Stephen Colbert
A razor-sharp satirist who reshaped American political comedy by fully embodying a bloviating conservative pundit for over a decade.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American comedian, writer and television host·Birthday: May 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Stephen Colbert's comedic persona is a masterclass in sustained performance art. Before becoming a household name, he cut his teeth as a writer and correspondent on 'The Daily Show,' honing a mock-pundit style. That character exploded onto the scene with 'The Colbert Report,' where he didn't just play a conservative talk-show host—he became him, with unwavering commitment and a knowing wink. The show's vocabulary, from 'truthiness' to 'Colbert bump,' entered the national lexicon, demonstrating its cultural penetration. After nearly a decade, he shed the character to take over 'The Late Show,' transforming into a more personal, yet still incisive, interviewer and monologist. His evolution from supporting player to late-night leader reflects a deep understanding of the media landscape and an ability to use comedy as a lens to examine power, truth, and absurdity in modern America.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Stephen was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Stephen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Stephen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created and hosted 'The Colbert Report,' a defining satire of cable news that won two Peabody Awards and multiple Emmys.
- Coined the term 'truthiness,' named Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year in 2006.
- Successfully transitioned from a character-driven Comedy Central show to hosting CBS's 'The Late Show,' consistently winning its time slot.
- Testified before Congress in character on the issue of migrant farm workers.
Did You Know?
He is the youngest of eleven children in his family.
All of his male siblings are named Stephen; he goes by his middle name to avoid confusion.
He once ran for President in 2008 as a joke candidate in his home state of South Carolina.
He taught an improv class at Northwestern University with fellow comedian Steve Carell.
“Truthiness is tearing apart our country, and I don't mean the argument over who came up with the word.”
