Stephen Colbert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stephen Colbert
Colbert in 2024
Birth name	Stephen Tyrone Colbert
Born	(1964-05-13) May 13, 1964 (age 61) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Medium	Television film theater books
Education	Northwestern University (BA)
Years active	1984–present
Genres	Political/news satire improvisational comedy black comedy character comedy sketch comedy surreal humor
Subject(s)	American politics American culture political punditry pop culture current events mass media/news media civil rights religion social awkwardness human behavior
Spouse	Evelyn McGee ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	James William Colbert Jr. (father)
Relative(s)	Elizabeth Colbert Busch (sister)
Signature

Stephen Tyrone Colbert (born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, and television host. He is famous for hosting the funny news show The Colbert Report on Comedy Central from 2005 to 2014. Since September 2015, he has hosted The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS.

Colbert first wanted to be a serious actor. But he became interested in improvisational theater (making things up on the spot) while at Northwestern University. He performed with comedy groups like The Second City. There, he met Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris. They later created the sketch comedy show Exit 57. He also wrote for The Dana Carvey Show (1996). Then, he worked with Sedaris and Dinello again on the TV show Strangers with Candy (1999–2000).

Colbert became widely known as a reporter on Comedy Central's The Daily Show. This show made fun of the news. In 2005, he left The Daily Show to host The Colbert Report. This new show was a parody (a funny imitation) of political talk shows. On The Colbert Report, he played a funny, over-the-top character of a conservative political expert. This character was so popular that he was invited to speak at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2006. He gave his speech while staying in character. This event helped The Colbert Report become one of Comedy Central's most popular shows. After The Colbert Report ended, he was chosen to host The Late Show on CBS in 2015. He also hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2017.

Colbert has won many awards. These include nine Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and three Peabody Awards. Time magazine named him one of the "100 Most Influential People" in 2006 and 2012. His book I Am America (And So Can You!) was a top seller in 2007.

Early Life and Learning

Stephen Colbert was born in Washington, D.C.. He is the youngest of eleven children in a Catholic family. He spent his early years in Bethesda, Maryland. He grew up in James Island, near Charleston, South Carolina. His father, James William Colbert Jr., was a doctor who worked as a medical school dean. His mother, Lorna Elizabeth Colbert, stayed at home to raise the children.

Colbert has said his parents were very religious. They also believed it was important to think deeply and ask questions. He remembers his childhood as "pretty conservative." As a child, he noticed that people from the South were often shown as less smart on TV. To avoid this, he taught himself to speak like American news anchors.

On September 11, 1974, when Stephen was ten, his father and two of his brothers died in a plane crash. This event had a big impact on him. His family then moved to downtown Charleston. Stephen found it hard to make friends in his new neighborhood. He felt disconnected from what other kids cared about. He later said, "Nothing made any sense after my father and my brothers died. I kind of just shut off."

He loved science fiction and fantasy books, especially those by J. R. R. Tolkien. He still enjoys them today. As a teenager, he also became very interested in role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. He later said this was an early way for him to practice acting and making things up.

Colbert went to Porter-Gaud School in Charleston. He was in school plays and wrote for the school newspaper. He had hoped to study marine biology (the study of ocean life). However, ear surgery left him deaf in his right ear. This meant he could not pursue a career that involved scuba diving.

He later decided to go to college. He started at Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia in 1982. He studied philosophy and continued acting in plays. After two years, in 1984, he moved to Northwestern University. He studied theater there because he loved performing. He graduated from Northwestern in 1986.

Starting Out in Comedy

Colbert and his wife Evelyn McGee at the 2006 Time 100

At Northwestern, Colbert planned to be a serious actor. He wasn't very interested in comedy. But he started doing improvisation (improv) in college. After graduating in 1986, he needed a job. He got a job at The Second City comedy theater in Chicago. Working there meant he could take improv classes for free. He found he really enjoyed them.

