Career Timeline of Stephen Colbert: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Stephen Colbert, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Stephen Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, singer, and television host. He gained prominence hosting 'The Colbert Report' (2005-2014), a satirical news program on Comedy Central. Since 2015, he has hosted 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' on CBS, showcasing his comedic and interviewing skills.
1986: Job at Second City
After graduating in 1986, Stephen Colbert took a job answering phones and selling souvenirs at Second City and signed up for improvisation classes.
1996: End of Exit 57
In 1996, Exit 57 ended after 12 episodes, despite receiving favorable reviews and CableACE Awards nominations.
1997: Joins The Daily Show
In 1997, Stephen Colbert joined the cast of Comedy Central's parody-news series "The Daily Show" as a correspondent.
1998: Strangers with Candy Picked Up
In 1998, Comedy Central picked up Strangers with Candy, leading Colbert to reduce his role on The Daily Show.
1999: Jon Stewart takes over The Daily Show
In 1999, Jon Stewart took over hosting duties of the Daily Show.
1999: Strangers with Candy Airs
In 1999, Strangers with Candy aired on Comedy Central.
2000: Convention Coverage
In 2000, Colbert covered the Democratic and Republican National Conventions as a part of The Daily Show's coverage of the U.S. presidential elections.
2000: Colbert Receives Emmy Awards
In 2000, Stephen Colbert and the other Daily Show writers were the recipients of three Emmy Awards as writers for The Daily Show.
2000: End of Strangers with Candy
In 2000, Strangers with Candy ended, though it later developed a cult following.
2000: The Daily Show increases in popularity
In 2000, roles of correspondents began to expand and international reports became more frequent, and the series gradually began to take on a more political tone and increase in popularity.
March 3, 2002: Guest Anchor on The Daily Show
On the week of March 3, 2002, Stephen Colbert filled in as anchor on The Daily Show when Jon Stewart hosted Saturday Night Live.
2002: Corddry and Helms imitate Colbert
In 2002, Rob Corddry and Ed Helms joined the cast of The Daily Show and imitated Stephen Colbert.
2003: Publication of Wigfield
In 2003, Colbert co-authored and published the satirical novel Wigfield: The Can Do Town That Just May Not with Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello and toured performing an adaptation of it on stage.
2004: Convention Coverage
In 2004, Colbert covered the Democratic and Republican National Conventions as a part of The Daily Show's coverage of the U.S. presidential elections.
October 17, 2005: Premiere of The Colbert Report
On October 17, 2005, Stephen Colbert began hosting his own television show, The Colbert Report, a Daily Show spin-off. The show parodied television news broadcasting, featuring Colbert as a blustery right-wing pundit.
2005: Colbert coins 'truthiness'
In 2005, Stephen Colbert coined the word 'truthiness' on the premiere episode of The Colbert Report.
2005: Hosting The Colbert Report
In 2005, Stephen Colbert left The Daily Show to host The Colbert Report, a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows.
2005: Colbert Leaves Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
In 2005, Stephen Colbert left the show Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law to work on The Colbert Report. His characters were both killed, though he returned to voice Phil for the series finale.
2005: Colbert Nominated for Satellite Award and Emmy
In 2005, Stephen Colbert was nominated for a Satellite Award for his performance on The Colbert Report and again in 2006, also receiving an Emmy for The Daily Show.
January 2006: American Dialect Society Names Truthiness Word of the Year
In January 2006, the American Dialect Society named truthiness, a word coined by Colbert on The Colbert Report, as its 2005 Word of the Year.
April 29, 2006: Colbert's Performance at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
On April 29, 2006, Stephen Colbert performed as the featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. As his conservative character from The Colbert Report, he delivered a satirical routine targeting President George W. Bush and the media.
May 2006: Colbert Listed as Influential Person in Media
In May 2006, New York magazine listed Stephen Colbert (and Jon Stewart) as one of its top dozen influential persons in media.
