| Stephen Colbert | |
|---|---|
| The Daily Show /The Colbert Report /The Late Show character | |
 Stephen Colbertin character | |
| First appearance | June 26, 1997 onThe Daily Show |
| Created by | Stephen Colbert |
| Portrayed by | Stephen Colbert |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Title | Doctor of Fine Arts (honorary) |
| Occupation | Formercorrespondent onThe Daily Show Former host ofThe Colbert Report |
| Spouse | Lorraine[1] |
| Relatives | Stephen Colbert (identical twin cousin) |
| Religion | Catholic Church |
| Nationality | American |
TheReverendSirDr. Stephen T.Mos Def ColbertD.F.A.,Heavyweight Champion of the World,[2][3] is the fictionalized persona ofpolitical satiristStephen Colbert, as portrayed on theComedy Central seriesThe Daily Show andThe Colbert Report, and occasionally onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert onCBS. Described as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed high-statusidiot"[4] and a "self-importantright-wingcommentator",[5] the character incorporates aspects of the real Colbert's life and interests but is primarily aparody of cable newspundits, particularly formerFox News prime time hostBill O'Reilly.[6]
Colbert first appeared as a correspondent onComedy Central's news parody seriesThe Daily Show in 1997 and remained a regular contributor until 2005, when he left to hostThe Colbert Report, aspin-off show satirizing personality-driven political pundit programs. He has also been featured in a number of other public performances, most notably at the2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, and as the author of the booksI Am America (And So Can You!),I Am a Pole (And So Can You!), andAmerica Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't.
Colbert's performance attracted widespread critical attention and acclaim, with a reviewer writing forTime magazine calling it "one of the greatest sustained performances in pop culture, TV or otherwise,"[7] while aVulture reporter called him "one of TV’s greatest characters."[8]
On April 23, 2014, the character appeared onThe Daily Show to announce that he had clearly "won television" and would be endingThe Colbert Report because he had met his goal. This came after the real Colbert announced he would not be using the character when he replacedDavid Letterman as the host ofThe Late Show onCBS in 2015.[9] Thefinal episode ofThe Colbert Report aired on December 18, 2014.[10]
The character has made a few media appearances following the conclusion ofThe Colbert Report. He made acameo appearance in theHouse of Cardsseason three episode "Chapter 27", which was released on February 27, 2015. He returned for the August 6, 2015, episode ofThe Daily Show to honorJon Stewart during his final episode as host of the series. He has since made multiple appearances on The Late Show.
Colbert's earliest mainstream exposure came in theprime timesketch comedy programThe Dana Carvey Show. While only lasting seven episodes in early 1996, it provided Colbert with roles that would help forge his future onscreen persona. This was largely due to its format of delivering sketch performances directly to the camera. Although they did not air, several sketches inspired byThe Onion also had Colbert playing adeadpan anchor delivering the news.[11] In an interview withThe New York Times regardingThe Dana Carvey Show, Colbert noted, "If you have an opportunity to give it right to the audience, there’s a special connection that you make by looking at the camera."
Upon the show's cancellation, Colbert was cast forThe Daily Show by co-creatorMadeleine Smithberg. This was thanks to his performance as a nauseated waiter onThe Dana Carvey Show.[12]
Colbert appeared as acorrespondent onThe Daily Show between 1997 and 2005. During this time, the comedian developed the character that would later form the basis for hisColbert Report persona, one that its creator calls a "fool who has spent a lot of his life playing not the fool".[13] Colbert frequently citesStone Phillips — whom he describes as having "the greatest neck injournalism" — as a source of inspiration for the character, as well asGeraldo Rivera, "because he's got this great sense of mission... He just thinks he's gonna change the world with this report".[14] As a correspondent, Colbert was regularly pitted against knowledgeable interview subjects, fellow correspondentSteve Carell, or hostJon Stewart in scripted exchanges which typically revealed the character's lack of knowledge of whatever subject he was discussing.[6] OtherDaily Show correspondents have since 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".[15]
In 2005, Colbert leftThe Daily Show to host a spin-off series entitledThe Colbert Report, a parody of personality-driven political pundit programs such asFox News'sThe O'Reilly Factor that center largely on the personal views of their hosts. Because of this enlarged role, the personality and beliefs of the Stephen Colbert character have become more clearly defined over the course of the show, complete with a fictitiousbackstory that has been revealed piecemeal in short monologues accompanying a part of the program.
