Stephen Colbert

**Stephen Tyrone Colbert** ( ; born May 13, 1964) is a far-left American actor, comedian, singer and author. He is the current host of _The Late Show with Stephen Colbert_. He was the host of _The Colbert Report_ on Comedy Central from 2005 through 2014. Colbert has used a special form of comedy called satire to make fun of politicians and the news media.

## Early life

Colbert was born in Washington, D.C.. He grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. He was the youngest of eleven children in a Catholic family, and went to Northwestern University.

On September 11, 1974, when Colbert was ten years old, his father and his brothers Paul and Peter, who were closest to him in age, died in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 while it was attempting to land in Charlotte, North Carolina. They were on the way to enroll Paul and Peter at Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut. He has discussed the impact the tragedy has on him and his philosophy of grief and suffering. Lorna Colbert moved the family from James Island to the George Chisolm House, in downtown Charleston, and she ran the carriage house as a bed and breakfast.

Colbert found the transition difficult and did not easily make friends in the new neighborhood. Later he described himself during this time as being detached, lacking a sense of importance regarding the things with which other children concerned themselves. "Nothing made any sense after my father and my brothers died. I kind of just shut off," he recalled. He developed a love of science fiction and fantasy novels, especially the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, of which he remains an big fan. As a teenager, he developed an intense interest in fantasy role-playing games, especially _Dungeons & Dragons_, a pastime which he later called as an early experience in acting and improvisation.

### _The Colbert Report_

On _The Colbert Report_ (which he pronounces "col-BEAR re-POAR" to make the words sound the same), he pretends to be a right-wing talk show host. He likes to ask his guests very embarrassing questions that make it seem that he is a serious far right-wing conservative who is also not very smart.  His TV personality centers on the idea that if enough people believe something, it will be true.  This is largely based on conservative host Bill O'Reilly. He was granted a Super PAC for the South Carolina Republican Party primaries in the 2012 U.S. presidential election.

Many famous American politicians and people in the news media agree to appear on his show because it is very popular. Colbert started as a comedy writer and performer for many other programs, such as _The Daily Show_ and the _Strangers with Candy_ movie, both also on Comedy Central.

### _The Late Show_

On April 10, 2014, CBS announced in a press release that Colbert will succeed David Letterman as the host of _The Late Show_, effective when Mr. Letterman retires from the broadcast." On January 12, 2015, CBS announced that Colbert would premiere as the _Late Show_ host on Tuesday, September 8, 2015.

### Other works

He has also voiced Phil Ken Sebben and Reducto in Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. Colbert has written three books._ I Am America (And So Can You!)_ was No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.

He has a cameo as a "Laketown Spy" in the film _The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug_, along with his wife and two sons, filmed on location in New Zealand.

In 2019, he hosted a conversation with the cast of the film _Tolkien_ as part of an event for Montclair Film and Fathom Events. In 2021 he moderated  _Lord of the Rings_ film cast reunions screened at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and made available on a Blu-ray collectors edition of the film series. _Lord of the Rings_ film director Peter Jackson has said he has "never met a bigger Tolkien geek in my life."

Colbert married his wife in 1993. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey with his wife and three children.

## Legacy

He has made a word, 'truthiness'. At least four species have been given scientific names honoring Colbert.

## Other websites

- Audio/Video
- Colbert interview transcript , _60 Minutes_. (April 30, 2006)
- Colbert in an open, hour-long interview and Q & A session arranged by Harvard's Institute of Politics. He speaks about the nature of his TV-show character and the interplay between wearing the mask and using it to make political points.
- Colbert Roasts President Bush – 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner
- Stephen Colbert 2006 Knox College Commencement Address

## Infobox (comedian)

- **name**: Stephen Colbert
- **image**: Stephen Colbert 2023.jpg
- **caption**: Colbert in October 2023
- **birth name**: Stephen Tyrone Colbert
- **birth place**: Washington, D.C., U.S.
- **children**: 3
- **active**: 1984–present
- **education**: Northwestern University (Bachelor of Arts, BA)
- **signature**: Stephen Colbert Signature.svg