X

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Stephen Colbert Biography

Birth Name:Stephen Tyrone Colbert

Birth Place:Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Profession Actor, Producer, Writer, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

  • Was named Person of the Year at the U․S․ Comedy Arts Festival in 2007
  • Won a Peabody Award for "The Colbert Report" in 2007
  • Studied theatre arts while attending Northwestern University
  • Quote: "Since there's not more news than there used to be but there's way more time, and more channels doing it all-the-time, so that analysis has become much more than news․"
  • Quote: "I don't accept the status quo․ I do accept Visa, MasterCard, or American Express․"
  • Quote: "Life is an improvisation․ You have no idea what's going to happen next, and you are mostly just making things up as you go along․”"
  • Well known for his satirical portrayal of a right-wing news anchor on "The Colbert Report․"
  • The NASA engineered treadmill at the International Space Station was named after him in 2009
  • In 2007, Ben & Jerry's created a new ice cream flavor in his honor
  • The word "truthiness," a term he coined, was named the 2005 Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society

Awards

  • 2004Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
  • 2005Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
  • 2005Satellite Award-Outstanding Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical: nominated
  • 2006Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2006OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Miscellaneous Series or Special: winner
  • 2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
  • 2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2006Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical: nominated
  • 2006TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: nominated
  • 2007Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2007OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2007Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical: winner
  • 2007TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: nominated
  • 2008Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2008PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
  • 2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
  • 2008TCA Award-Individual Achievement in Comedy: nominated
  • 2008WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2009Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2009OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2009PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
  • 2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2009Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical: nominated
  • 2009WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
  • 2010Dorian Award-Savage Wit of the Year: nominated
  • 2010Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performance of the Decade: nominated
  • 2010Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2010Grammy-Best Comedy Album: winner
  • 2010OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: nominated
  • 2010PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: winner
  • 2010WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
  • 2011Dorian Award-Wilde Wit of the Year: nominated
  • 2011OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: winner
  • 2011PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television: winner
  • 2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2011WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2012Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2012OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: nominated
  • 2012PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: winner
  • 2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: nominated
  • 2012WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2013Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2013OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: winner
  • 2013PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: winner
  • 2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: winner
  • 2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: winner
  • 2013WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2014OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: nominated
  • 2014PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: winner
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: winner
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Series: winner
  • 2014WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2015OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: nominated
  • 2015PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2015WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2016BTVA Television Voice Acting Award-Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series: nominated
  • 2016PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
  • 2016WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - Talk Series: nominated
  • 2017OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Variety Program: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2017WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Series: nominated
  • 2018OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Variety Program: nominated
  • 2018PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2018Bronze Telly-Use of Humor: winner
  • 2018Bronze Telly-Comedy: winner
  • 2019PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Interactive Program: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2019WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2020OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Variety Program: nominated
  • 2020PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
  • 2020Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2020Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2021OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Individual Performance in A Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program: winner
  • 2021OFTA Television Award-Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2021PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: nominated
  • 2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: nominated
  • 2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2021Webby Award-Video - Best Web Personality/Host: nominated
  • 2021WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series: nominated
  • 2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2023PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television: nominated
  • 2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
  • 2023WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2024OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Individual Performance in A Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program: nominated
  • 2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Series: nominated
  • 2024WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2025OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Individual Performance in A Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program: nominated
  • 2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Series: winner
  • 2025WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Series – Talk or Sketch: nominated
  • 2026PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television: winner