in the presidential campaign, then addressed the law preventing him from being a presidential candidate while running his Super PAC. With the help of his lawyerTrevor Potter, he then signed over control of his Super PAC to Jon Stewart, with the organization title then being referred to as "The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC".[208][209][210] Immediately after this legal block was out of the way, Colbert announced, "I am forming an exploratory committee to lay the groundwork for my possible candidacy for the President of the United States of South Carolina. I'm doin' it!" He reiterated in the interview portion of that show that "I'm still in the exploratory phase" of his presidential campaign.[211][212]
On the January 16, 2012, episode, Colbert satirically encouraged his viewers to vote forHerman Cain in the South Carolina primary. As Cain was still on the ballot, despite having recently dropped out of the race, Colbert announced that he would consider any votes cast for Cain to be in direct support of his own possible candidacy.[213]
Colbert is co-author of the satirical text-and-picture novelWigfield: The Can Do Town That Just May Not, which was published in 2003 byHyperion Books. The novel was a collaboration between Colbert,Amy Sedaris, andPaul Dinello, and tells the story of a small town threatened by the impending destruction of a massive dam. The narrative is presented as a series of fictional interviews with the town's residents, accompanied by photos. The three authors toured performing an adaptation ofWigfield on stage the same year the book was released.[214][215]
Colbert appeared in a small supporting role in the 2005 film adaptation ofBewitched. He has made guest appearances on the television seriesCurb Your Enthusiasm,Spin City, andLaw & Order: Criminal Intent,[216] and on the first season of the American improvisational comedy showWhose Line Is It Anyway?. He voiced the characters of Reducto and Phil Ken Sebben in theAdult Swim'sHarvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, but left the show in 2005 to work onThe Colbert Report. His characters were both killed, though he returned to voice Phil for the series finale. Colbert also has provided voices for Cartoon Network'sThe Venture Bros., Comedy Central'sCrank Yankers, andAmerican Dad!, and for Canadian animated comedy seriesThe Wrong Coast. He appeared asHomer Simpson's life coach, Colby Krause, inThe Simpsons episode "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs".[217][218]
Colbert filled in forSam Seder on the second episode ofThe Majority Report onAir America Radio, and was a frequent guest.[219][220][221][222] He has also done reports forThe Al Franken Show. He appeared on a track onWig in a Box, a tribute album forHedwig and the Angry Inch. Colbert read the part ofLeopold Bloom inBloomsday on Broadway XXIV: Love Literature Language Lust: Leopold's Women Bloom on June 16, 2005, at Symphony Space in New York City.[223] He appeared in a series of TV commercials forGeneral Motors, as a not-too-bright investigator searching for the elusive (and non-existent in real life) "Mr. Goodwrench". He also portrayed the letter Z inSesame Street: All-Star Alphabet, a 2005 video release.[224]
Colbert released a book associated withThe Colbert Report,I Am America (And So Can You!). It was released on October 7, 2007, byGrand Central Publishing. Grand Central Publishing is the successor to Warner Books, which publishedAmerica (The Book), written byThe Daily Show staff. The book contains similar political satire, but was written primarily by Colbert himself rather than as a collaboration with hisColbert Report writing staff.[225] On November 23, 2008, his Christmas special,A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, aired on Comedy Central. It was released on DVD in November 2008.[226]
In January 2010, Colbert was named the assistant sports psychologist for theUS Olympicspeed skating team at the2010 Winter Olympics.[227] He was also invited to be part ofNBC's 2010 Winter Olympics coverage team byDick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports.[228] In April 2011, Colbert performed as Harry in the concert-style revival ofStephen Sondheim's musicalCompany, presented by theNew York Philharmonic at theLincoln Center.[229] The show, featuringNeil Patrick Harris in the starring role, ran for four nights and was filmed for later showings in movie theaters, which began June 15.[229] In May 2011, Colbert joined the Charleston to Bermuda Race yachting race, as captain of the ship "the Spirit of Juno".[230] He finished second, five miles behind leaders "Tucana".[231] Since 2012, he has collaborated with theMontclair Film Festival inMontclair, New Jersey, of which his wife is a founder and the president of its board.[232][233] Every year since its foundation, he has participated by hosting an annual fundraising event and leading Q&As and conversations with directors, writers, journalists, and actors includingJon Stewart,Rob Reiner,Steve Carell,J. J. Abrams,David Itzkoff,Ethan Hawke,Rachel Weisz, andMeryl Streep.[234][235] Colbert is also part of the Montclair Film advisory board.[236]
