| The Colbert Report | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Directed by | Jim Hoskinson |
| Presented by | Stephen Colbert |
| Opening theme | "Baby Mumbles" byCheap Trick |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 9 |
| No. of episodes | 1,447(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Emily Gasperak |
| Production locations | New York,New York |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | Comedy Central |
| Release | October 17, 2005 (2005-10-17) – December 18, 2014 (2014-12-18) |
| Related | |
The Colbert Report (/koʊlˈbɛərrɪˌpɔːr/kohl-BAIR rih-por) is an Americanlate-nighttalk andnews satire television program hosted byStephen Colbert that aired four days a week onComedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show focused on afictional anchorman character named Stephen Colbert, played by his real-life namesake. The character, described by Colbert as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot", is a caricature of televised politicalpundits. The show also satirized conservative personality-driven political talk programs, particularlyFox News'sThe O'Reilly Factor.The Colbert Report is aspin-off of Comedy Central'sThe Daily Show, where Colbert was acorrespondent from 1997 to 2005.
The program, created by Colbert,Jon Stewart, andBen Karlin, lampooned current events and American political happenings. The show's structure consisted of an introductory monologue and a guest interview, in which the Colbert character attempts to deconstruct his opponent's argument. The show was taped inNew York City'sHell's Kitchen neighborhood, and the program's set is "hyper-American", epitomizing the character's ego. The show was taped and broadcast Monday through Thursday, with weeks taken off at multiple points in a given year for breaks.
The Colbert Report saw immediate critical and ratings successes, leading tovarious awards, including multipleEmmy andPeabody Awards. The show's cultural influence often extended beyond the show's traditional viewing audience, including Colbert running forU.S. President twice, co-hosting arally at theNational Mall, presenting acontroversial performance at theWhite House Correspondents' Dinner, and establishing a realSuper PAC that raised over a million dollars. The show also inspired various forms of multimedia, including music and multiple best-selling books.
The Colbert Report, hosted by afictional anchorman character named Stephen Colbert, played by his real-life namesake, satirized conservative personality-driven politicalpundit programs likethe O'Reilly Factor andHannity onFOX News. The character first made appearances on the short-lived sketch comedy seriesThe Dana Carvey Show in 1996, described as "a self-important, trench-coated reporter who does on-location stories in a way that suggests his own presence is the real scoop."[1][2] His skits included "Waiters Who Are Nauseated by Food", "Germans Who Say Nice Things" and "Skinheads from Maine".[2]
Colbert joinedComedy Central'sThe Daily Show in 1997, a year following its launch, then hosted byCraig Kilborn.[3] WhenJon Stewart became the program's host in 1999,The Daily Show developed a markedly different style, bringing a sharper political focus to the humor than the show previously exhibited. Colbert recalled that Stewart specifically asked him to have a political viewpoint, and to allow his passion for issues to carry through into his comedy.[4][5][6]
Colbert became a fixture onThe Daily Show, occasionally hosting in Stewart's absence.[7] In 2003, the program began running advertisements for a fictional program titledThe Colbert Réport, starring Colbert as a parody of cable news pundits.[1] When fellowDaily Show starSteve Carell left the show to pursue a film and television career, Comedy Central worked to keep Colbert at the network. Colbert pitchedThe Colbert Report to the channel in 2004. Stewart pushed Comedy Central to pick up the show, and Colbert was given an eight-week tryout. Following the show's immediate success, the show "quickly became a fixture in the late-night lineup."[1] At its peak, the show averaged 1.5 million viewers each evening.[8]The high viewership led the show to win multiple Emmy Awards, includingOutstanding Variety Series in 2013 and 2014 followed byOutstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming in 2015 even after Stephen Colbert had left the show.[9]
The intensity of the fictional Colbert anchorman character was gradually toned down over the course of the show's run, as the host believed he would eventually need to move beyond it.[10] He began to regard it as an act of discipline to perform as the character, later remarking, "to model behavior, you have to consume that behavior on a regular basis. It became very hard to watch punditry of any kind, of whatever political stripe."[11] In 2010, Colbert in character, testified before congress on the issue of immigrant farm labor, drawing both praise and criticism for blending comedy and political activism.[12] With his contract set to end in December 2014, he had already decided to leave the show when he was contacted byCBS to replaceDavid Letterman as the host ofThe Late Show franchise.[13] The show's ending was announced concurrently with Colbert's jump to CBS in April 2014.[14] The last episode ofthe Report aired on December 18, 2014.[15] The show was replaced on Comedy Central's late-night lineup byThe Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, anotherspinoff ofThe Daily Show.[16][17]
The Colbert Report made a one-off return during a segment ofThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 19, 2025, with "The Word" segment: "Shhhhhh..." in the context of the indefinite suspension ofJimmy Kimmel Live! byABC.