The character Colbert portrays inReport originated as an amplification of his self-importantDaily Show correspondent. As they developed the character and the show Colbert and his staff began to look at some more specific models.[16]Bill O'Reilly, whom the character affectionately nicknames "Papa Bear",[17] is the most commonly cited point of reference. In a 2006 episode ofThe Colbert Report, Colbert remarked that, "if it wasn't for [O'Reilly], this show wouldn’t exist".[18] In adapting the character for theReport, Colbert has also mentionedAaron Brown,Anderson Cooper,Sean Hannity,Lou Dobbs andJoe Scarborough as having an influence over his performance.[19][20] References to the character's abuse ofprescription drugs are believed to be an allusion toRush Limbaugh's addiction to painkillers.[16]
The nightly in-character guest interviews were initially of concern to Colbert, who worried his character's belligerent nature would be off-putting to guests. However, since the show's debut, he says he has found he is able to "slide the intensity" of his behavior depending on his interviewee's ability to respond to his aggressive approach. Colbert now often cites the interview segment as his favorite part of the show, because it allows him to improvise.[21] Colbert advises his guests to disabuse the character of his ignorance. "Don't let me get away with anything. Don't try to play my game. Be real. Be passionate. Hold your ideas. Give me resistance. Give me traction I can work against."[22]
Colbert is the central character in the 2007 bookI Am America (And So Can You!). Co-written withPaul Dinello and the writers ofThe Colbert Report,I Am America delves into what the character considers to be the most pressing issues facing America. The book takes influence from the literary endeavors of the character's pundit models, such as O'Reilly'sThe O'Reilly Factor (2000) and Hannity'sDeliver Us From Evil (2004), which Colbert says he "forced" himself to read as a reference.I Am America is considered a pure extension of theReport; the written medium allowed the writers to employ different styles, such as long-format arguments, that they could not have used on television. "You can actually spend 20 pages talking about religion whereas in the show, two pages is about as long as we hold any one idea", Colbert explains. In doing this, the writers "discovered things that [the character] cared about that... they didn't know he cared about before".[23]
A character similar to Colbert'sDaily Show persona featured in the 2003 bookWigfield: The Can Do Town That Just May Not by Colbert, Dinello andAmy Sedaris. Russell Hokes, a self-aggrandizing journalist, was voiced by Colbert in both stage performances of the text and theaudiobook. Colbert likens Hokes to his self-important correspondent character, but "more extreme, more self-involved".[24] Colbert has also drawn a link between his character and Jerri Blank, the protagonist ofComedy Central'sStrangers with Candy (1999–2000), a show he created with Dinello and Sedaris: "There's a lot of Jerri inThe Colbert Report. He was well-intentioned, just incredibly poorly informed and guided".[25]
Certain elements of the character are drawn from the real Colbert's personal life. Both the real Colbert and the character were raised inCharleston, South Carolina; both are the youngest of 11 children; both playedDungeons & Dragons as teenagers; and both are practicingCatholics.[13] Colbert's own interest in and knowledge of religion,science fiction, andJ. R. R. Tolkien'sThe Lord of the Rings story will often show through in theReport. His character has a chocolate portrait ofViggo Mortensen (who portrayedAragorn inPeter Jackson'sThe Lord of the Rings films) in a place of honor on his shelf; Mortensen briefly reprised the role of Aragorn in theReport's September 13, 2007 episode.[13][26] He also owns aSting sword presented to him by Peter Jackson.[27]
Occasionally, Colbert mentioned his real-life siblings on the show. In one episode, he placed his brother Ed, a lawyer who advises theInternational Olympic Committee, "on notice" for refusing to grant the show the rights to air footage of a dispute between two Americanspeed skaters.[28] Ed later appeared at the start of the February 22, 2010 edition advising Stephen on how to cover theVancouver Winter Olympics since his character does not have the television rights to the games. Footage from theRichmond Olympic Oval was used after Stephen was named a special advisor to theU.S. Speedskating Federation. Generally, journalists covering the Olympics do not have access to the venues unless their employer has the rights to Olympic TV coverage and cannot show moving video coverage of any official Olympic event unless they have permission from the rights holder. When his sisterElizabeth Colbert Busch declared her intention to run for Congress, he mentioned the event. Later, when she was nominated to run againstMark Sanford and theMSNBC showMorning Joe declared their support for Sanford and mentioned Colbert, he defended his sister's campaign.