He has a cameo as a "Laketown Spy" in the filmThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, along with his wife and two sons, filmed on location inNew Zealand.[237][238][41]
Aside from hosting his talk shows, Colbert has hosted other types of shows. He hosted theKennedy Center Honors for three consecutive years, 2014 - 2016.[239][240][241] In 2017, he hosted the69th Primetime Emmy Awards.[242] A year later, Colbert used a fake children's bookWhose Boat Is This Boat?, incorporating unedited quotes fromPresident Trump during his tour ofNorth Carolina afterHurricane Florence, as a joke against Trump and raised over $1 million for relief funds.[243] In 2014, Colbert alongsideThe Colbert Report writer and amateur coder Rob Dubbin, createdScripto, a collaborative script software which allows writer rooms to edit scripts in real time from different locations. Scripto was conceived at the end of 2010, when Colbert and Dubbin first discussed making a bespoke drafting program for the staff.[244] The idea was further inspired by a mishap on the show involving a real life goat. Colbert's wife Evie McGee is also credited as a co-founder of the company.[245] The program is used by severallate-night talk shows, including Colbert'sLate Show,The Daily Show, andLast Week Tonight with John Oliver.[244]
In 2019, he hosted a conversation with the cast of the filmTolkien as part of an event forMontclair Film andFathom Events.[246] In 2021 he moderatedLord of the Rings cast reunions screened atAlamo Drafthouse Cinema and made available on a Blu-ray collectors edition of the film series.[247]
Through Spartina, Colbert and Evelyn Colbert served as executive producers forIn & Of Itself, a film version ofDerek DelGaudio's off-Broadway show of the same name.[248] In 2024, they co-authored,Does This Taste Funny?, a cookbook featuring recipes from their family, centered onLowcountry cuisine.[249][250][251]
In 2023, it was reported that he would help produce a television adaptation of the fantasy seriesThe Chronicles of Amber.[252]
It was reported in August 2025 that he would be making a guest appearance as a late-night host on the CBS showElsbeth.[253] The episode sees him reuniting with close collaborator Amy Sedaris.[254][255]
Stephen Colbert has said his comedy influences includeDon Novello;[256]Phil Silvers;[257]Alec Guinness;[258]Bill Cosby;[51]George Carlin;[44]Dean Martin;[44]Jon Stewart;[1]Monty Python,[259]Steve Martin;[260] andDavid Letterman.[261] In 2017, Colbert said due to thesexual assault allegations made against Cosby, he can no longer listen to his comedy.[262]
Among comedians who say they are influenced by Colbert areNathan Fielder;[263]James Corden;[264]Mindy Kaling;[265]Hasan Minhaj;[266]Jordan Klepper;[267]Ziwe Fumudoh;[268]Sara Benincasa;[269]John Mulaney;[270]Derrick Beckles;[271]Julie Klausner;[272][273] andBilly Eichner.[274]
Colbert is an avid reader and his favorite authors includeJ. R. R. Tolkien,J. D. Salinger,Robertson Davies,George Saunders,Larry Niven,Henry Kuttner,Isaac Asimov,[275] andFlannery O'Connor.[276][277]
Colbert is a known fan ofpsychedelic folk groupNeutral Milk Hotel.[278][279][280] He first discovered the band while filming a field piece for the Daily Show in 2005.[281] Their song "Holland 1945" played over the credits of thelast episode ofThe Colbert Report.[282][283]
Colbert is a practicingRoman Catholic who has taughtSunday school at church.[284][285] He was analtar server for eleven years in his childhood.[286][287] He is an ordained minister with theUniversal Life Church Monastery.[18][288][289] Although raised as a Catholic, Colbert became anatheist as soon as he went to college.[290][291] He got curious about other religions and "read chunks" of major texts including: theBook of Mormon, theUpanishads,the Quran, theBhagavad Gita and the works ofD. T. Suzuki.[292] He reconsidered his stance at age 22, after receiving a bible from agideon in Chicago. Colbert opened the book inMatthew 6:27, which read, "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" He described reading the verse as if the words "spoke to [me]".[293] Even though he appreciated ideas from other religions, he went back to Catholicism as it was the belief system given to him by his ancestors and the one he already had a connection to.[294]