The character first made appearances on the short-lived sketch comedy seriesThe Dana Carvey Show in 1996, described as "a self-important, trench-coated reporter who does on-location stories in a way that suggests his own presence is the real scoop."[1]
WhenThe Daily Show ran short on time, a short piece starring Colbert, advertising a fictional program titledThe Colbert Réport, was added into the program. In these sketches, Colbert began to amplify his character to parody news pundits.[7] Colbert anchored many sketches in his persona, including "Even Stepvhen", in which he debated current issues with fellow correspondentSteve Carell, often devolving into petty name-calling and insults.[1] Colbert and Carell were viewed as potential breakout stars by staff, and when Carell left the series in 2004 to start anAmerican version ofThe Office, Comedy Central made attempts to keep Colbert at the network.[18] Stewart and Karlin were already looking to expand theDaily Show franchise and their production company, Busboy. The duo supposedly came up with the idea forThe Colbert Report after watching coverage of thesexual harassment lawsuit filed againstBill O'Reilly. Colbert met with network presidentDoug Herzog the day following the 2004 Emmy Awards to first discuss the concept.[18] The one-line pitch Colbert, Karlin and Stewart developed was "Our version ofthe O'Reilly Factor with Stephen Colbert."[19] Herzog committed to an eight-week tryout period without a pilot.[1]
By the time of the 2004 election, the character was fully developed.[7] In creating the character, which is designed to be repellent but entertaining, Colbert conferred with Stewart and Karlin. In expressing his hope that his character not be "an asshole," Stewart remarked, "You're not an asshole. You're an idiot. There's a difference."[18] Head writer Allison Silverman reiterated this trait in a later interview, commenting, "There is an essential innocence to his character."[20] Colbert initially felt the character might not be sustainable in a longer format.[1] Despite this,The Colbert Report was designed as an extension of the satiric goals ofThe Daily Show, combining it with general silliness and character-driven humor.[20] To make sure there was no overlap in subject matter withThe Daily Show, Karlin made trips between the studios during the show's early days to supervise scripts.[18] For the first several years of the program, Colbert made an appearance at the end of eachDaily Show in split-screen, having a short discussion with Stewart preceding his show.[21][22]
I call the show, jokingly, "The Joy Machine", because if you can do it with joy, even in the simplest show, then it's "The Joy Machine" as opposed to "The Machine". Considering the speed at which we do it, we'll get caught in the gears really quickly unless we also approach it with joy.
The show's writing was grounded inimprov, employing a "yes to everything" mentality.[1] Much of the humor derived from extended improv games with the show's studio and at-home audience, like Colbert's poll to name a bridge in Hungary after himself.[23] Many of the writers had improv training and at one point put together "improv evenings" at theUpright Citizens Brigade Theatre once a month.[1]The Report's writing staff was predominantly male and white; Colbert acknowledged this lack of diversity, but contended that he hired writers based solely on the quality of their material and had never looked at the names on writing packets submitted for employment.[24] Subjects considered too dark were not even considered for comedic material; for example, the show would poke fun at press coverage of a tragedy, rather than the tragedy itself.[25] Issues discussed on the show were later reported on actual newscasts, in turn allowing the show to comment on its own impact, creating anecho chamber of sorts.[23] This led Colbert to describe his show, "at its purest expression, [as] a pebble that we throw into the puddle of the news, and then we report on our own ripples."[23]
Ideas for each show were considered in the morning pitch meeting, which could range from "harrowing" to smooth.[25] Described as having "demanding standards", Colbert is quoted as remarking, "Let's make it perfect and then cut it."[1] Although dozens of ideas were either chosen for the show or deleted, other ideas, saved for a later date, were often forgotten because of the pace of news.[1] Ideas with considerable potential were put in the "hopper" to be developed and rewritten, while more fully formed ideas were placed in the "pantry."[25] Good jokes would still be sacrificed if they did not fit the character's specific point of view, which was deemed the inverse of what "any logical person" feels.[24] At least one writer has described the job as "all-consuming", leaving no time for outside activities.[1] Colbert himself eventually became withdrawn from morning meetings as the show continued on and he mulled a decision to leave.[13]
Usually by 11 a.m., a rough outline for the show was completed and writers sent off in pairs to create scripts that would be polished throughout the day.[1] First, writers would scan news articles for ideas and partner together in pairs, with one "keeping track of possible jokes."[25] During an appearance at theNew York Comedy Festival in 2013, some writers admitted to procrastinating until the last hour before rehearsal to complete their sections; Colbert confirmed that, in the program's early days, segments such as "The Word" were scripted entirely during the rewrite before rehearsal.[24][25] Both writers read their dialogue aloud to see whether they thought the Colbert character would say it.[20] As writers were working on their respective scripts, the show's production and graphics team compiled music, footage, and props needed for the show.[20] To collect video clips, the show cross-referenced transcripts of hours and hours of archivedTiVo recordings of news programs.[26][27] In 2011, the show switched to Snapstream software, which streamlined the TV clip search and compilation process, allowing for searchingclosed captioning for select words.[27] In addition, a group of staffcoders and independent contractors developed Scripto software to collaborate on scripts in real time.[28]