In an appearance atHarvard University in 2006, Colbert revealed that his character's fear of bears was in part inspired by arecurring dream he has had, in which a bear is standing between him and his goal.[22] The character'sphobia, which was initially referenced in the show's first "ThreatDown" skit, was originally slated to be a fear ofalligators. By the time theReport went to air, the alligator story was several weeks old, and the writers chose to use a more recent news item involving a bear in its place.[23]
After Colbert received an honoraryDoctor of Fine Arts fromKnox College, the show began listing his name in the ending credits as "Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A." even though using both thehonorific prefix andpost-nominal letters is incorrect. During the show, the character will sometimes refer to the degree and the qualifications he mistakenly believes it bestows upon him.[29]
In May 2007, Colbert was voted the "second most influential person in the world" by aTime magazine online poll. The first spot was taken byRain, a youngK-pop star with a large following in Asia and the United States. Colbert then declared Rain his "arch-nemesis" and began mentioning him frequently on theReport. Colbert filmed a satirical music video poking fun at Rain's popular single "How to Avoid the Sun" and referencing several stereotypicalSouth Korean dishes and products. The one-sided feud eventually culminated in Colbert challenging Rain to a competition on air. After telling Colbert "not to quit his day job", Rain appeared in a short segment on the show and competed (and won) aDance Dance Revolution dance-off with Colbert.[30] Both have been defeated byShigeru Miyamoto in recent polls,[31] though they still continue to be strong contenders[as of?].
On June 21, 2007, Colbert broke his left wrist on the set of theReport while performing his warm-up for the show.[32] This quickly became a regular source of comedy on the show as the self-absorbed character requested his audience send flowers, launched a campaign againstHollywood's supposed glorification of "wrist violence", and began a "wristawareness" campaign with "WristStrong"silicone bracelets.[33] On August 23, 2007, the cast was removed on air and was put up for auction to the general public, complete with celebrity signatures, oneBay, where it achieved a winning bid of $17,200.[34] All of the proceeds from both the cast and the bracelets were donated to theYellow Ribbon Fund.[35]
In an interview withThe Buffalo News, Colbert said "The weird thing about my character, even on the show, is sometimes I say what I mean. It doesn't matter to me that the audience doesn't know when that is."[36]
On June 19, 2013, Colbert returned from an unplanned break of several days following the passing of his 92-year-old mother, Lorna Colbert. The emotional Colbert started the show with a tribute to his mother, in which he presented a brief biography of her life in photos, accompanied by hiseulogy of her.[37]
The titles and styling ofHer ExcellencyThe Rev.SirDoctor Stephen TyroneMos Def Colbert,D.F.A.,Heavyweight Champion of the World✱✱ featuringFlo RidaLa Première Dame De France are mostly for comedic reasons. Colbert became an ordained minister on June 2, 2011, granting himself the title of Reverend.[38] Colbert was mock knighted byQueen Noor of Jordan on April 7, 2009,[39] bestowing him with the title of Sir. He was granted an honorary doctorate of fine arts byKnox College in 2006,[40] giving him the title of Doctor and use of the suffix D.F.A. (Doctor of Fine Arts). This title was featured regularly duringhis segmentsCheating Death with Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, DFA.Yasiin Bey gave Colbert the use of his stage name Mos Def on October 5, 2011.[41]
AfterMike Tyson failed to appear in a scheduled interview with Colbert on July 23, 2013, Colbert declared himself Heavy Weight Champion of the World[42] and granted himself use of the title. The large asterisk in the title is to denote that he did not defeat Tyson in a boxing match. The suffix featuringFlo Rida was added during the segmentI tried to sign up for Obamacare on October 23, 2013,[43] where his name on theACA form said featuring Flo Rida. Her Excellency was added to the title as Colbert was seated next toMichelle Obama at theWhite House state dinner in February 2014, in which thePresident of FranceFrançois Hollande was not accompanied by a partner. Because it is customary that the First Lady of a visiting nation is seated next to the First Lady of the United States, Colbert proclaimed himselfFirst Lady of France on February 12, 2014.[44]
Colbert's fictional history is not always rigidly adhered to by the show's writers. The comedian himself says that "My character's history may not always be perfectly consistent ... There's my bio and there's my character's bio, and then there's my character's history, which is slightly different than my character's bio."[45] His early life, prior to becoming host ofThe Colbert Report, is expanded upon inI Am America (And So Can You!).