Colbert has criticized certain aspects of his church and dissents on some of their social views, particularly those regardinghomosexuality[295] and abortion,[143] he also supports theordination of women[296] and theseparation of church and state.[297][298] Colbert has shown his appreciation forPope Francis, in particular hisfocus on the poor,[299] and met him at the Vatican in June 2024.[300]
Colbert has been married to Evelyn "Evie" McGee-Colbert since 1993.[301] She is the daughter of prominentCharleston civil litigatorJoseph McGee, of the firm Buist Moore Smythe McGee. His wife appeared with him in an episode ofStrangers with Candy as his mother.[302] She also had an uncredited cameo as a nurse in the series pilot and a credited one (as his wife Clair) in thefilm. McGee metJon Stewart before she met her future husband in 1990. Colbert met McGee at the world premiere ofHydrogen Jukebox at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston. Colbert later described the first moment he met McGee as being alove at first sight encounter. However, moments after they met, they realized they had grown up together in Charleston and had many mutual friends.[303][304] The couple lives inMontclair, New Jersey, and have three children.[305]
While he was in college and at Second City, Colbert suffered from bouts ofdepression andanxiety, for which he had to be medicated.[289][60][306][307] In a 2018 interview, he toldRolling Stone:
I needed to be medicated when I was younger to deal with my anxiety that I had thrown my life away by attempting to do something that so few people actually get away with, or succeed at...Xanax was just lovely. Y'know, for a while. And then I realized that the gears were still smoking. I just couldn't hear them anymore. But I could feel them, I could feel the gearbox heating up and smoke pouring out of me... I stopped the Xanax after, like, nine days. I went, 'This isn't helping.' So I just suffered through it. I'd sometimes hold the bottle, to go like, 'I could stop this feeling if I wanted, but I'm not going to. Because I know if I stop the feeling, somehow I'm not working through it, like I have got to go through the tunnel with the spiders in it.'
And then one morning I woke up and my skin wasn't on fire, and it took me a while to figure out what it was. I wake up the next morning, I'm perfectly fine, to the point where my body's still humming. I'm a bell that's been rung so hard that I can still feel myself vibrating. But the actual sound was gone [because] I was starting rehearsal that day to create a new show. And then I went, 'Oh, my God, I can never stop performing.' Creating something is what helped me from just spinning apart like an unweighted flywheel. And I haven't stopped since.[308]
In 2020, Colbert revealed he developedbenign paroxysmal positional vertigo, a type ofbalance disorder. Of the diagnosis he said, "It's almost entertaining, until I forget, and then I go to stand up, and then I just fall down."[309] In April 2022, he tested positive forCOVID-19; a few weeks later he experienced recurring symptoms, which led toThe Late Show production being halted out of caution.[310][311] In October 2023, Colbert tested positive for COVID for a second time.[312]
In November 2023, Colbert had aruptured appendix during a taping of an episode ofThe Late Show, putting the show on hiatus for a few weeks as he recovered from surgery.[313][314] Colbert later said the pain he was attempting to conceal during the taping was greatly exacerbated when celebrity chefJosé Andrés grabbed him for an impromptu dance during a cooking segment.[315] Colbert returned on December 11, 2023.[316][317]
In 2000, Colbert and the otherDaily Show writers were the recipients of threeEmmy Awards as writers forThe Daily Show and again in 2005 and 2006. In 2005 he was nominated for aSatellite Award for his performance onThe Colbert Report and again in 2006.[93] He was nominated for three Emmys forThe Colbert Report in 2006, including Best Performance in a Variety, Musical Program or Special, which he lost toBarry Manilow.[318] Manilow and Colbert jokingly signed and notarized a revolving biannual custody agreement for the Emmy onTheColbert Report episode aired on October 30, 2006. He lost in the same category toTony Bennett in 2007 and toDon Rickles in 2008.