By 1 p.m., the show held a second production meeting to go over scripts and determine which pieces to edit.[20] Scripts were "hopefully" completed around 4 p.m., and a rehearsal with the entire staff would begin at 5:30 p.m. or occasionally earlier.[20] Afterward, final changes were made to the script.[7] The final rewrite would take place in a "small, red, poorly ventilated room" until 6:45 p.m.[20][24] Before interviewing his guests, Colbert met with them in thegreen room and acknowledged that he was playing a character, noting that thepersona is "willfully ignorant of what you know and care about" and urging the guest to "honestly disabuse me of what you see as my ignorance."[23]Emily Lazar, a producer for the interview segments, advised guests to talk with Colbert as though he were a "harmless drunk at the next bar stool."[8] Guests would typically take their seats around 7 p.m., when a warm-up comedian (perhaps Jared Logan orPaul Mecurio) delivered jokes.[29] Colbert, out of character, held a brief question and answer session with the audience prior to taping.[23] Taping lasted as long as three hours[29] but usually ended around 9 p.m., at which point the show was edited and sent to Comedy Central for broadcast.[1] As the show was being edited, the staff met one last time to work through details for the next show.[20]
The Colbert Report was taped and broadcast four nights a week, Monday–Thursday.[19] The show's taping studio, at 513 W. 54th Street in New York City'sHell's Kitchen neighborhood, was used forThe Daily Show until July 2005,[7] and has a capacity of 150.[29] NEP Studio 54 on54th Street is owned byNEP Broadcasting which is New York City's largest production facility and also ownsThe Daily Show set at NEP Studio 52 two blocks south on52nd Street. Aside from the set, the show's production offices have been described as "loft-like" and "all overhead pipes and exposed brick."[21] Following the show's conclusion, the building was used forThe Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.[30]
The set forThe Colbert Report was called "The Eagle's Nest" and reflects and facilitates Colbert's self-aggrandizing style.[31] It was designed by Jim Fenhagen, and was intended to both capture the character's ego and be "hyper-American."[31] Elements incorporated into the set included architectural lines converged to Colbert's desk, and radial beams coming out from behind his chair.[23] Colbert's main influence for the set was Leonardo da Vinci'sThe Last Supper,[32] with the Colbert character asJesus Christ.[31] In the set, "virtually every inch emblazoned with Colbert's name or the initial C";[21] his name, initials and the name of the show appear on the desk'splasma screen, on the rafters above the desk, and the desk itself is shaped like a giant "C".[31] The background includes faux artifacts from the character's backstory, which are seldom seen by viewers. "I kept saying, 'People might not really notice this.' But when you're working with a comedy team, they really get into it. They couldn't help themselves," said Fenhagen. These references included theUnited States Constitution, a miniatureTen Commandments, and aCliffsNotes guide to American government.[31]
The set was described as "partRiefenstahlesque homage to the star, part symbologic gallery – where alert viewers are rewarded with snarky jokes at every turn."[31] Above a fireplace is a portrait of Colbert; it originally showed Colbert standing in front of the same mantel with another portrait of himself. On the show's first anniversary, the portrait was replaced by one of Colbert standing in front of the mantel with the first portrait above it,[33] and with each successive year, it became Colbert standing in front of the previous year's painting.[34][35] The graphics used throughout the show and the studio itself are saturated withAmerican flags,bald eagles,Captain America's shield, and other patriotic imagery.[36]
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Typically, Colbert starts with the audience cheering and teasers regarding the show's topics and guest; each headline is structured to be a deliberate pun. The series of puns are followed by a verbalmetaphor that promotes the show and is almost always finished with, "This is theColbert Report." The show's original opening title sequence began with an eagle diving past the host, following by images of Americana, stock footage of Colbert, and words describing Colbert flying by (some of which have been used as The Word). The first word used was "Grippy", and has changed to include, among others, "Megamerican", "Lincolnish", "Superstantial", "Flagaphile", and "Factose Intolerant". The May 4 episode in 2009 featured hints planted byJ. J. Abrams about when and where Colbert would be in thePersian Gulf,[37] and "Farewellison" for the final episode of former producer Allison Silverman.[38] The show's opening credits depict the Colbert character clutching an American flag.[1] On January 4, 2010, a new opening debuted. The opening begins and ends with an eagle as before, but features new background renderings, new shots of Stephen Colbert, and is now colored in an American, red white and blue motif. The show'stheme music is "Baby Mumbles" byCheap Trick. Colbert phoned guitaristRick Nielsen during development of the show to discuss the theme, noting that he loved the band's song "I Want You to Want Me"; the show's theme music is largely that song's melody backwards.[39]
Following the opening sequence, Colbert most often proceeds with a run-through of recent headlines in a manner parodying traditional news broadcasts, similar toThe Daily Show but with a faux-right-wing spin. The program typically continues with Colbert addressing a specific topic. Colbert often calls to "Jimmy", a reference to program director Jim Hoskinson, to roll video clips.[24] That topic will often lead into a "The Word" segment, which juxtaposes Colbert's commentary with satirical bullet points on-screen, a parody ofThe O'Reilly Factor's "Talking Points Memo".[40] On occasion he will conduct a short interview with someone having to do with the topic. The format of the middle segment varies, but it is normally a visual presentation or skit. Often, these skits are parts ofrecurring segments, which may include "Better Know a District", in which Colbert interviews aU.S. Representative from a certain district of the United States; "Tip of the Hat/Wag of the Finger", in which Colbert voices his approval or disapproval of prominent people and news items; "Cheating Death with Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A.", a health segment; "The Sport Report" with the "t" in both Sport and Report silent, a sports segment; and "The ThreatDown", in which Colbert lists the five greatest threats to America, and others. His newest segment, "Thought for Food" deals with the consumption of specific foods across the world.
