Stephen Colbert Popular Books

Stephen Colbert Biography & Facts

Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( kohl-BAIR; born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program The Colbert Report from 2005 to 2014 and the CBS talk program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since September 2015.Colbert originally studied to be a dramatic actor, but became interested in improvisational theater while attending Northwestern University, where he met Second City director Del Close. Colbert first performed professionally as an understudy for Steve Carell at Second City Chicago, where his troupemates included Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris, comedians with whom he developed the sketch comedy series Exit 57. He wrote and performed on The Dana Carvey Show before collaborating with Sedaris and Dinello again on the television series Strangers with Candy. He gained attention for his role on the latter as closeted gay history teacher Chuck Noblet. Colbert's work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's news-parody series The Daily Show gained him wide recognition. In 2005, he left The Daily Show to host The Colbert Report. Following The Daily Show's news-parody concept, The Colbert Report was a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows including The O'Reilly Factor, in which he portrayed a caricatured version of conservative political pundits, earning Colbert an invitation to perform as featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2006, which he did in character. This event led to the series becoming one of Comedy Central's highest-rated series. After ending The Colbert Report, he was hired in 2015 to succeed retiring David Letterman as host of the Late Show on CBS. He hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2017. Colbert has won nine Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and three Peabody Awards. Colbert was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2006 and 2012. His book I Am America (And So Can You!) was listed No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list in 2007. Early life and education Colbert was born in Washington, D.C., the youngest of eleven children in a Catholic family. He spent his early years in Bethesda, Maryland. He grew up in the Charleston, South Carolina, suburb of James Island. Colbert and his siblings, in descending order by age, are James III, Edward, Mary, William, Margo, Thomas, Jay, Elizabeth, Paul, Peter, and Stephen. His father, James William Colbert Jr., was an immunologist and medical school dean at Yale University, Saint Louis University, and finally at the Medical University of South Carolina, where, from 1969, he served as the school's first vice president of academic affairs. Stephen's mother, Lorna Elizabeth Colbert (née Tuck), was a homemaker.In interviews, Colbert has described his parents as devout people who also strongly valued intellectualism, and taught their children it was possible to question the church, and still be Catholic. He has said his father was interested in French humanist writers such as Léon Bloy and Jacques Maritain, while his mother was fond of Catholic Worker Movement's leader Dorothy Day. In an interview, Lorna has described Stephen as rambunctious. As a child, he observed that Southerners were often depicted as being less intelligent than other characters on scripted television; to avoid that stereotype, he taught himself to imitate the speech of American news anchors.Colbert sometimes jokingly claims that his surname is French. His ancestry though is actually 15/16ths Irish, and one of his paternal great-great-grandmothers was of German and English descent. Many of his ancestors emigrated from Ireland to North America in the 19th century before and during the Great Famine. Originally, his surname was pronounced KOHL-bərt in English; Stephen Colbert's father, James, wanted to pronounce the name kohl-BAIR, but maintained the /ˈkoʊlbərt/ pronunciation out of respect for his own father. He offered his children the option to pronounce the name whichever way they preferred. Stephen started using /koʊlˈbɛər/ later in life when he transferred to Northwestern University, taking advantage of the opportunity to reinvent himself in a new place where no one knew him. Stephen's brother Edward, an intellectual-property attorney, retained /ˈkoʊlbərt/; this was shown in a February 12, 2009, appearance on The Colbert Report, when his second-oldest brother asked him, "/ˈkoʊlbərt/ or /koʊlˈbɛər/?" Ed responded "/ˈkoʊlbərt/", to which Stephen jokingly replied, "See you in Hell".On September 11, 1974, when Colbert was ten years old, his father and his brothers Peter and Paul, who were closest to him in age, died in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 while it was attempting to land in Charlotte, North Carolina. They were en route to enroll the two boys at Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut. He has discussed the impact on him and his philosophy of grief and suffering. Lorna Colbert relocated the family from James Island to the George Chisolm House, in downtown Charleston, and ran the carriage house as a bed and breakfast. Colbert found the transition difficult and did not easily make friends in his new neighborhood. Colbert later described himself during this time as detached, lacking a sense of importance regarding the things with which other children concerned themselves.He developed a love of science fiction and fantasy novels, especially the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, of which he remains an avid fan. During his adolescence, he also developed an intense interest in fantasy role-playing games, especially Dungeons & Dragons, a pastime which he later characterized as an early experience in acting and improvisation.Colbert attended Charleston's Episcopal Porter-Gaud School, where he participated in several school plays and contributed to the school newspaper but was not highly motivated academically. During his adolescence, he briefly fronted A Shot in the Dark, a Rolling Stones cover band. When he was younger, he had hoped to study marine biology, but surgery intended to repair a severely perforated eardrum caused him inner-ear damage severe enough to preclude a career involving scuba diving, and leaving him deaf in his right ear.For a while, he was uncertain whether he would attend college, but ultimately he applied and was accepted to Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia, where a friend had also enrolled. Arriving in 1982, he majored in philosophy and continued to participate in plays. He found the curriculum rigorous, but was more focused than he had been in high school and was able to apply himself to his studies. Despite the lack of a significant theater community at Hampden–Sydney, Colbert's interest in acting escalated during this time. After two years, he transferred in 1984 to Northwestern University as a theater major to study performance, emboldened by the realization that he loved performing, even when.... Discover the Stephen Colbert popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Stephen Colbert books.