In January 2006, theAmerican Dialect Society namedtruthiness, a word which Colbert coined on the premiere episode ofThe Colbert Report, as its 2005Word of the Year. He devoted time on five successive episodes to bemoaning the failure of theAssociated Press to mention his role in popularizing the wordtruthiness in its news coverage of the Word of the Year.[319][320] On December 9, 2006,Merriam-Webster also announced that it selectedtruthiness as its Word of the Year for 2006. Votes were accepted on their website, and according to poll results, "truthiness" won by a five-to-one margin.[321]
In June 2006, after speaking at the school's commencement ceremony, Colbert received anhonoraryDoctorate of Fine Arts degree fromKnox College.[322]Time named Stephen Colbert as one of the100 most influential people in 2006 and 2012[6][7] and in May 2006,New York magazine listed Colbert (andJon Stewart) as one of its top dozen influential persons in media.[323] Colbert was named Person of the Year by theU.S. Comedy Arts Festival inAspen, Colorado on March 3, 2007,[324] and was also given the Speaker of the Year Award by The Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) on March 24, 2007, for his "drive to expose the rhetorical shortcomings of contemporary political discourse".[325]
Colbert was named the 2nd Sexiest TV News Anchor in September 2006 byMaxim, next toMélissa Theuriau of France and was the only man featured on the list.[326] In November 2006, he was named a "sexy surprise" byPeople in theSexiest Man Alive honors[327] and in the December 2006 issue ofGQ he was named one ofGQ's "Men of the Year".[328]In 2012, he was listed as No. 69 onMaxim Magazine's Hot 100, becoming the first man to be included on the list.[329] He has received threePeabody Awards, in 2007, 2011, and 2020.[330] He was nominated for fiveTCA Awards forThe Colbert Report by theTelevision Critics Association.[citation needed]
After theSaginaw Spirit defeated theOshawa Generals inOntarioJunior League Hockey,Oshawa Mayor John Gray declared March 20, 2007 (the mayor's own birthday),Stephen Colbert Day, honoring a previous bet with Stephen. At the event, Gray referred to the publicity the bet brought the city, remarking, "This is the way to lose a bet".[331] Colbert was honored for the Gutsiest Move on theSpike TV Guys' Choice Awards on June 13, 2007, for his performance at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.[332] In August 2007,Virgin America named an airplane, "Air Colbert", in his honor.[333] On October 28, 2007, Colbert received thekey to the city ofColumbia, South Carolina, from MayorBob Coble.[334]
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On December 20, 2007, Colbert was named Celebrity of the Year by TheAssociated Press.[335] On April 2, 2008, he received aPeabody Award forThe Colbert Report, saying, "I proudly accept this award and begrudgingly forgive the Peabody Committee for taking three years to recognize greatness".[336] In 2008, Colbert won theEmmy Award for writing again, this time as a writer forTheColbert Report. Colbert delivered the Class Day address to the graduating class ofPrinceton University on June 2, 2008, and accepted theClass of 2008 Understandable Vanity Award, consisting of a sketch of Colbert and a mirror.[337] He also has been announced as the Person of the Year for the 12th annualWebby Awards.[338]
In January 2010, Colbert received theGrammy Award for Best Comedy Album for his albumA Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!. He also announced the nominees forSong of the Year while toting a pre-released AppleiPad.[339] Colbert was the 2011 commencement speaker forNorthwestern University, and received an honorary degree.[340] In 2013, Colbert again won theEmmy award for writing forTheColbert Report.[341][342][343] In 2014, Colbert won the 2014Best Spoken Word Album for his audiobookAmerica Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren't.[344][345] In January 2013,Rolling Stone named him number 2 in their "The 50 Funniest People Now" list.[346] In December 2014,Paste named hisTwitter one of "The 75 Best Twitter Accounts of 2014" ranking it at number 7.[347] Colbert received an honorary degree fromWake Forest University as the 2015 commencement speaker.[348]
In 2015, Colbert was awarded the third highest honor within theDepartment of the Army Civilian Awards, theOutstanding Civilian Service Award, for substantial contributions to theU.S. Army community.[349] In 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 Colbert was named one of "The 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media" byThe Hollywood Reporter.[350][351][352][353] He was chosen as one ofGQ's "Men of the Year" for its December 2017 issue.[354] Colbert was placed at number 32 inVanity Fair's "2018 New Establishment List".[355] Other placements in earlier lists include number 40 in 2017[356] and number 28 in 2011.[357]