Sometimes, there is a "Colbert Report Special Repor-t" (the final 't' pronounced with special emphasis), or even a "Colbert Report, Sport Report, Special Repor-t", in which Colbert devotes a section of an episode, and sometimes the entire episode to a special subject. The third segment is almost always an interview with a celebrity guest, often an author or government official.[41] Unlike the late night talk show standard of the guest walking out to the host's desk, Colbert instead runs to a separate area of the set to interview his guest, basking in the applause and glory meant for the guest.[42] On the interview segment of the show, Colbert frequently attempts to nail his guest by using variousrhetorical devices andfallacies to prove them wrong.[43] The real-life Colbert once remarked that his personal favorite segment of the program were the interviews, which involved more listening on his end in order for the character to "ignorantly deconstruct" his opponent's argument.[23] Frequent guestFather James Martin was known asThe Colbert Report's chaplain.[44] The third segment of the show is on occasion a musical guest. Prominent musical guests have includedMetallica,[45]Paul McCartney,Rush,Green Day,Paul Simon,Crosby Stills & Nash,Pavement,Cat Stevens,Yo-Yo Ma,Radiohead andBlack Star. Afterwards, Colbert ends the show with parting words to the audience or, if short for time, a simple "that's it for the report everybody, good night".
It's all about this [character] because there's a culture of victimization of these hosts. They feel like they're the ones who are the story, and they are being attacked by the powers that be or by some nefarious cabal. That's all based upon one person. That's how it came about, just me and the camera.
The host ofThe Colbert Report is Stephen Colbert, a "self-importantright-wing commentator",[47] portrayed by his real-life namesake. The character incorporates aspects of Colbert's real life, but primarilyparodies cable newspundits, particularlyBill O'Reilly ofFox News'The O'Reilly Factor, whom he refers to as "Papa Bear".[48][49] To this end, the character even incorporates O'Reilly's mannerisms, described as his "pen-wielding, hand-stabbing gestures."[1] O'Reilly's use of "talking points"—illustrated onscreen text reflecting the host's opinions—are parodied onThe Colbert Report with the segment "The Word".[22][49] He initially incorporated long-winded, verbose metaphors to parody CNN correspondent Aaron Brown.[22] In addition, the character was also heavily inspired byStone Phillips,Bill Kurtis and "especially"Geraldo Rivera. "I loved the way Geraldo made reporting a story seem like an act of courage," Colbert told a reporter in 2012.[1]
The core principle ofThe Colbert Report is that Colbert is a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot."[23] The character believes that he himself is the news: rather than a vessel to deliver the news to the audience, or a general member of the media, the character sees himself as more important than the news.[23][32] He is veracious in his approach, while often ridiculously overblown in his statements.[23] The character isegomaniacal, fact-averse ("factose intolerant"), God-fearing, and hyper-patriotic. He claims to be anindependent who is often mistaken for aRepublican, but uniformly despisesliberals and generally agrees with the actions and decisions of the Republican Party.[50] Colbert's character has been described as a "caustic right-wing bully."[51] The character exists not in opposition to political leaders, but to common ignorances; for example, his insistence that then-presidential candidateBarack Obama had Socialist leanings was based on public misconceptions.[23] In parodying thecult of personality,[32] the Colbert character also developed a real-life equivalent, creating what was dubbed the "Colbert Nation".[18] While giving the character a certain mythos was part of the show's inception, show producers did not set out to create a loyal following for the character itself; the joke was that the character thought he had an influence, but that was a figment of his ego-riddled imagination.[8]
Despite his appearance of always being in charge, Colbert is vulnerable: he feels deeply threatened by those wielding more power than he,[20] and he suffers from "arctophobia", the fear of bears, which he refers to as "giant, marauding, godless killing machines".[52] He will alert the audience to what he perceives as the latest national threat (the subject of a recurring bit, "ThreatDown"), only to justify his own fears and impose those onto his audience.[8]
As the show progressed, Colbert gradually began to tone down the character,[10] allowing guests in interviews to "get his or her own message across." The show's longevity created whatThe New York Times described as "a winking quality to the act, a sense that we're all in on the joke."[1] Colbert himself acknowledged that he "rarely hit it as hard as I used to," noting that "You have to be vigilant to stay ignorant."[8] He noted that his own personal opinions can occasionally align with his character's, when liberal guests' agendas appeared based on dislike rather than logical argument.[23] Politician and formervice presidentAl Gore accidentally referred to the persona as a "character" in a 2011 interview on the show, and in 2013, Colbert further blurred the lines between his character and real life when he spoke regarding the death of his mother on the program.[53] In doing so, many commentators referred the show's longevity and the development of a "third" Colbert — one a faux pundit and one informed by the performer's own life.[53] In the show's credits, Colbert was credited with a title, which deliberately became increasingly cumbersome as the show progressed:Her Excellency The Rev. Sir Doctor Stephen TyroneMos Def Colbert, D.F.A.,Heavyweight Champion of the World✱✱ featuringFlo Rida La Premiere Dame De France.[54]