October 30, 2006: Manilow and Colbert Sign Custody Agreement
On October 30, 2006, Barry Manilow and Stephen Colbert jokingly signed and notarized a revolving biannual custody agreement for an Emmy on The Colbert Report.
December 9, 2006: Merriam-Webster Selects Truthiness as Word of the Year
On December 9, 2006, Merriam-Webster announced that it selected truthiness as its Word of the Year for 2006.
2006: White House Correspondents' Association Dinner Performance
In 2006, Stephen Colbert performed at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, a performance for which he would later receive an award.
2006: Colbert's White House Correspondents' Dinner Performance Gains Attention
In 2006, following Stephen Colbert's performance at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, the video became an internet and media sensation. Ratings for The Colbert Report increased by 37%, and the performance was later called a "cultural primary" and "defining moment" of the 2006 midterm elections.
February 2007: Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream
In February 2007, Ben & Jerry's unveiled a new ice cream flavor in honor of Colbert, named Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream.
March 3, 2007: Colbert Named Person of the Year
On March 3, 2007, Stephen Colbert was named Person of the Year by the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado.
March 24, 2007: Colbert Receives Speaker of the Year Award
On March 24, 2007, Stephen Colbert was given the Speaker of the Year Award by The Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA).
June 13, 2007: Gutsiest Move Award
On June 13, 2007, Colbert was honored for the Gutsiest Move on the Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards, for his performance at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.
October 7, 2007: Release of I Am America (And So Can You!)
On October 7, 2007, Colbert released I Am America (And So Can You!), a book associated with The Colbert Report, containing similar political satire.
October 16, 2007: Colbert Announces Presidential Candidacy
On October 16, 2007, Stephen Colbert announced his candidacy for president on The Colbert Report, intending to run as a "favorite son" in South Carolina on both the Republican and Democratic platforms.
October 28, 2007: Colbert Campaigns in South Carolina
On October 28, 2007, Stephen Colbert campaigned in Columbia, South Carolina, and received the key to the city from Mayor Bob Coble as part of his presidential bid.
November 1, 2007: Colbert's Presidential Application Denied
On November 1, 2007, the South Carolina Democratic Party executive council voted against adding Stephen Colbert to the ballot for the presidential election. Colbert later dropped out of the race.
December 20, 2007: Celebrity of the Year
On December 20, 2007, Colbert was named Celebrity of the Year by The Associated Press.
2007: Colbert Loses Emmy to Tony Bennett
In 2007, Stephen Colbert lost the Emmy for Best Performance in a Variety, Musical Program or Special to Tony Bennett.
2007: Colbert Receives Peabody Award
In 2007, Stephen Colbert received one of three Peabody Awards.
April 2, 2008: Peabody Award
On April 2, 2008, Colbert received a Peabody Award for The Colbert Report.
June 2, 2008: Princeton University Class Day Address
On June 2, 2008, Colbert delivered the Class Day address to the graduating class of Princeton University and accepted the Class of 2008 Understandable Vanity Award.
October 2008: Colbert Appears in The Amazing Spider-Man
In October 2008, Stephen Colbert made an extended 8-page appearance webslinging with Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man issue No. 573, marking his integration into the Marvel comic book world.
November 2008: Release of A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! on DVD
In November 2008, Colbert's Christmas special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, was released on DVD after airing on Comedy Central on November 23rd.
November 23, 2008: A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! Aired
On November 23, 2008, Colbert's Christmas special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, aired on Comedy Central and was released on DVD later that month.
2008: Colbert Teams Up with DonorsChoose.org
In 2008, Stephen Colbert again teamed up with Donorschoose.org, asking supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to donate to Pennsylvania classroom projects in honor of their favorite candidate, raising $185,000 for schools.
2008: Colbert Loses Emmy to Don Rickles
In 2008, Stephen Colbert lost the Emmy for Best Performance in a Variety, Musical Program or Special to Don Rickles.
April 14, 2009: NASA Renames Treadmill
On April 14, 2009, NASA renamed its new treadmill the "Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill", or COLBERT, after Stephen Colbert.
