Colbert originally studied to be an actor, but became interested in improvisational theatre when he met famed Second City director Del Close while attending Northwestern University. He first performed professionally as an understudy for Steve Carell at Second City Chicago; among his troupe mates were comedians Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris, with whom he developed the critically acclaimed sketch comedy series Exit 57.
Colbert also wrote and performed on the short-lived Dana Carvey Show before collaborating with Sedaris and Dinello again on the cult television series Strangers with Candy. He gained considerable attention for his role on the latter as closeted gay history teacher Chuck Noblet. It was his work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's news-parody series The Daily Show, however, that first introduced him to a wide audience.
In 2005, he left The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to host a spin-off series, The Colbert Report. Following The Daily Show's news-parody concept, The Colbert Report is a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows such as The O'Reilly Factor. Since its debut, the series has established itself as one of Comedy Central's highest-rated series, earning Colbert three Emmy Award nominations and an invitation to perform as featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2006. Colbert was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2006.[10] His book I Am America (And So Can You!) was No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Although, by his own account, he was not particularly political before joining the cast of The Daily Show, Colbert has described himself as a Democrat according to a 2004 interview. In an interview at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard Institute of Politics, he stated that he has "no problems with Republicans, just Republican policies". He is also a practicing Roman Catholic and Sunday school teacher.
Colbert lives in Montclair, New Jersey with his wife, Evelyn McGee-Colbert, who appeared with him in an episode of Strangers with Candy as his mother. She also had an uncredited cameo as a nurse in the series pilot and a credited one (as his wife, Clair) in the film. McGee-Colbert actually met Jon Stewart, later a good friend of Colbert, before she met her husband in 1990. She is the daughter of prominent Charleston civil litigator Joseph McGee, of the firm Buist Moore Smythe McGee. The couple has three children: Madeleine, Peter, and John.[106] Colbert prefers, however, that his children not watch his show, The Colbert Report, saying that "kids can't understand irony or sarcasm, and I don't want them to perceive me as insincere".
On the 7 April 2009 edition of The Colbert Report, Colbert was ceremonially knighted by Queen Noor of Jordan, a guest on the show. The Queen had been invited to appear to promote the Global Zero Campaign, an effort aimed at eliminating nuclear weapon reserves worldwide. The knighting was done at Colbert's semi-facetious request, as an exchange for his signature on the Global Zero declaration, which the Queen had requested. Queen Noor hesitated, commenting that until that point she had only knighted some of the children of her friends, at the parents' request, but never an adult. In his own defense, Colbert jokingly responded, "I have an infantile mind," and "I was needy as a child."
Queen Noor agreed, and asked Colbert if he had a sword on hand for the knighting. Colbert responded, "I'm way ahead of you," and brought out a prop sword from under his desk. Queen Noor knighted Stephen Colbert, and in exchange Colbert signed the Global Zero declaration.
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