Best Seller Stephen Colbert Books of 2024

  • The Comic Offense from Vaudeville to Contemporary Comedy synopsis, comments

    The Comic Offense from Vaudeville to Contemporary Comedy

    Rick DesRochers

    The Comic Offense from Vaudeville to Contemporary Comedy examines how contemporary writer/performers are influenced by the comedic vaudevillians of the early 20th century. By traci...

  • Stephen Colbert and Philosophy synopsis, comments

    Stephen Colbert and Philosophy

    Aaron Allen Schiller

    At the head of The Colbert Report, one of the most popular shows on television, Stephen Colbert is a pop culture phenomenon. More than one million people backed his fake candidacy ...

  • God Mocks synopsis, comments

    God Mocks

    Terry Lindvall

    Winner of the 2016 Religious Communication Association Book of the Year AwardIn God Mocks, Terry Lindvall ventures into the muddy and dangerous realm of religious satire, chronicli...

  • Yes, I Can Say That synopsis, comments

    Yes, I Can Say That

    Judy Gold

    "No one makes me laugh harder than Judy Gold. If I had to pick one comedian to write a book about free speech, it would be Judy." – Amy SchumerFrom awardwinning comedian Judy ...

  • Your Country Is Just Not That Into You synopsis, comments

    Your Country Is Just Not That Into You

    Jimmy Dore

    Why is your brotherinlaw concerned about the Estate Tax? Why do millionaire news reporters get everything wrong? Why are bloodsucking teachers bankrupting America? Jimmy Dore, the ...

  • Stephen Colbert synopsis, comments

    Stephen Colbert

    Belmont & Belcourt Biographies

    It is said that there are two Stephen Colberts. One pronounces his surname with the 't' silent, and is known around the world as the right wing, "wellintentioned, poorly informed h...

  • The Daily Don synopsis, comments

    The Daily Don

    Jesse Duquette

    The Best of “The Daily Don,” political cartoon that documents all the covfefe of the administration of Donald Trump.The Daily Don is the best of artist Jesse Duquette’s fabulous In...

  • The Mueller Report synopsis, comments

    The Mueller Report

    Jason O. Gilbert

    The president has gotten himself into a bit of trouble. Maybe you heard?The entire country is waiting to see what former FBI director and current special counsel Robert Mueller has...

  • What I Learned When I Almost Died synopsis, comments

    What I Learned When I Almost Died

    Chris Licht

    What do you learn when your brain goes pop? Chris Licht had always been ambitious. When he was only nine years old, he tracked down an NBC correspondent while on vacation to solici...

  • Just Say Nu synopsis, comments

    Just Say Nu

    Michael Wex

    A cross between Henry Beard's Latin for All Occasions and Ben Schott's Schott's Original Miscellany, JUST SAY NU is a practical guide to using Yiddish words and expressions in dayt...

  • This Book Has Balls synopsis, comments

    This Book Has Balls

    Michael Rapaport

    The sports world according to Michael Rapaportactor, Top 50 podcaster, awardwinning film maker, and sports fanaticfrom the greatest and downright worst athletes, players, teams, an...

  • The Daily Don Pandemic Edition synopsis, comments

    The Daily Don Pandemic Edition

    Jesse Duquette

    The NEW Daily Don Pandemic Edition, political cartoon skewers the 45th with brilliant comic satire that covers the (hopefully) final two years of the Trump presidency. With the.dai...

  • The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book synopsis, comments

    The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book

    Jerry Seinfeld

    A celebration of and behindthescenes look at Jerry Seinfeld’s groundbreaking streaming series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.In his streaming show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coff...

