Stephen Colbert
Host of the Grammy-winning Christmas special *A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!*
Stephen Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host, born on May 13, 1964, in Washington, D.C., and raised in a Catholic family in South Carolina. He originally studied dramatic acting but shifted to improvisational theater at Northwestern University, where he met Second City director Del Close. His professional debut came as an understudy for Steve Carell at Second City Chicago, and he later worked with comedians Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris on the sketch series *Exit 57*. Colbert wrote for and performed on *The Dana Carvey Show* in 1996, then collaborated again with Sedaris and Dinello on the sitcom *Strangers with Candy* from 1999 to 2000. He gained wide recognition as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s *The Daily Show*, then left in 2005 to host *The Colbert Report*, a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows like *The O’Reilly Factor*, in which he played a caricatured conservative pundit. In the first episode, he coined the neologism “truthiness,” later named Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society and Merriam-Webster. His performance in character at the 2006 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner helped make the series one of Comedy Central’s highest-rated. In 2010, he co-headlined the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear with Jon Stewart, and in 2011 he launched the satirical Colbert Super PAC, raising awareness of campaign finance issues. After ending *The Colbert Report*, he succeeded David Letterman as host of CBS’s *Late Show* in 2015, hosting until 2026. Colbert has won eleven Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and three Peabody Awards, and was named to *Time*’s 100 Most Influential People in 2006 and 2012. His book *I Am America (And So Can You!)* reached No. 1 on *The New York Times* Best Seller list in 2007.
- nationality
- American
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
In *A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!*, Stephen Colbert plays himself heading to a film studio to shoot a Christmas special with Elvis Costello. He becomes trapped in a cabin in 'bear country' (upstate New York or Vermont) when he hears a bear prowling outside. A number of his friends stop by the cabin to sing Christmas songs with him as he tries to find ways to escape and make his Christmas as special as possible. The special ends by revealing that the titular 'greatest gift of all' is the DVD release of the special itself. The songs were written by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger, except for '(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding' by Nick Lowe and 'Jingle Man, Christmas Boy' written by Colbert himself. 'Please Be Patient' was written to the tune of 'Angels We Have Heard on High.' The cast includes performances by Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, Jon Stewart, John Legend, Feist, and Elvis Costello. The DVD went on sale November 25, 2008, and includes special features like a book burning Yule log, video advent calendar, alternate endings, and an extra song 'Cold, Cold Christmas.' The DVD differs from the TV airing in several ways: it has a different laugh track, includes 5-second bumps after each act, and adds two brief parts during the introduction to Jon Stewart and John Legend not seen on TV. However, the DVD is missing a televised coda with Elvis Costello helping Stephen finish his 'Jingle Bells' parody and a commercial/sponsor parody.
Reader's Guide
The special received generally favorable reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 78%. Alessandra Stanley of *The New York Times* wrote that 'Mr. Colbert is delightful, a few of the song parodies are clever, but over all, the show is too long and more than a little strained, much like the holiday specials it mocks.' Tim Goodman of the *San Francisco Chronicle* noted that the production values were low but said 'that's part of the reason it's so funny,' concluding 'it's not a classic, but there are worse ways to spend an hour.'
The songs from the special were released as a digital-only format on iTunes. As of 2009, the album had not been released on CD. All proceeds from iTunes and DVD sales went to the Feeding America charity. On November 25, 2008, the songs went on sale as an album on iTunes, where for a short while it was #1. This, coupled with Kanye West's belief that he is the 'voice of this generation of this decade,' prompted Colbert to ask viewers to download his album on December 3 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time in 'Operation Humble Kanye,' an attempt to bring him back to number one. This bumped the album into 2nd place, overtaking West's album. On December 4, Colbert proclaimed Kanye officially humbled. The album won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
Did You Know?
- The special won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
- All proceeds from the DVD and iTunes sales went to the Feeding America charity.
- Colbert wrote one of the songs himself, 'Jingle Man, Christmas Boy.'
- The DVD includes a 'book burning Yule log' as a special feature.
- Colbert launched 'Operation Humble Kanye' on December 3, 2008, to bump his album past Kanye West's on iTunes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Stephen Colbert?
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian, writer, and television host born on May 13, 1964. He is best recognized for blending political satire with late-night entertainment across two major network programs.
What shows is Stephen Colbert best known for?
He anchored The Colbert Report on Comedy Central from 2005 to 2014, a news-satire show built around a fictional conservative persona. He then moved to CBS to host The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which ran from 2015 through 2026.
What is Stephen Colbert's nationality and primary field?
Colbert is American and works across comedy, television, political commentary, and acting. His core creative focus has been satirical television and political humor delivered to a daily audience.
How did Stephen Colbert transition between his two major hosting roles?
After nine years leading The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, he shifted to a late-night format on CBS in 2015. The move took him from a dedicated satire program into a broader talk-show structure while preserving his sharp comedic voice.
Why is Stephen Colbert considered a comedy legend?
He defined a generation of network political satire and later reshaped the late-night genre by weaving pointed commentary into a traditional talk-show framework. His nearly two decades of daily television hosting cemented his status as one of the most recognizable comedic voices in American media.
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