When O'Reilly appeared onThe Daily Show before the second episode ofThe Colbert Report aired, he commented, "Before we get started, somebody told me walking in here, you got some French guy on after you making fun of me?", and made several references in the following interview to 'the French Guy'.[55][56] In a subsequentNewsweek interview, O'Reilly said that he "feels it's a compliment" to have Colbert parody him because Colbert "isn't mean-spirited" and does not "use [his] platform to injure people". Later, Colbert replied on-air, "I like you too. In fact, if it wasn't for you, this show wouldn't exist."[57]
Colbert disagreed that the show's emphasis on politics represented a liberal bias, noting that he himself was uninterested in modern politics.[23] He believed that political issues reflect basic human behavior, which he viewed as his satirical specialty, noting, "If I thought I had a political point, I'd be in big trouble."[23] In another interview, Colbert remarked, "I'm not someone with a particular political ax to grind. I'm a comedian. I love hypocrisy."[21]
The Colbert Report premiered on October 17, 2005.[3] The first guest wasStone Phillips, a partial influence on the character.[21] In the debut episode, Colbert coined the wordtruthiness, defined as "a quality characterizing a 'truth' that a person making an argument or assertion claims to knowintuitively 'from the gut' or because it 'feels right' without regard toevidence,logic, intellectual examination, or facts."[58]Truthiness was named the 2005Word of the Year by theAmerican Dialect Society and for 2006 byMerriam-Webster.[59][60] The character's forceful nature confused some in the program's early days. During an appearance on the segment "Better Know a District" in the show's first season, a frustratedBarney Frank declined to continue, deeming the conversation too dumb.[61] In one early episode, the Colbert character purported to be a former member of a 1980snew wave group, Stephen & the Colberts, and released a fictionalmusic video from the band for the song "Charlene (I'm Right Behind You)".[62]
The show's popularity resulted in Colbert headlining the 2006White House Correspondents' Dinner, which he performed in character. Thecontroversial, searing routine targeted PresidentGeorge W. Bush and the media, and was greeted with chilly reception from the audience.[63] Although President Bush shook Colbert's hand after his presentation, several of Bush's aides and supporters walked out during Colbert's speech, and one former aide commented that the President had "that look that he's ready to blow."[64] Colbert's performance quickly became an Internet and media sensation.[65][66] According toVanity Fair, the speech transformed Colbert as a "folk hero" for liberals, and was later described byFrank Rich as the "defining moment" of the 2006 midterm elections.[7] Adam Sternbergh ofNew York, a year after the show's debut, deemed the character "something very close to what he's parodying, a kind of Bill O'Reilly for the angry left."[18]
In 2006, Colbert encouraged fans to vote for his name to be the new name of a bridge in Hungary, which was being decided via an online poll, beating the runner-up by more than 14 million votes. He was, however, disqualified, as the name of the bridge was intended to be a memoriam.[7] Later that year, he began a mock feud withindie rock groupthe Decemberists over the subject of who was the first to challenge fans to create agreen screen video; the fake conflict culminated in aguitar solo competition against Decemberists guitaristChris Funk on the show's final episode of the year, featuring guest appearances from guitaristPeter Frampton, New York Governor-ElectEliot Spitzer, and Dr.Henry Kissinger.[67][68] Colbert later recalled it as the show's "craziest" moment, changing the way the staff viewed the program: "Because you realize the character believes anything he thinks, says, [or] cares about is important, anything fits on the show. [...] That is the show where we said, oh, there is unlimited open field running."[69]
In February 2007,Ben & Jerry's unveiled a new ice cream flavor in honor of Stephen Colbert, namedStephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream.[70] All proceeds were donated to charity through the Stephen Colbert AmeriCone Dream Fund, which distributed the money to various causes.[71] In June 2007, Colbert broke his left wrist while performing his warm-up for the show.[72] It was the subject of an extended bit on the program, including the creation of the "Wriststrong"wrist band, based onLance Armstrong's "Livestrong" wrist band, which donated all proceeds to theYellow Ribbon Fund. Colbert remained on the air without writers during theWriters Guild of America strike in 2007–08.[73] Colbert modified the pronunciation of the show's name, pronouncing both of the formerly elided final "t"s (/ˈkoʊlbərtrəpɔːrt/); a similar move was made byThe Daily Show which returned to air asA Daily Show.[74] During this period, he staged amock feud between himself, Jon Stewart, andLate Night hostConan O'Brien over who made Republican Presidential candidateMike Huckabee.[75]
In 2008, Colbert made a series of jokes directed at various towns in the United States named "Canton", with many attracting negative responses from each respective area's local government and residents.[76][77][78] The same year, the show filmed atongue-in-cheekChristmas special titledA Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!. In 2009, Colbertfilmed a series of four episodes for the troops inBaghdad,Iraq. He had a suit tailored for him in theArmy Combat Uniform pattern and went through an abbreviated version of theArmy'sbasic training regimen. On the first of the four episodes, Colbert had his head shaved on stage by GeneralRay Odierno who was jokingly "ordered" to do so by PresidentBarack Obama, who appeared on the episode via a pre-recorded segment from theWhite House.