Soon, he was hired to perform with Second City's touring group. He was an understudy for Steve Carell at first. There, he met Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello. They didn't get along at first. But they became good friends and found they had a similar sense of humor.

When Sedaris and Dinello got a chance to create a TV show, Colbert joined them. They moved to New York to work on Exit 57. This sketch comedy show started on Comedy Central in 1995. It only had 12 episodes but received good reviews.

Television Career

The Dana Carvey Show (1996)

After Exit 57 ended, Colbert worked as a cast member and writer on The Dana Carvey Show. He worked with Steve Carell and others. The show was canceled after only seven episodes. Colbert then briefly wrote for Saturday Night Live. He also did funny segments for Good Morning America. This led to him being hired for The Daily Show in 1997.

Strangers with Candy (1999–2000)

Around the same time, Colbert worked with Sedaris and Dinello again. They created a new comedy show for Comedy Central called Strangers with Candy. Comedy Central picked up the show in 1998. Colbert had already started working on The Daily Show, so he had a smaller role in Strangers with Candy.

Strangers with Candy was a funny imitation of "after school specials." It followed the life of Jerri Blank, a 46-year-old who goes back to high school. The show became a "cult show," meaning it had a small but very loyal audience. Colbert also helped write a movie version of the show, which came out in 2006.

The Daily Show (1997–2005)

Colbert joined The Daily Show on Comedy Central in 1997. This show made fun of the news. He was one of the reporters who filmed segments from different places. For his first two years, he was called "the new guy" on the show.

When Jon Stewart became the host in 1999, the show became more political and popular. The reporters, including Colbert, did more segments in the studio and international reports. These were often done using a greenscreen. Colbert won three Emmys for writing on The Daily Show.

The Colbert Report (2005–2014)

Colbert, in his TV character, getting ready to interview Michelle Obama. The set of The Colbert Report looked like a serious political talk show.

Colbert hosted his own TV show, The Colbert Report, from 2005 to 2014. It was a spin-off from The Daily Show. The Colbert Report made fun of TV news shows, especially political talk shows. Colbert played a loud, right-wing pundit (expert) character. This character was an exaggerated version of his reporter character from The Daily Show. The show often focused on the funny mistakes of the host character himself.

The idea for The Report first appeared as a joke on The Daily Show. Comedy Central liked the idea and wanted to expand the successful Daily Show brand. The show was very popular from the start. It quickly became one of Comedy Central's highest-rated shows.

Many parts of Colbert's real life were used in his character on The Colbert Report. He often mentioned his interest in Catholicism, science fiction, and The Lord of the Rings. He also used real facts to create his character's past. However, his character often pretended he didn't have a background in acting or comedy. He also often joked about going to Dartmouth College, instead of his real school, Northwestern.

The last episode on December 18, 2014, featured many famous guests. These included Jon Stewart, Bryan Cranston, Willie Nelson, and Big Bird.

The Late Show (since 2015)

Colbert with actor Ethan Hawke in 2018

On April 10, 2014, CBS announced that Colbert would take over from David Letterman as the host of The Late Show. Colbert's first show as host was on September 8, 2015. His first guest was George Clooney. This version of The Late Show focuses much more on politics than David Letterman's show did.

While hosting The Late Show, Colbert also hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2017. He also has a company, Spartina Productions. This company produces shows like Tooning Out the News and Fairview.

Political Views

Colbert has said he wasn't very political before joining The Daily Show. He has described himself as a Democrat. He once said he has "no problems with Republicans, just Republican policies." A close friend has called him "left of center."

Colbert owns a 1972 Richard Nixon campaign poster. He has joked about Nixon's progressive actions, like starting the EPA. As a child, he was fascinated by the Watergate hearings. He later said that Nixon's actions in the Vietnam War were very harmful.

Colbert's political ideas moved to the left when he went to Northwestern. He has joked that Ronald Reagan is "in hell" for how he handled the AIDS crisis. He also told his improv students to read and stay informed.