Like the actor who portrays him, Stephen T. Colbert is the youngest of 11 children, born into a devout Catholic family—the character's family was so devout, in fact, they sent their teenage son to an "exorcism day camp located in Canton, Ohio" when they discovered he likedDungeons & Dragons. In his in-character appearance onThe O'Reilly Factor, Colbert stated that he is ofIrish descent and only adopted theFrench pronunciation of his surname to "get the cultural elites" on his side.[46] Colbert has made conflicting statements regarding his middle name, which he has at different times stated to be Tyrone (Colbert's actual middle name), Tiberius (like that of CaptainJames T. Kirk),Lee-Harvey,[47] and Qxyzzy.[48]
The character has said he was regularly beaten up in high school, and by the time he left for college he was determined never to be a victim again. As such, on the first day of his freshman year he walked into class and punched the first person he saw (unfortunately, this happened to be hisethics professor).[49] He attendedDartmouth College (instead of his first pick,Hogwarts, claiming that his white owl led them to reject him),[50] and was a member of the ΣΑΕ fraternity,[51] although his acceptance into the college appears to have been largely influenced by a claimed familial relationship with a wealthy donor,[49] and graduated in the top 47 percent of his class with a major in history.[52] He has also referred toBob Jones University as analma mater.
Prior to embarking on a career in journalism, Colbert worked as a carnivalroustabout and a construction worker. During the 1980s, he was the lead singer and guitarist of anABC-likenew wave band called "Stephen and the Colberts". The comedian portrays his character's younger self in the band'smusic video, wearing worn jeans, cowboy boots and a spiky hair style. Their only revealed song to date is entitled "Charlene (I'm Right Behind You)", one of numerous references to an ex-girlfriend (and cousin) whom he continues tostalk despite numerousrestraining orders.[53] This song has beenmade available for download for free in the video gameRock Band. On the May 14, 2008, episode, Colbert claimed to have been the "totalitarian ruler ofMalawi from 1982 to 1984". He mentions that his wife's first name is Lorraine.
Colbert later moved into reporting, working in TV news for several stations inVirginia andNorth Carolina. Occasionally he will show footage of himself as a "young man" (portrayed by Colbert, wearing a false moustache) working as an anchor at a local news station (WPTS) inPatterson Springs, North Carolina, still displaying his trademark outrage over minor municipal issues in the manner of20/20 correspondentJohn Stossel. In 1997, Colbert was promoted to anchor of the Channel 7 News on WPTS Patterson Springs afterouting the previous anchor, Wayne Colt, for hiscocaine addiction. His ensuing investigative reports into Colt's downfall earned him a localEmmy, and eventually a correspondent position atThe Daily Show.[49] This corresponds with the year the comedian joined the cast of the show.