In 2010, while in character, Colbertappeared before judiciary subcommittee hearing on the issue of farm workers andimmigration.[79]The New Yorker used Colbert's testimony before Congress as an example of the "third" Colbert: "Colbert was thoughtful and sincere—and had ruined the whole thing. By speaking honestly, he had become the very thing he was mocking, a celebrity testifying before Congress."[53] While most representatives were pleased with Colbert's testimony as it brought greater attention to the issue, some such as Representative Steve Cohen, were not amused by Colbert's satirical ingenuity stating that "inviting Colbert was a mistake."[80] Andrew C. Jones, a communications professor at LCC International University in Lithuania, breaks down Colbert's testimony into two separate forms of irony, Socratic irony and Sophistic irony.[81] Furthermore, Jones' article expands on how Colbert's utilization of these types of irony helps viewers process information through a critical lens (Sophistic) and how Colbert compels viewers to "wrestle with the truth" (Socratic).[81]
Beginning in June 2011, the show created a long-running gag that involved Colbert starting his own actual super PAC,Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, described by the character as "100 percent legal and at least 10 percent ethical."[82]
In 2012, Colbert interviewed illustrator/authorMaurice Sendak, who managed to get him tobreak character; show staff and Colbert himself retrospectively labeled the segment one of the show's more memorable moments.[24] TheLos Angeles Times called the September 2013 interview with political commentator and former CIA officialPhilip Mudd Colbert's "most awkward interview", stating Mudd "could barely disguise his contempt" for Colbert.[83]
PresidentBarack Obama guested during the show's final month, in a show taped fromGeorge Washington University inWashington, D.C.; Obama sat in Colbert's seat and presided over "The Wørd" segment.[84][85]
Thefinal episode aired on December 18, 2014. In the episode Stephen becomes immortal after accidentally killing "Grimmy" during the opening of the segment of "Cheating Death with Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A.". This leads to Stephen singing "We'll Meet Again" in its entirety along with a large group of famous friends includingJon Stewart,Jeff Daniels,Sam Waterston,Big Bird,Charlie Rose,Terry Gross,Keith Olbermann,Tom Brokaw,Alan Alda,Yo Yo Ma,Ken Burns,Cyndi Lauper,Patrick Stewart,Randy Newman,Doris Kearns Goodwin,Henry Kissinger,Alex Trebek,Mandy Patinkin,Lesley Stahl,George Lucas,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,Gloria Steinem,Elijah Wood,Jake Tapper,Bob Costas,Smaug andCookie Monster.[86]
Reviews ofThe Colbert Report upon its 2005 premiere were positive, although critics were generally skeptical that the character could extend beyond one season without growing tiresome.[87] While positively reviewing the program as a whole, Maureen Ryan of theChicago Tribune echoed these sentiments: "The biggest question hanging overThe Colbert Report is whether the show's sendup of the pomposity and fear-mongering of cable news blowhards will be as appealing in the long term."[88] Melanie McFarland of theSeattle Post-Intelligencer summarized the show's early reaction: "Critics and bloggers either loved the premiere or declared themselves to be unmoved, but that's the standard reaction after any late-night program's debut. A truer measure will be seen in coming weeks, after the hype wears off and the ratings lose their exuberance."[89]
Gilbert Cruz ofEntertainment Weekly noted that "Colbert proves that the line between serious TV journalism and utter nonsense is a very thin one indeed."[90] Heather Havrilesky ofSalon was effusive, remarking, "Not only does Colbert maintain his persona without skipping a beat throughout the entire show, but he's got great comic timing, the show's writers are brilliant, and the whole thing is pure foolish, bizarre, idiotic fun."[91] Barry Garron ofThe Hollywood Reporter dubbed it an "auspicious debut", writing, "The new show dovetails nicely with its lead-in to present a solid hour of skewered news and punctured pomposity."[92]Variety's Brian Lowry commented that the show had an "impressive start with a topnotch premiere followed by a respectable second outing."[93] Paul Brownfield of theLos Angeles Times wrote, "In the run-up to the show it all sounded a bit hard to get your head around, but in the flesh the show zinged, at least this first week."[87]