Colbert has criticized the U.S. use of drone strikes. He also criticized the NSA's surveillance tactics during the Obama administration. He has said that Hillary Clinton, a Democratic candidate in 2016, represented the "common systemic corruption of Washington, D.C."

Colbert supports the Medicare for All plan. He also supports getting rid of the U.S. Senate.

Colbert has spoken out about the treatment of Palestinians by Israel. He called for a ceasefire in Gaza after an aid convoy was attacked in 2024. He also defended the pro-Palestine college protests. During the 2023 writers' strike, he supported the writers. In May 2023, Russia banned Colbert from entering the country. They said he was spreading "Russophobic attitudes."

2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner

On April 29, 2006, Colbert was the main entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. He stood near U.S. President George W. Bush. He gave a sharp, funny speech that criticized the president and the media. He stayed in his conservative character from The Colbert Report.

His jokes were often met with silence from the audience. But a few people laughed loudly. Major news outlets didn't pay much attention at first. Some said this was because Colbert also criticized the media. However, a video of his performance became very popular online. After the speech, ratings for The Colbert Report went up by 37%. Many people called it a very important political and cultural event of 2006.

2008 Presidential Campaign

As his character on The Colbert Report, Colbert hinted at running for president in 2007. On October 16, 2007, he announced on his show that he would run. He planned to run as a "favorite son" candidate in his home state of South Carolina. He later decided not to run as a Republican because of a high fee. But he continued to try for the Democratic ballot.

He asked his viewers to donate to Donorschoose.org, a charity that helps classrooms in need. This led to $68,000 in donations for South Carolina classrooms. He did this again in 2008 for the Pennsylvania primary. Viewers donated $185,000 to Pennsylvania schools.

On November 1, 2007, the South Carolina Democratic Party decided not to let Colbert be on the ballot. They said he was not a serious candidate. Colbert then said he was dropping out of the race. He joked that he didn't want the country to go through a difficult Supreme Court battle.

Even though his real-life campaign ended, Marvel Comics showed Colbert's campaign still going strong in the fictional Marvel Universe. His campaign ads appeared in comic books. In October 2008, Colbert appeared with Spider-Man in a comic book. He also voiced the U.S. president in the 2009 film Monsters vs. Aliens.

2009 Support for Troops in Iraq

Colbert greets troops and civilians at Al Faw Palace in Baghdad, Iraq, in June 2009.

Colbert went to Baghdad, Iraq in June 2009. He filmed a week of shows called "Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando." This was sponsored by the USO. Colbert had a military-style suit made for him. In the first episode, he had his hair cut short like a soldier's. This was to show his support for the troops.

2010 Congressional Testimony

On September 24, 2010, Colbert spoke to a House committee about immigration. He was invited to share his experience working with migrant workers. He had spent a day working with them in New York. At the end of his funny speech, Colbert became serious. He explained that he wanted to talk about people who don't have much power, like migrant workers. He said they do important work but don't have many rights.

Some people in Congress questioned if it was right for a comedian to speak there. But the committee chairwoman asked him to stay. Some conservative experts criticized Colbert's appearance. They said it made the committee look foolish.

2010 Washington, D.C. Rallies

Colbert at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

In September 2010, people called for Colbert to hold his own rally in Washington, D.C. On September 16, 2010, Colbert and Jon Stewart announced two competing rallies. Stewart's was the "Rally to Restore Sanity." Colbert's was the "March to Keep Fear Alive." Both rallies were later combined into the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

2011 Political Super PAC

In May 2011, Colbert asked the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for permission to cover his political action committee (PAC) on The Colbert Report. A PAC is a group that raises money for political campaigns.

In June 2011, the FEC allowed The Colbert Report to promote the Colbert Super PAC. This meant the show could use unlimited airtime and resources for the PAC. After this, Colbert officially created his Super PAC.

