Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert
Name	Stephen Colbert
Caption	Colbert in 2019
Birth name	Stephen Tyrone Colbert
Birth date	13 May 1964
Birth place	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupation	Television host, comedian, writer, producer, actor
Years active	1984–present
Spouse	Evelyn McGee-Colbert, 1993
Alma mater	Northwestern University
Known for	The Colbert Report, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, and television host renowned for his sharp political satire and influential late-night talk shows. He first gained national prominence on Comedy Central's The Daily Show before creating and starring in the critically acclaimed spin-off The Colbert Report, where he perfected a satirical conservative pundit persona. Since 2015, he has served as the host of CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he has become a leading voice in late-night television, frequently topping ratings and earning numerous Emmy Awards and other accolades for his work.

Early Life and Education

Born in Washington, D.C., he was raised in Charleston, South Carolina, as the youngest of eleven children in a devout Roman Catholic family. Tragedy struck when his father, James Colbert Jr., and two of his brothers, Peter and Paul, died in a plane crash when he was ten, an event that profoundly shaped his worldview. He attended Porter-Gaud School, an Episcopal college preparatory school, where he developed an interest in performing. He later studied philosophy at Hampden–Sydney College before transferring to Northwestern University, where he joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and graduated with a degree in theater.

Career

His early career was rooted in improvisational theatre, performing with the famed Second City troupe in Chicago alongside contemporaries like Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello. This collaboration led to the cult Comedy Central series Strangers with Candy, where he served as a writer and actor. His big break came when he was hired as a correspondent for Jon Stewart's The Daily Show in 1997, where his incisive segments and character work earned him widespread recognition and several Emmy Awards. During this period, he also provided voice work for animated series like The Simpsons and appeared in films such as The Love Guru.

The Colbert Report

In 2005, he launched The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, a spin-off that featured him portraying a hyperbolically egotistical, conservative cable news pundit. The show became a cultural phenomenon, popularizing terms like "truthiness" and "wikiality" and featuring notable interviews with figures from George W. Bush to Neil deGrasse Tyson. His character's Super PAC, "Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow," became a landmark satire of campaign finance laws. The program won two Peabody Awards and multiple Emmy Awards, cementing his status as a master of political satire before its conclusion in 2014.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Succeeding David Letterman in September 2015, he took the helm of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on the CBS network. Shedding his previous character, he adopted a more direct, interviewer-focused style that evolved to heavily engage with the political climate during the 2016 presidential election and the Trump administration. The show, broadcast from the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, frequently features prominent guests like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Elon Musk, and has consistently won the late-night ratings war, earning several Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Talk Series.

Personal Life

He married Evelyn McGee-Colbert, a science educator, in 1993, and they have three children. A practicing Catholic, he often discusses his faith thoughtfully in interviews and has taught Sunday school. His family resides primarily in New Jersey. Known for his philanthropic efforts, he has served on the board of DonorsChoose and is an advocate for various causes, including veteran support through the Yellow Ribbon Fund. He is also an avid fan of J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium and fantasy literature.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout his career, he has received extensive critical acclaim and numerous honors. He has won multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for both The Colbert Report and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and the former also received two prestigious Peabody Awards. In 2013, he was named one of *Time* magazine's 100 most influential people. Other accolades include several Writers Guild of America Awards, a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, and the Montclair Film Festival's David Carr Award for truth in storytelling.

Category:American television hosts Category:American comedians Category:American political satirists Category:1964 births Category:Living people