Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert is an American comedian, writer, and television host best known for hosting CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and, before that, the satirical Comedy Central program The Colbert Report. He built his career on a distinctive blend of political satire, character work, and improvisational comedy, and has become one of the most prominent voices in American late-night television.

Early life

Colbert was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in the Charleston, South Carolina area as the youngest of eleven children in an Irish Catholic family. His early years were marked by tragedy when his father and two of his brothers died in a plane crash in 1974. He developed an early interest in performance and later attended Northwestern University, where he studied theater and became involved in improvisational comedy. There he joined the Chicago improv scene, eventually working with the Second City troupe, an experience that shaped his comedic instincts and timing.

Career

Colbert gained national recognition as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where his deadpan delivery and faux-pundit persona drew attention. In 2005 he launched The Colbert Report, a spin-off in which he played an exaggerated version of a self-important conservative cable-news host. The show ran until 2014 and earned multiple Emmy Awards, becoming influential in the landscape of political comedy. His in-character performances, including a memorable appearance at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, cemented his reputation as a sharp satirist.

In 2015 Colbert succeeded David Letterman as host of The Late Show on CBS, dropping his earlier character to host under his own name. The program features celebrity interviews, comedic monologues, and topical political commentary. Over the years it became a leading entry in the late-night ratings and a frequent platform for discussion of current events.

Recent work

Colbert has continued to host The Late Show, adapting the program through periods of significant change in the television industry, including remote broadcasts produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has remained active in commenting on American politics and culture, and his monologues are widely circulated online. In 2025, CBS announced plans to end The Late Show franchise, a decision that drew considerable attention given Colbert's standing in the genre. Beyond hosting, he has been involved in voice work, producing, and various comedic projects, and is recognized for his philanthropic efforts and public discussions of faith and resilience. He is married to Evelyn McGee-Colbert, with whom he has three children.