2012 South Carolina GOP Primary

In January 2012, a poll for the South Carolina primary showed Colbert with 5% support. This was even though he wasn't on the ballot. On his show, Colbert asked his audience if he should run for president in South Carolina. He received strong applause.

He then explained that a law prevented him from being a candidate while running his Super PAC. So, he gave control of his Super PAC to Jon Stewart. After this, Colbert announced he was forming a committee to explore running for President of the United States of South Carolina. He joked that he was still in the "exploratory phase" of his campaign.

On January 16, 2012, Colbert jokingly told his viewers to vote for Herman Cain in the primary. Cain had dropped out of the race but was still on the ballot. Colbert said any votes for Cain would be seen as support for his own possible campaign.

Other Work

Colbert is a co-author of the funny book Wigfield: The Can Do Town That Just May Not. It was published in 2003. He wrote it with Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello. The book tells the story of a small town in danger. The three authors also performed a stage version of Wigfield.

Colbert at Florida State University

Colbert has appeared in small roles in movies like Bewitched (2005). He has also made guest appearances on TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He voiced characters in animated shows like Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law and American Dad!. He also voiced Homer Simpson's life coach in an episode of The Simpsons.

Colbert at the launch of his book, I Am America (And So Can You!)

Colbert has released books related to The Colbert Report. These include I Am America (And So Can You!) (2007) and America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't (2012). These books contain similar political humor. In 2008, his Christmas special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, aired on Comedy Central.

In January 2010, Colbert was named the assistant sports psychologist for the U.S. Olympic speed skating team. He also joined NBC's team for the 2010 Winter Olympics. In April 2011, Colbert performed in a concert version of the musical Company with the New York Philharmonic.

Since 2012, Colbert has worked with the Montclair Film Festival. His wife helped start this festival. Every year, Colbert hosts a fundraising event and talks with directors, writers, and actors. These have included Jon Stewart, Steve Carell, and Meryl Streep.

He had a small role as a "Laketown Spy" in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013). His wife and two sons also had cameos in the film.

Colbert has hosted the Kennedy Center Honors three times. In 2017, he hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2018, he used a fake children's book, Whose Boat Is This Boat?, to make fun of President Trump. The book used Trump's own words. It raised over $1 million for hurricane relief.

In 2014, Colbert and a writer from The Colbert Report created Scripto. This is a software that helps writers edit scripts together in real time. It is used by many late-night talk shows, including Colbert's Late Show.

In 2024, Colbert and his wife wrote a cookbook called Does This Taste Funny?. It features recipes from their family.

Influences and Impact

Colbert has said his comedy was influenced by comedians like Don Novello, George Carlin, Steve Martin, and David Letterman. He also mentioned Jon Stewart, who he worked with for many years.

Many comedians today say they were influenced by Colbert. These include Nathan Fielder, James Corden, and Hasan Minhaj.

Personal Life

Colbert with his sons, Peter and John, at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008

Colbert is a practicing Roman Catholic. He used to teach Sunday school. He is also an ordained minister. Colbert loves to read. His favorite authors include J. R. R. Tolkien and Isaac Asimov.

Colbert has been married to Evelyn "Evie" McGee-Colbert since 1993. She is the daughter of a lawyer from Charleston. Evie appeared with him in an episode of Strangers with Candy. They met in 1990 in Charleston. Colbert has said it was "love at first sight." They later realized they had grown up in the same town and had many friends in common. The couple lives in Montclair, New Jersey, and has three children.

During his college years and early comedy career, Colbert struggled with depression and anxiety. He took medication for a short time. He later realized that creating and performing helped him cope. He said, "Creating something is what helped me from just spinning apart."

Health

In 2020, Colbert shared that he has benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This is a condition that affects balance. He said, "It's almost entertaining, until I forget, and then I go to stand up, and then I just fall down." In April 2022, he tested positive for COVID-19. He had it again in October 2023. In November 2023, Colbert had a ruptured appendix during a taping of The Late Show. He had surgery and took a few weeks off to recover. He returned to the show on December 11, 2023.