The Boston Globe's Matthew Gilbert praised the show's wordplay, summarizing, "Colbert's a clever creation, and a necessary one, and he deserves an opportunity to offend as many people as possible with his pompous blather."[94] Alessandra Stanley ofThe New York Times commented that the show was a welcome addition to the Comedy Central lineup, remarking, "What puts Mr. Colbert over the top is that he is not just impersonating well known television personalities, he also uses parody to score larger points about politics and the press."[95] Nevertheless, there were more negative reviews:USA Today's Robert Bianco opined that the show "tried too hard", writing, "Unfortunately, in just two weeks on the air, this half-hour spoof of a no-spin-zone type show has already stretched Colbert's character and the artifice that supports it past its natural breaking point."[96]
The New Yorker remarked that the show had remained funny throughout its entire run.[53]The Colbert Report currently scores favorable reviews, with 65/100 onMetacritic (first season), while its viewers' ranking on the site is higher at 8.7/10.[97]
In a 2009 academic analysis of the show's popularity,Temple University researcher, Heather LaMarre found that the show appealed to both liberals and conservatives, concluding, "there was no significant difference between the groups in thinking Colbert was funny, but conservatives were more likely to report that Colbert only pretends to be joking and genuinely meant what he said while liberals were more likely to report that Colbert used satire and was not serious when offering political statements".[98] Canadian journalistMalcolm Gladwell discussed LaMarre's findings in hisRevisionist History podcast, "The Satire Paradox" (2016).[99]
The ratings ofThe Colbert Report, from its premiere, benefited from the lead-inThe Daily Show provided, which at the time of the show's debut averaged 1.3 million viewers per night.[22] Comedy Central had previously struggled to produce a hit program on par withThe Daily Show, and were counting onColbert after a string of failures.[22]The Colbert Report drew 1.13 million viewers for its premiere episode, 47 percent greater than the average for that time slot over the previous four weeks,[100] and 98 percent of the viewership ofThe Daily Show, which had Comedy Central's second-largest viewership.[101] Averaged over its opening week,The Report had 1.2 million viewers per episode, more than double the average for the same time the previous year, when the time slot was occupied byToo Late with Adam Carolla.[102]
The show regularly began attracting over one million viewers with near immediacy. The show also drew more young men, a powerful demographic, than other late-night hosts (at that time,Jay Leno,David Letterman, andConan O'Brien).[7] Within a year,The Colbert Report began averaging 1.5 million viewers per night.[8] In early 2008, in the midst of thewriter's strike,Colbert posted an eleven-percent gain over its averages from the following fall.[103]
From 2012 to 2013, viewership decreased from 1.2 million to 1.1 million.[104] In 2013,The Colbert Report was the second most-watched late-night talk show (behindThe Daily Show) among the demographic of adults 18–49, beating competitionThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno in that demographic for the first time.[105] That year,The Colbert Report attracted $52.1 million in advertising for an audience whose median age was 39.4, about a year younger thanThe Daily Show.[104] In 2014, the final year of the show's run, ratings were down three percent (coinciding with a general ratings slide for cable television).[106]
Theseries finale on December 18, 2014, was watched by 2.4 million viewers, making it the most watched episode ever in the show's history. The finale was the most watched cable program of the night in its time slot, beatingThe Daily Show which was seen by two million viewers.[107][108]
The Colbert Report received numerous awards and accolades throughout its run. The show was nominated for fourEmmy Awards in its inaugural year, but lost toThe Daily Show.[7]The Report was nominated each year for the rest of its run forOutstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series, but lost each time toThe Daily Show until 2013— breaking the longest winning streak for a television show in Primetime Emmy Award history.[109] Colbert subsequently referenced his win on his program as the conclusion of Stewart's "reign of terror."[110]The Report also won the award the following year, and received a subsequent nomination in 2015.