June 5, 2009: Colbert Arrives in Baghdad for USO Show
On June 5, 2009, Stephen Colbert arrived in Baghdad, Iraq, to film a week of shows called "Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando" sponsored by the USO. He had a suit tailored in the Army Combat Uniform pattern and cropped his hair in a military style.
August 2009: Treadmill Taken to ISS
In August 2009, the COLBERT treadmill was taken to the International Space Station (ISS) by the Space Shuttle Discovery during the STS-128 mission.
2009: Colbert Voices President in 'Monsters vs. Aliens'
In 2009, Stephen Colbert voiced the president of the U.S. in the animated film Monsters vs. Aliens, adding another voice-acting credit to his resume.
January 2010: Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album
In January 2010, Colbert received the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for his album A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!.
September 10, 2010: Stewart and Colbert Announce Future Event
On the September 10, 2010, episode of the Daily Show and The Colbert Report, Stewart and Colbert made preannouncements of a future event.
September 2010: Campaign Develops for Colbert's Rally
In September 2010, following Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally, a campaign developed that called for Colbert to hold his own rally at the Lincoln Memorial.
September 16, 2010: Stewart and Colbert Announce Competing Rallies
On September 16, 2010, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert announced competing rallies on the Washington, D.C., Mall for October 30, 2010. Stewart announced "Rally to Restore Sanity", and Colbert's was "March to Keep Fear Alive".
September 24, 2010: Colbert Testifies Before House Subcommittee
On September 24, 2010, Stephen Colbert testified in character before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Security. He discussed his experience in the United Farm Workers' "Take Our Jobs" program and broke character to explain his purpose for being at the hearing.
October 30, 2010: Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear
On October 30, 2010, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's competing rallies merged into the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, held on the Washington, D.C., Mall.
2010: Development of Scripto Begins
In 2010, Colbert and Rob Dubbin began discussing the creation of Scripto, a collaborative script software used by several late-night talk shows. The program was conceived at the end of 2010.
May 2011: Colbert Participates in Charleston to Bermuda Race
In May 2011, Colbert captained the ship "the Spirit of Juno" in the Charleston to Bermuda Race, finishing second.
May 2011: Colbert Files FEC Request
In May 2011, Stephen Colbert requested a media exemption from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for coverage of his political action committee, ColbertPAC, on The Colbert Report.
June 2011: FEC Grants Colbert Report Limited Media Exemption
In June 2011, the FEC voted to grant The Colbert Report a limited media exemption, allowing unlimited donations of airtime and show resources to promote the Colbert Super PAC without disclosure requirements, but only for ads appearing on The Colbert Report.
2011: Northwestern University Commencement Speaker
In 2011, Colbert was the commencement speaker for Northwestern University and received an honorary degree.
2011: Colbert Receives Peabody Award
In 2011, Stephen Colbert received one of three Peabody Awards.
2011: Vanity Fair's New Establishment List
In 2011, Stephen Colbert was placed at number 28 in Vanity Fair's "New Establishment List".
January 16, 2012: Colbert Satirically Encourages Viewers to Vote for Herman Cain
On January 16, 2012, Stephen Colbert satirically encouraged his viewers to vote for Herman Cain in the South Carolina primary, considering it support for his own possible candidacy.
July 2012: Colbert Extends Contract with Comedy Central
In July 2012, Stephen Colbert extended his contract with Comedy Central, continuing The Colbert Report until the end of 2014. This ensured the show's run for an additional two years.
2012: Colbert's Presidential Exploratory Committee
In 2012, Stephen Colbert explored a satirical presidential run, transferring control of his Super PAC to Jon Stewart to circumvent legal obstacles and forming an exploratory committee for a potential candidacy in South Carolina.
2012: Time Names Colbert One of 100 Most Influential People
In 2012, Time magazine named Stephen Colbert as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
2012: Collaboration with Montclair Film Festival Begins
Since 2012, Stephen Colbert has collaborated with the Montclair Film Festival, participating in fundraising events and leading Q&As with various figures, with his wife being a founder and the current president of the board.