Awards and Honors

In 2000, Colbert and the other writers for The Daily Show won three Emmy Awards. He won more Emmys in 2005 and 2006. He was also nominated for Emmys for The Colbert Report.

In January 2006, the American Dialect Society named truthiness as its "Word of the Year." Colbert had made up this word on the first episode of The Colbert Report. In December 2006, Merriam-Webster also chose truthiness as its Word of the Year.

Colbert at Knox College

In June 2006, Colbert received an honorary degree from Knox College. Time magazine named him one of the "100 most influential people" in 2006 and 2012. He also received three Peabody Awards in 2007, 2011, and 2020.

In March 2007, the mayor of Oshawa, Canada, declared "Stephen Colbert Day." This was to honor a bet Colbert had made with the city. In August 2007, Virgin America named an airplane "Air Colbert" after him. In October 2007, he received the key to the city of Columbia, South Carolina.

Colbert with his Peabody Award, May 2012

In 2008, Colbert won another Emmy Award for writing for The Colbert Report. He also won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2010 for his Christmas album. In 2014, he won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for his audiobook America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren't.

In 2015, Colbert received the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the U.S. Army. This was for his help to the Army community. The Hollywood Reporter named him one of "The 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media" in 2017 and 2018. In May 2021, Yale University gave him an honorary degree.

Ben & Jerry's AmeriCone Dream Ice Cream

In February 2007, Ben & Jerry's created a new ice cream flavor in honor of Colbert. It was called Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream. Colbert donated all the money from the ice cream to charity.

Species Named in Honor

Aleiodes colberti lays eggs inside caterpillars.

At least five animal species have been named after Colbert. In 2008, a type of California trapdoor spider was named Aptostichus stephencolberti. This happened after Colbert joked on his show that he wanted a species named after him. Other species named for him include a Venezuelan diving beetle (Agaporomorphus colberti) and a Chilean stonefly (Diamphipnoa colberti). In 2014, a parasitic wasp from Ecuador was named Aleiodes colberti. In 2016, a rove beetle was named Sonoma colberti after his TV character.

COLBERT Treadmill

In 2009, NASA built a new treadmill for the International Space Station (ISS). It was named the "Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill," or COLBERT. NASA named it after Colbert because he encouraged his fans to vote for "Colbert" as the name for a new ISS module. "Colbert" received the most votes. The COLBERT treadmill is used by astronauts and cosmonauts to stay healthy in space. It is the only piece of NASA equipment in space named after a living person. Astronaut Sunita Williams announced the name on The Colbert Report.

Images for kids

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  C.O.L.B.E.R.T. logo being applied to the Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill at NASA before Launch

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  Launch of Discovery Mission STS-128, which delivered the COLBERT to the ISS

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  Cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov exercises on COLBERT in the Harmony Node of the International Space Station.

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  The crew who delivered Stephen Colbert's honorary space treadmill

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre

Published Works

• Colbert, Dinello, Sedaris. Wigfield: The Can-Do Town That Just May Not (Hyperion; May 19, 2004) ISBN: 0-7868-8696-X
• America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction (Warner Books; September 2004) ISBN: 0-446-53268-1
• I Am America (And So Can You!) (Grand Central Publishing; October 9, 2007) ISBN: 0-446-58050-3
• America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't (Grand Central Publishing; October 2, 2012) ISBN: 0-446-58397-9
• I Am a Pole (And So Can You!) (Grand Central Publishing; May 8, 2012) ISBN: 1-455-52342-9
• Stephen Colbert's Midnight Confessions (Simon & Schuster; September 5, 2017) ISBN: 978-1501169007
• Colbert, McGee-Colbert. Does This Taste Funny?: Recipes Our Family Loves (Celadon Books; September 17, 2024) ISBN: 978-1250859990

See also

In Spanish: Stephen Colbert para niños

• New Yorkers in journalism
• Political satire