  • His Royal Dogness, Guy the Beagle synopsis, comments

    His Royal Dogness, Guy the Beagle

    Camille March, Michael Brumm & EG Keller

    “Sit...Stay...Enjoy! Good reader!” Stephen ColbertThe hilarious, heartwarming, and rebarkable true story of Guy the Beagle, Duchess Meghan Markle’s rescue dog.Like all good stories...

  • Billions of Besties synopsis, comments

    Billions of Besties

    Peggy Panosh & Susie Arons

    This beautifully illustrated and joyful tribute celebrates famous friendships (both real and fictional) and proves that there is no relationship more important than friendship. Our...

  • Rhetoric, Humor, and the Public Sphere synopsis, comments

    Rhetoric, Humor, and the Public Sphere

    Elizabeth Benacka

    The Rhetorical Function of Humor in the Public Sphere advances an understanding about how humor functions persuasively in the public sphere as a means to ignite deliberative democr...

  • Stephen Colbert synopsis, comments

    Stephen Colbert

    Roland L Houston

    No About the Book information available this time.

  • A Dictionary of Tolkien synopsis, comments

    A Dictionary of Tolkien

    David Day

    Arranged in a handy AZ format, A Dictionary of Tolkien explores and explains the creatures, plants, events and places that make up these strange and wonderful lands. It is essen...

  • Supernormal synopsis, comments

    Supernormal

    Meg Jay

    Clinical psychologist and author of The Defining Decade, Meg Jay takes us into the world of the supernormal: those who soar to unexpected heights after childhood adversity. Whether...

  • Biography of Stephen Colbert synopsis, comments

    Biography of Stephen Colbert

    Jeff Shand-Lubbers

    This book is part of Hyperink's best little books series. This best little book is 3,000+ words of fast, entertaining information on a highly demanded topic. Based on reader feedba...

  • The King of Late Night synopsis, comments

    The King of Late Night

    Greg Gutfeld

    Greg Gutfeld, fivetime New York Times bestselling author and host of the #1 rated late night show GUTFELD!, returns with a witty and tongueincheek essay collection that is part mem...

  • Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert synopsis, comments

    Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert

    Belmont & Belcourt Biographies

    Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz and Stephen Colbert have led amazing lives and have changed the comedy world forever. This book follows both men's lives from their humble beginnings to b...

  • Yes, And synopsis, comments

    Yes, And

    Kelly Leonard & Tom Yorton

    Executives from The Second Citythe world’s premier comedy theater and school of improvisationreveal improvisational techniques that can help any organization develop innovators, en...

  • Big Time synopsis, comments

    Big Time

    Jen Spyra

    The debut collection of raucous, dark, strange, satirical stories from the former Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer and New Yorker contributor, featuring a foreword by Stephen ...

  • The Canadaland Guide to Canada synopsis, comments

    The Canadaland Guide to Canada

    Jesse Brown

    Do you think of Canada as that “nice” country with free health care, majestic woodlands, and polite people?Think again.The CANADALAND Guide to Canada (Published in America) is an o...

  • The Way I Heard It synopsis, comments

    The Way I Heard It

    Mike Rowe

    In this New York Times bestselling mustread, executive producer and host of Dirty Jobs Mike Rowe presents a delightfully entertaining, seriously fascinating collection of his favor...

  • Carson the Magnificent synopsis, comments

    Carson the Magnificent

    Bill Zehme

    A Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

  • And Nothing But the Truthiness synopsis, comments

    And Nothing But the Truthiness

    Lisa Rogak

    A funny and personal portrait of the comedian who became the headlinemaking, groundbreaking star of The Colbert Report. "My name is Stephen Colbert, but I actually play someone on ...

  • Not Funny synopsis, comments

    Not Funny

    Jena Friedman

    NATIONAL BESTSELLER“In fact very funny.” Cosmopolitan “[A] hilarious and muchneeded book.” Samantha Bee, Emmy Award–winning comedian, author, and host of Full Frontal with Samantha...

  • Dear Grad synopsis, comments

    Dear Grad

    Potter Gift

    Timely and inspiring advice for graduates entering their next phase of life in today’s uncertain world, featuring remarks from iconic cultural figures and celebrities alongside stu...

  • Sicker in the Head synopsis, comments

    Sicker in the Head

    Judd Apatow

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An allnew collection of honest, hilarious, and enlightening conversations with some of the most exciting names in comedyfrom lifelong comedy nerd Ju...

  • Red-Blooded American Male synopsis, comments

    Red-Blooded American Male

    Robert Trachtenberg

    A collection of 100 inspired and surprising portraits of celebrities and everymen alike from the awardwinning photographer Robert Trachtenberg.Paul Rudd checking out...