Colbert often makes digs at the expense ofDaily Show hostJon Stewart.[54] He has implied a strained relationship with Stewart, in contrast with the real Colbert's admiration for the comedian,[45] and suggests that his departure fromThe Daily Show occurred under dubious circumstances. The character has described Stewart as asexual predator[55] and has been known to become tearful when his name is brought up.[56] On the other hand, Colbert has also implied that he only got his own show byblackmailing Stewart with incriminating photographs.[57]
Colbert is described inAmerica (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, to which he was a contributor while serving as a 'Daily Show' correspondent, as holding the positions of theArthur M. Schlesinger Professor of American Studies at Harvard University,[58] and of Chief Defender of International War Crimes at theWorld Court inthe Hague.[59] The book also states that he is the seven-time recipient of theWerner Heisenberg Prize for Excellence in TheoreticalMathematics.[60] Paradoxically, Colbert is described as being "barely capable of feeding himself"[60] as well as being "personally unpleasant".[59]
On April 10, 2014, it was announced that the real-life Colbert would be replacingDavid Letterman as the host ofCBS'sThe Late Show in 2015. It was also announced thatThe Colbert Report would be ending and Colbert would not be using the character on the CBS show.[9] Following the announcement, the character made a special surprise appearance on the April 23, 2014 episode ofThe Daily Show to report that it has become clear to him that he has "won television" and changed the world, the goal he originally set out to do, and thus no longer feels the need to continue. He expressed interest in taking overThe Late Show after Letterman retired but could not because "they already gave it to some fat guy".[61][62]
Duringthe final episode, Colbert accidentally kills "lifelong friend and colleague"Grimmy in the final segment of "Cheating Death," after which he becomes immortal and uses his powers to fuel a star-studded celebrity singalong of "We'll Meet Again," before boarding a sleigh driven by Santa Claus,Abraham Lincoln, and "the man with all the answers."[63] At the end of the show, Colbert tosses back to Stewart atThe Daily Show, implying that the show's existence was just an extended correspondent report for the program.[64]
On the July 18, 2016, episode ofThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colbert is revealed to have been living with a now-retired Stewart in a remote cabin in a forest. In the skit, the real Colbert visited Stewart, asking him to explain how Donald Trump became the 2016 Republican nominee for president. Perplexed, Stewart turned to Colbert the character, who briefly returned to television to deliver an edition of "The Wørd" explaining Trump's appeal, before turning the show back to "that other guy", the real Colbert.[65]
On the July 27 episode, the real Colbert claimed that CBS's then-sister companyViacom had informed CBS thatthe character Stephen Colbert was their intellectual property and could not appear onThe Late Show. He then introduced Stephen Colbert's "identical twin cousin" (a possible allusion toThe Patty Duke Show), Stephen Colbert, as a new member ofThe Late Show team.[66] Colbert stated the difference between him and the other Colbert is they have birthmarks of the opposite Olsen twins. He returned for a "WERD" segment onThe Late Show on January 19 to beg Obama to stay in office.[67]
A segment of "The Wørd" appeared onThe Late Show again in January 2023.[68]
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 (invariably by Colbert himself) to be a sign that he was indeed testing the waters for a future bid for theWhite House. Colbert staunchly refused to confirm or deny his candidacy, stating he had not yet made up his mind and must first talk the possibility over with his family.
Colbert confirmed his presidential ambitions on his October 16, 2007, show,[69] stating his intention to run both on theRepublican andDemocratic platforms, but only as afavorite son in his native South Carolina. In an interview withLarry King he revealed that, as his running mate, he would considerMike Huckabee (who himself jokingly offered Colbert the vice-presidential position[70]).[71] He also speculated on the possibility of a Colbert-Putin or Colbert-Colbert ticket. Colbert abandoned plans to run as a Republican due to the $35,000 fee required to file for the South Carolinaprimary. On November 1, 2007, it was announced that he would not appear on the Democratic primary ballot either, after being deemed ineligible by the South Carolina Democratic Party executive committee.[72] Several days later he announced that he was withdrawing from the race, saying that he did not wish to put the country through an agonizingSupreme Court battle.[73]
The show went on hiatus immediately after this as a result of theWriters Guild of America Strike. When it returned to air on January 7, 2008, without a writing staff, the character justified his absence by stating that he had taken some time off to have "a good cry" about his failed presidential attempt. He said that he had returned to air in celebration of Huckabee's success in theIowa Caucus, something for which he considers himselfpersonally responsible as Huckabee has appeared on theReport on numerous occasions to invite Colbert to be his running mate.[74]