In May 2021, Colbert received an honoraryDoctor of Humane Letters degree fromYale University.[358] In March 2025, he was named Honorary Patron of theUniversity Philosophical Society atTrinity College Dublin in Ireland.[359][360] He is set to receive the "Ripple of Hope Award" granted by theRobert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization in December 2025.[361]
In February 2007,Ben & Jerry's unveiled a new ice cream flavor in honor of Colbert, namedStephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream. Colbert waited until Easter to sample the ice cream because he "gave up sweets forLent".[362] Colbert donated all proceeds to charity through the new Stephen Colbert AmeriCone Dream Fund, which distributes the money to various causes.[363][364]
At least five species have been givenscientific names honoring Colbert. In 2008 a species of Californiatrapdoor spider was namedAptostichus stephencolberti.[365][366][367] The spider was named for Colbert after he reported on his television series thatJason Bond, a professor of biology atEast Carolina University, had named a different species of spiderMyrmekiaphila neilyoungi after the Canadian rock starNeil Young, and began to appeal for a species of animal to be named after him.[368] On a later edition ofThe Colbert Report, Colbert revealed that Bond would name a spider after him, with Colbert claiming, "And all I had to do was shamelessly beg on national television."[369] Other species named for Colbert include a species of Venezuelandiving beetle namedAgaporomorphus colberti and a Chileanstonefly namedDiamphipnoa colberti, both formally described in 2008.[370][371] On his 45th birthday, Colbert was sent a framed print of his eponymous beetle by the biologists who named it.[372] In 2014, a species ofparasitic wasp from Ecuador,Aleiodes colberti, was named for Colbert, along with newly described species named for celebrities Jon Stewart,Jimmy Fallon,Ellen DeGeneres, andShakira,[373][374] and in 2016 arove beetle,Sonoma colberti, was named after Colbert's on-screen persona.[375]
In 2009,NASA engineered a new treadmill for theInternational Space Station. It was taken to the ISS by theSpace ShuttleDiscovery during the STS-128 mission in August 2009. The complex machine is now used eight hours daily by astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station in order to maintain their muscle mass and bone density while spending long periods of time in a zero-gravity environment. While engineers at NASA were constructing this treadmill, it was simply called T-2 for more than two years. However, on April 14, 2009, NASA renamed it the "Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill", or COLBERT.[376] NASA named the treadmill after Colbert,[377] who took an interest during the Node 3 naming census for the ISS module,Tranquility.
Colbert urged his followers to post the name "Colbert", which upon completion of the census received the most entries totaling 230,539, some 40,000 votes more than the second-place choice, Serenity.[378] The COLBERT is expected to last the life of the ISS and will have seen about 38,000 miles of running when the Space Station is retired in 2024 or later,[379] but it was also built with a 150,000-mile lifespan (if needed until 2028 or beyond). Colbert realized he was the recipient of an extremely rare honor – the COLBERT (abackronym) is the only piece of NASA-engineered equipment in space that is named after a living human being – when astronautSunita Williams came onThe Colbert Report to announce that NASA had named the treadmill after him.[380]
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| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Shock Asylum | Dr. Dewalt | Short film[381][382] |
| 2003 | Nobody Knows Anything! | TV Newsman | |
| 2005 | The Great New Wonderful | Mr. Peersall | [383] |
| Bewitched | Stu Robison | ||
| 2006 | Strangers with Candy | Chuck Noblet | Also writer and producer |
| 2008 | The Love Guru | Jay Kell | |
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens | President Hathaway (voice) | [185] |
| 2011 | Company | Harry | Filmed production |
| 2013 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | Lake-town spy | Cameo[384] |
| 2014 | Mr. Peabody & Sherman | Paul Peterson (voice) | [385][386] |
| 2017 | Too Funny to Fail | Himself | Documentary[387] |
| 2020 | In & Of Itself | — | Executive producer[388] |
| 2024 | Despicable Me 4 | Perry Prescott (voice) | [389] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Missing Persons | Chet Davies | Episode: "Cabe... What Kind of Name Is That?" |
| 1995–1996 | Exit 57 | Various | 12 episodes; also co-creator and writer |
| 1996 | The Dana Carvey Show | Various | 8 episodes; also writer |
| Spin City | Frank | Episode: "The Competition" | |
| 1996–2011 | Saturday Night Live | Ace / Dr. Brainio (voices) | 14 episodes; also writer |
| 1997 | Apartment 2F | Various roles | Episode: "1.6" |
| The Chris Rock Show | Announcer (voice) | Episode: "1.5" | |
| HBO Comedy Hour: Janeane Garofalo | Dog trainer | TV Special | |