January 2013: Rolling Stone's Funniest People List
In January 2013, Rolling Stone named Stephen Colbert number 2 in their "The 50 Funniest People Now" list.
April 10, 2014: Colbert to Succeed David Letterman
On April 10, 2014, CBS announced that Stephen Colbert would succeed David Letterman as the host of The Late Show after Letterman's retirement. This marked a major transition in Colbert's career.
December 2014: Best Twitter Accounts of 2014
In December 2014, Paste named Stephen Colbert's Twitter one of "The 75 Best Twitter Accounts of 2014" ranking it at number 7.
December 18, 2014: The Colbert Report Concludes
December 18, 2014, marked the end of The Colbert Report after a successful run. The show, a spin-off of The Daily Show, parodied television news and political talk shows, with Colbert playing a right-wing pundit character.
2014: End of The Colbert Report
In 2014, Stephen Colbert's show, The Colbert Report, concluded its run on Comedy Central. This marked the end of an era for the popular parody news program.
2014: Colbert Hosts Kennedy Center Honors
Since 2014, Stephen Colbert has hosted the Kennedy Center Honors for three consecutive years.
January 12, 2015: Premiere Date Announced for Colbert's Late Show
On January 12, 2015, CBS revealed that Stephen Colbert would premiere as the host of The Late Show on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. This announcement set the stage for Colbert's debut in late-night television.
September 8, 2015: Colbert's Late Show Premieres
On September 8, 2015, Stephen Colbert debuted as the host of The Late Show on CBS. George Clooney was the first guest. The show adopted a more political focus compared to David Letterman's version.
September 2015: Hosting The Late Show
In September 2015, Stephen Colbert began hosting the CBS talk program "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert", succeeding David Letterman.
2015: Wake Forest University Commencement Speaker
In 2015, Stephen Colbert received an honorary degree from Wake Forest University as the commencement speaker.
2015: Outstanding Civilian Service Award
In 2015, Stephen Colbert was awarded the third highest honor within the Department of the Army Civilian Awards, the Outstanding Civilian Service Award, for substantial contributions to the U.S. Army community.
September 2017: Hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards
In September 2017, Stephen Colbert hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.
September 17, 2017: Colbert Hosts the Primetime Emmy Awards
On September 17, 2017, Stephen Colbert hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, which was broadcast on CBS. This marked a significant hosting engagement for Colbert during his tenure as host of The Late Show.
December 2017: Most Powerful People in New York Media
In December 2017, Colbert was named one of "The 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media" by The Hollywood Reporter.
2017: Colbert Hosts 69th Primetime Emmy Awards
In 2017, Stephen Colbert hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.
2018: Vanity Fair's New Establishment List
In 2018, Colbert was placed at number 32 in Vanity Fair's "2018 New Establishment List".
2020: Colbert Receives Peabody Award
In 2020, Stephen Colbert received one of three Peabody Awards.
May 2021: Honorary Degree from Yale University
In May 2021, Colbert received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Yale University.
August 30, 2023: Colbert Launches Podcast 'Strike Force Five'
On August 30, 2023, Stephen Colbert, along with Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, and John Oliver, launched the comedy podcast Strike Force Five to support their staff members during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.
December 11, 2023: Colbert Returns to The Late Show
After recovering from surgery, Colbert returns to The Late Show on December 11, 2023.
2024: Expected Retirement of the ISS
Around 2024, the International Space Station is expected to be retired.
2024: Co-authors Cookbook: Does This Taste Funny?
In 2024, Colbert and his wife co-authored Does This Taste Funny?, a cookbook featuring recipes from their family, centered on Lowcountry cuisine.
2024: Colbert Produces 'After Midnight'
Since 2024, Stephen Colbert is a producer of the CBS late-night comedy panel game show, After Midnight, alongside his wife Evie. This marked another venture into television production for Colbert.
2028: Possible Extension of ISS
In 2028, there is a possibility that the International Space Station will be extended beyond 2024.