Despite having withdrawn from the presidential race, Colbert continued to be referred to as an active candidate in theMarvel Universe. Colbert '08 paraphernalia appeared in the artwork of variousMarvel comics,[75] and Colbert himself teamed up withSpider-Man in the October 2008 comicAmazing Spider-Man #573.[76] On November 5, 2008, Marvel announced that its fictional newspaperThe Daily Bugle was reporting Colbert's victory over bothJohn McCain andBarack Obama.[77] Several hours later Marvel released a secondDaily Bugle article correcting its initial reports, stating that while Colbert had won the popular vote Obama had secured more electoral votes, thus winning the presidency. "Oops, our bad", said Marvel's then editor-in-chiefJoe Quesada of the confusion. "We completely forgot the Marvel Universe reflects what happens in the real world."[78]
During the September 28, 2011 episode ofThe Colbert Report, Colbert consulted his lawyer and they set up his own501(c)(4) organization, similar toAmerican Crossroads.[79] As asuper PAC the organization can raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions and other groups, as well as wealthy individuals.[80][81] With Colbert as president of theColbert Super PAC, the PAC ran several political ads prior to theAmes Straw Poll. The first ad, titled "Episode IV: A New Hope", told Iowans to write-in "Rick Parry" instead ofRick Perry,[82][83] and the second ad, "Behind the Green Corn", supported "Parry" as well.[84][85]
During the January 12, 2012, episode ofThe Colbert Report, Colbert announced his plans to form an exploratory committee to lay the groundwork for his possible candidacy for "President of the United States ofSouth Carolina". In the process, he transferred control of the Super PAC toJon Stewart, renaming itThe Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC, since, according to Colbert's lawyer, Trevor Potter, it would definitely be illegal for Colbert and Stewart to coordinate their efforts in super PAC activities. ACBS news report called Colbert's run "essentially a joke", saying, "The real significance of Colbert's announcement may be the spotlight it puts on super PACs, into which donors can pour unlimited money in order to support or attack candidates, and thus influence election outcomes. Super PACs were made possible by the 2010"Citizens United" Supreme Court decision that effectively classified money as speech".[86]
Colbert's timing was too late for his name to be added the South Carolina primary ballot, and South Carolina law would not allow forwrite-in candidates. Polling showed that 21% of the potential Republican primary electorate reported they would be "more likely" to vote for former candidateHerman Cain, who remained on the ballot, if that vote served as encouragement for Colbert.[87] Herman Cain received 6,338 votes in theSouth Carolina Republican primary, which was more than all the other withdrawn candidates received combined.[88] On the next episode ofThe Colbert Report broadcast on January 23, 2012, Colbert boasted about passing the 1% threshold and for Cain receiving many more votes in South Carolina than inIowa andNew Hampshire. Colbert then announced that he would no longer be exploring a run for President of the United States of South Carolina.
Described as a "caustic right-wingbully",[89] an "arch-conservative blowhard",[90] and by his creator and namesake as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high status idiot", Colbert isegomaniacal,xenophobic and fiercelyanti-intellectual. He claims to bepolitically independent, like his idol Bill "Papa Bear" O'Reilly; although in fact the character fawns over theBush administration and theRepublican Party, and frequently asks his guests, "George Bush: Great president, or thegreatest president?" Following the election ofBarack Obama in 2008, Colbert continued his right-wing views, but stated he would "support our new President as long as [he] remains popular". Colbert emphasizes that his character is genuinely well-meaning and wants to do the right thing but does not have the tools to achieve it "because he has no curiosity, he doesn't like to read and he won't listen to anybody except the voices in his head".[91]
Colbert is deeply self-centered and takes everything personally, a trait which is reflected in his discussion of the news and current events. According to the comedian, "There's nothing too large that doesn't involve him. Every news story is really about him ... Everything he cares about is a news story because he cares about it." This is expressed in his frequent attacks on and feuds with well-known figures such asThe Decemberists,Sean Penn,Conan O'Brien,Rain,Barry Manilow,Tony Bennett, andDon Rickles (the latter three of whom beat out Colbert forBest Individual in a Variety or Music Program at theEmmys). The comedian equates these feuds with Bill O'Reilly'sculture wars.[16]
Central to Colbert's personality is his rigid belief that "what I say is right, and [nothing] anyone else says could possibly be true",[20] regardless of any evidence to the contrary. He discussed this in theReport's firstWørd segment, using the term "truthiness" as he explained what he perceives to be the difference between "those who think with their head and those whoknow with theirheart".[92] He has further gone on to ascribe "truthiness" to other institutions including Wikipedia, which he believes upholds his view that reality can be determined by consensus opinion, and often encourages viewers to use Wikipedia to "change reality". Colbert believes that if a majority of people want something to be true, that thing therefore must become the truth. For instance, after months of scoffing atglobal warming, Colbert suddenly reversed his position, conceding its existence only due to thebox office success ofAn Inconvenient Truth, a sign that "thefree market has spoken".