| 1997–2005 | The Daily Show | Stephen Colbert (correspondent) | 1,316 episodes; also writer |
| 1999 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | Violin Player | Episode: "1,144" |
| Random Play | Various | 2 episodes | |
| 1998 | Whose Line Is It Anyway? | Himself | Season 1, Episode 17 |
| 1999–2000 | Strangers with Candy | Chuck Noblet | 30 episodes; also co-creator, writer, and executive producer |
| 2001–2007 | Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law | Phil Ken Sebben / Myron Reducto / Various voices | 34 episodes |
| 2002 | The New York Friars Roast of Chevy Chase | Himself | Television special |
| 2002 | Crank Yankers | Rob (voice) | Episode: "1.1" |
| 2004 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Tourist Man | Episode: "Opening Night" |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | James Bennett[216] | Episode:"The Saint" | |
| The Wrong Coast | Various voices | 2 episodes | |
| 2004, 2006 2015 | The Venture Bros. | Professor Richard Impossible (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | American Dad! | Dr. Dandliker (voice) | Episode: "All About Steve" |
| All-Star Alphabet | The letter 'Z' | Sesame Street special | |
| 2005–2014 | The Colbert Report | Stephen Colbert (host)[23] | 1,447 episodes; also co-creator, writer, and executive producer |
| 2006 | White House Correspondents' Dinner | Stephen Colbert (host) | TV special |
| 2007 | The Simpsons | Colby Krause (voice) | Episode: "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs" |
| 2008 | A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! | Stephen Colbert | TV special |
| 2010 | Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear | Stephen Colbert (host) | TV special |
| 2012 | The Office | Broccoli Rob | Episode "Here Comes Treble" |
| 2013 | Alpha House | Stephen Colbert | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2014 | @midnight | Stephen Colbert | Episode: "156" |
| 2014–2015 | BoJack Horseman | Mr. Witherspoon (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | House of Cards | Stephen Colbert | Episode: "Chapter 27" |
| The Mindy Project | Father Michael O'Donnell | Episode: "Confessions of a Catho-holic" | |
| Rick and Morty | Zeep Xanflorp (voice) | Episode: "The Ricks Must Be Crazy" | |
| 2015–present | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Himself (host) | 1,724 episodes; also writer and executive producer |
| 2017 | At Home with Amy Sedaris | Himself | Episode: "Gift Giving" |
| 69th Primetime Emmy Awards | Himself (host) | TV special | |
| 2018–2020 | Our Cartoon President | — | 46 episodes; also co-creator, writer, and executive producer |
| Wolf Blitzer / Various voices | 25 episodes | ||
| 2018 | Harvey Birdman: Attorney General | Phil Ken Sebben (voice) | TV special |
| 2019 | Madam Secretary | Himself | Episode "Hail to the Chief" |
| 2019–2022 | Critical Role | Capo / Lucky Jack | 2 episodes |
| 2020–2023 | Tooning Out the News | — | 263 episodes; Co-creator, writer, and executive producer |
| 2021 | Girls5eva | Alf Musik | Episode: "Alf Musik" |
| Teenage Euthanasia | Announcer (voice) | Episode: "Dada M.I.A." | |
| 2021–2023 | Hell of a Week with Charlamagne tha God | — | 18 episodes; Executive producer |
| 2022 | Fairview | — | 8 episodes; Executive producer |
| 2024–2025 | After Midnight | — | 199 episodes; Executive producer |
| 2025 | Elsbeth | Scotty Bristol | Episode: "Yes, And..."[253] |
| Year | Title | Voice role |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Outlaw Tennis | Announcer |
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Company | Harry | Concert with theNew York Philharmonic atLincoln Center | [390] |
Colbert toldThe Post and Courier in a 2006 interview that he "kind of just shut off" after that. He turned to science fiction novels, consuming one a day for eight years.
Lorna hadn't remarried, and she was running a bed-and-breakfast out of a carriage house.
Back then, if I booked a guest, I got ten percent. A kid could have a whole weekend of fun on fifteen bucks......We'd go swimming off Sullivan's Island
The specific epithet is a patronym, named in honor of Mr. Stephen Colbert. Mr. Colbert is a fellow citizen who truly has the courage of his convictions and is willing to undertake the very difficult and sometimes unpopular work of speaking out against those who have done irreparable harm to our country and the world through both action and inaction. He will be especially remembered by many of Jason Bond's generation for his speech at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner
This species is named to honor comedian and author, Stephen T. Colbert.
I am pleased to honor an entertaining, provocative, former American presidential candidate, Stephen Colbert, ofThe Colbert Report with this patronym.
This species is named after Stephen Tyrone Colbert, an American comedian, political satirist, writer, actor, and host of The Colbert Report.
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Quotations from Wikiquote
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