The show received twoPeabody Awards, recognizing its excellence in news and entertainment.[111][112] It also won twoGrammy Awards, one forBest Comedy Album for the soundtrack to the specialA Colbert Christmas, and later forBest Spoken Word Album for theaudiobook toAmerica Again.[10] Colbert and Stewart'sRally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear was nominated for four Daytime Emmy awards in 2011, including theOutstanding Special Class Special category and theOutstanding Special Class Writing category.[113][114]
The New Yorker wrote that "Colbert has made vital observations about the American political system, particularly about the sordid role that money plays within it.The Colbert Report and theDaily Show [...] have changed the way that young liberals of a certain class think and talk about civic culture."[53]
The show also coined another word,wikiality, that means "reality as decided on majority rule." Viewers of the show also coined a word,freem, based on its inclusion in the show's opening sequence; the word refers to "'freedom' without having to 'do' anything—without any responsibility or action."[20] In response to the "Better Know a District" segment,Rahm Emanuel, then the Democratic Caucus chair, instructed incoming freshmen not to do appearances on the show in 2007.[116] In 2008,East Carolina University associate professorJason Bond named a species oftrapdoor spiderAptostichus stephencolberti in honor of Stephen Colbert.[117]
The "Colbert Bump" is defined, connotatively by theReport, as an increase in popularity of a person (author, musician, politician, etc.) or thing (website, etc.) as a result of appearing as a guest on or (in the case of a thing) being mentioned on the show. For example, if a politician appears onThe Colbert Report, they may become more popular with certain voters and thus are more likely to be elected. According to theAmerican Political Science Association, contributions to Democratic politicians rose 40% for 30 days after an appearance on the show.[118] Magazines such asGQ,Newsweek, andSports Illustrated have all had sales spikes when Colbert appeared on their covers.[119]
Viewers ofThe Colbert Report were on numerous occasions cited as being more knowledgeable about current events than traditional news viewers. In April 2007, aPew Research Center report cited bothColbert andThe Daily Show viewers as more well-informed than those who gathered their information via newspapers, television news and radio.[7] Colbert's Super PAC coverage was widely lauded, and studies later found that this coverage was more effective than traditional news programs at educating the audience on campaign finance. He was awarded aPeabody Award for the parody, which was described as an "innovative means of teaching American viewers about the landmark court decision".[120] TheAnnenberg Public Policy Center reported in 2014 that the Colbert Super PAC segments increased viewers' knowledge of PAC and 501(c)(4) campaign finance regulation more successfully than other types of news media.[121][122]
From 2008 to 2024, official archive clips of the show going back to 2005 were available first on theColbert Nation website, and then on the Comedy Central website.[123][124]
Outside the United States,The Colbert Report was shown in Canada on the cable serviceThe Comedy Network, simultaneously with its original U.S. broadcast (beginning a few weeks after the series debuted). Episodes would also air in Canada on traditional over-the-air broadcasterCTV, one hour after their appearance on The Comedy Network. On September 22, 2014, due to The Comedy Network's acquisition of Canadian rights toJimmy Kimmel Live!, the program began airing onM3 and did so for the remainder of the show's run.[125]
It airs onThe Comedy Channel in Australia,Comedy Central in New Zealand, and onMaxxx in thePhilippines. As of 2012[update], The Colbert Report has also been broadcast in Africa on DSTV's version of Comedy Central. It aired onFX in the United Kingdom until they decided not to renew their contract in May 2009.[126] In Portugal, it airs onSic Radical.
Beginning June 3, 2008,The Colbert Report also aired on the ShowComedy channel ofShowtime Arabia (CurrentlyOSN First HD), a channel which broadcasts in the Middle East and North Africa.[127] The show is transmitted on a one-day delay from original transmission in the US.
The show was shown during prime time on Australia's free-to-airABC2 in 2010, however the channel was outbid for rights for 2011.[128][129] The show was available directly on the colbernation.com website for part of 2011, with Australian advertisements; however, Australian access is now blocked.
Several international markets also airedThe Colbert Report Global Edition, which showed highlights from the previous week's shows and included a special introduction by Stephen Colbert at the start of the program. This meant a new or newly repackaged episode could be screened every weekday.
In addition, most recent episodes (usually 3 weeks back) would be available in full length on colbertnation.com. By the end of the series's run, the colbernation.com website was integrated into Comedy Central's website. As of 2021, almost seven years after the show ended, many episodes were presented in individual clips there.[130]
The show spawned various merchandise and multimedia related to the show. Three books were released to accompany the show's humor, the first beingI Am America (And So Can You!), released both in print and as anaudiobook in 2007. In 2012, two spinoff books of the show were released.America Again is asequel to the show's first book, and addresses topics includingWall Street,campaign finance,energy policy,healthcare, eating on the campaign trail, and theUnited States Constitution.[131] Another book,I Am a Pole (And So Can You!), was released the same year and purports to be achildren's book telling the story of a fictional pole finding its purpose in life.
Segments from the show were also released onDVD during its run.The Best of The Colbert Report, released in 2007, contains several of the show's most memorable early moments.[132] The show's Christmas special,A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, was also released on DVD the following year.[133] Thesoundtrack of that special also saw a digital release on theiTunes Store after its broadcast, and contains music fromFeist,John Legend,Willie Nelson,Toby Keith,Jon Stewart,Elvis Costello, and Colbert himself. In 2011,Jack White's record labelThird Man Records released a 7" vinyl single of Stephen Colbert andThe Black Belles performing "Charlene II (I'm Over You)",[134] which they also performed together on the show.[135]
November 2006: Charleston's Sticky Fingers restaurant wins an auction to buy a "portrait within a portrait" of Colbert that was displayed on the set of his show. You can still see the portrait at the restaurant on King Street.
Then there was Canton, S.D., "North Dakota's dirty ash tray."
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
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