Colbert describes himself asracially color-blind and unable to visually identify a person'srace,[93] explaining, "Now, I don't see race ... People tell me I'm white, and I believe them, because I own a lot ofJimmy Buffett albums."[94] His race-blindness is a recurring joke, and this statement is often repeated on the show with different punch lines.[95] For this same reason he believed that he was black when he had an emotional breakdown after watching Obama's inauguration video. He later qualified these statements in his book, stating, "When I say I don't see race, I mean I don't seeblack people. But I can spot aMexican at a hundred paces."[49] Despite all these claims, Colbert often boasts that he has a large number oftoken minority friends (including Jon Stewart as "[his]Jewish friend" andOprah Winfrey as "[his]black friend"), although in the photos shown these friends appear decidedly uninterested in him. He has stated a similar inability to distinguish between the sexes, claiming to only "see an American". This comes in contradiction of his at timessexist behavior, for instance, calling only on men during an open discussion with his audience on women's issues.
The comedian has said that he likes playing weak characters, and particularly revealing weaknesses in high status figures.[96] During the course of the show, he will frequently peel back the Colbert character's apparent bravado to expose a very weak inner core. In one instance, Colbert demands one of his staff members subject him to simulatedwaterboarding, only to break down into pleas for mercy upon hearing a water bottle cap popped.[97] In another episode, he criticizesThe Today Show cohostMatt Lauer for saying that it's unacceptable for men to cry, only to sob hysterically upon learning thatKatie Couric has left the show. Thesestatus shifts occur commonly, and constitute a central component of the show's comedy.[22]
Colbert frequently uses his show as a platform for promoting his own fictional merchandise, including colognes,[98] science fiction novels,[99] medication,[100] and his ownsperm.[101]
Colbert arrived inBaghdad,Iraq on June 5, 2009, to film a week of shows called "Operation Iraqi Stephen:Going Commando". The episodes were filmed June 7–9, 2009, which was sponsored by theUSO (United Service Organizations).[102]Al-Faw Palace's rotunda was used for the filming of Operation Iraqi Stephen. Colbert had a suit tailored for him in theArmy Combat Uniform pattern and went through an abbreviated version of theArmy'sbasic training regimen.[103] The suit was specially tailored by Brooks Brothers.[104] As a tribute toBob Hope, Colbert brought agolf club on stage, a Hope trademark.[102]
The first episode included an interview withCoalition forces Commanding GeneralRay Odierno, which was interrupted by U.S. PresidentBarack Obama. Obama stated that if Colbert really wanted to be a soldier, along with his attendance to Basic Combat Training, he needed to have his hair shaved off. Obama then ordered General Odierno to "shave that man's head".[105] General Odierno then began to shave Colbert's head; the job was finished during the commercial break by one of Colbert's staff members. One Army major said that "shaving of the hair is an amazing show of support" that was "very touching".[106] The episode also featured a message to the troops from U.S.SenatorJohn McCain with a friendly reminder to "always remember to clean yourmuskets", a lesson he claimed to have learned atValley Forge, as a reference to old age jokes that he faced during the 2008 Presidential Election.[107] Several other prominent politicians, including former presidentsBill Clinton,George H. W. Bush, andGeorge W. Bush, along with Vice PresidentJoe Biden and then Alaska governorSarah Palin recorded messages for the troops that were aired in the following episodes.
| |||||||||
| Episodes |
| ||||||||
| Indecision | |||||||||
| Spin-offs |
| ||||||||
| Other | |||||||||
