History of The Colbert Report in Timeline

The Colbert Report, a late-night talk and news satire program hosted by Stephen Colbert, aired on Comedy Central from 2005 to 2014. The show featured Colbert portraying a fictional, conservative anchorman, a caricature of political pundits, satirizing personality-driven political talk programs like The O'Reilly Factor. As a spin-off of The Daily Show, where Colbert was previously a correspondent, the show used humor to critique politics and media.

1996: Character's Debut on The Dana Carvey Show

In 1996, the Stephen Colbert character first appeared on The Dana Carvey Show as a self-important reporter, marking an early stage in the character's development.

1996: First Appearance of Colbert Character on The Dana Carvey Show

In 1996, the Stephen Colbert character, a self-important reporter, first appeared on The Dana Carvey Show, a short-lived sketch comedy series. The character's skits included "Waiters Who Are Nauseated by Food", "Germans Who Say Nice Things" and "Skinheads from Maine".

1997: Colbert Joins The Daily Show

In 1997, Stephen Colbert joined The Daily Show as a correspondent, a year after the show's launch with Craig Kilborn as host. Colbert's role on The Daily Show was a significant step in his career.

1999: Jon Stewart Becomes Host of The Daily Show

In 1999, Jon Stewart became the host of The Daily Show. This transition led to a sharper political focus in the show's humor. Colbert was encouraged to express his political viewpoints through his comedy.

2003: Advertisements for The Colbert Réport Begin on The Daily Show

In 2003, The Daily Show began running advertisements for a fictional program titled The Colbert Réport, starring Colbert as a parody of cable news pundits, foreshadowing the development of his own show.

2004: Character Development and Show Design

By the time of the 2004 election, the Stephen Colbert character was fully developed with Stewart and Karlin. The Colbert Report was designed as an extension of The Daily Show, combining satire with silliness and character-driven humor. Karlin supervised scripts to avoid overlap in subject matter with The Daily Show.

2004: Development of The Colbert Report Concept

In 2004, after Colbert and Carell were viewed as potential breakout stars, Stephen Colbert met with Doug Herzog the day following the 2004 Emmy Awards to first discuss the concept of The Colbert Report. The show was pitched as "Our version of the O'Reilly Factor with Stephen Colbert." Herzog committed to an eight-week tryout period without a pilot.

2004: Colbert pitches The Colbert Report to Comedy Central

In 2004, after Steve Carell left The Daily Show, Comedy Central worked to keep Stephen Colbert and Colbert pitched The Colbert Report to the channel. Stewart pushed for the show, leading to an eight-week tryout and ultimately a successful run.

July 2005: The Colbert Report Taping Location

In July 2005, The Colbert Report began taping at the studio previously used for The Daily Show, located at 513 W. 54th Street in New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. The same company owned both studios for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

October 17, 2005: Premiere of The Colbert Report

On October 17, 2005, The Colbert Report, a late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert, premiered on Comedy Central. The show featured Colbert as a fictional anchorman, a caricature of televised political pundits.

2005: Official archive clips of the show were available

From 2008 to 2024, official archive clips of The Colbert Report going back to 2005 were available first on the Colbert Nation website, and then on the Comedy Central website.

2006: Truthiness as Word of the Year

In 2006, "truthiness", a word coined by Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report, was named Word of the Year by Merriam-Webster. Truthiness is defined as a 'truth' claimed to be known intuitively without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts.

2006: Bridge Naming Contest and Feud with The Decemberists

In 2006, Stephen Colbert encouraged fans to vote for his name for a bridge in Hungary, but he was disqualified. Later that year, he engaged in a mock feud with indie rock group the Decemberists, which culminated in a guitar solo competition on the show's final episode of the year.

2006: White House Correspondents' Dinner

In 2006, Stephen Colbert headlined the White House Correspondents' Dinner as his Colbert Report character. His controversial routine, which targeted President George W. Bush and the media, was met with a chilly reception but quickly became an Internet sensation, transforming Colbert into a folk hero for liberals.

February 2007: Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream Ice Cream

In February 2007, Ben & Jerry's unveiled an ice cream flavor named Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream in honor of Stephen Colbert. All proceeds were donated to charity through the Stephen Colbert AmeriCone Dream Fund.

April 2007: Colbert Viewers More Knowledgeable About Current Events

In April 2007, a Pew Research Center report cited The Colbert Report viewers as more well-informed about current events than those who gathered their information via newspapers, television news, and radio.

June 2007: Colbert Breaks His Wrist

In June 2007, Stephen Colbert broke his left wrist while performing his warm-up for the show. This became a running joke on the program, including the creation of the "Wriststrong" wrist band to raise money for the Yellow Ribbon Fund.

2007: Release of "The Best of The Colbert Report" DVD

In 2007, "The Best of The Colbert Report" was released on DVD, featuring several of the show's most memorable early moments.

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2007: Release of "I Am America (And So Can You!)"

In 2007, the book "I Am America (And So Can You!)" was released in print and as an audiobook to accompany the humor of The Colbert Report.

I Am America (And So Can You!)

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2007: Rahm Emanuel instructs freshmen not to appear on the show

In response to the "Better Know a District" segment, Rahm Emanuel, then the Democratic Caucus chair, instructed incoming freshmen not to do appearances on The Colbert Report in 2007.

June 3, 2008: Showtime Arabia Broadcast Begins

On June 3, 2008, The Colbert Report began airing on the ShowComedy channel of Showtime Arabia (currently OSN First HD), broadcasting in the Middle East and North Africa, with a one-day delay from the US transmission.

2008: Spider Named After Stephen Colbert

In 2008, East Carolina University associate professor Jason Bond named a species of trapdoor spider Aptostichus stephencolberti in honor of Stephen Colbert.

2008: Christmas Special A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!

In 2008, The Colbert Report filmed a tongue-in-cheek Christmas special titled A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!.

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May 2009: FX UK Contract Ends

In May 2009, FX in the United Kingdom decided not to renew their contract to air The Colbert Report.

2009: Episodes for the Troops in Baghdad

In 2009, Stephen Colbert filmed a series of four episodes of The Colbert Report for the troops in Baghdad, Iraq. He had a suit tailored in the Army Combat Uniform pattern and went through an abbreviated version of the Army's basic training regimen.

2009: Planting Hints About Colbert's Trip to Persian Gulf

In 2009, the May 4 episode of The Colbert Report featured hints planted by J.J. Abrams about when and where Colbert would be in the Persian Gulf. This was part of a storyline involving Colbert's real-world activities.

January 4, 2010: New Opening Debuts

On January 4, 2010, The Colbert Report debuted a new opening sequence, featuring new background renderings, shots of Stephen Colbert, and an American red, white, and blue motif.

2010: Colbert Testifies Before Congress

In 2010, Stephen Colbert, in character, appeared before a judiciary subcommittee hearing on farm workers and immigration, generating mixed reactions and sparking academic analysis on his use of irony.

2010: Broadcast on ABC2 Australia

In 2010, The Colbert Report was shown during prime time on Australia's free-to-air ABC2.

June 2011: Colbert Starts His Own Super PAC

In June 2011, Stephen Colbert started his own actual super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, described as "100 percent legal and at least 10 percent ethical."

2011: Rights for ABC2 Australia Lost

In 2011, ABC2 in Australia was outbid for the rights to The Colbert Report. The show was also available directly on the colbernation.com website for part of 2011, with Australian advertisements; however, Australian access is now blocked.

2011: Release of "Charlene II (I'm Over You)" Vinyl Single

In 2011, Jack White's record label Third Man Records released a 7" vinyl single of Stephen Colbert and The Black Belles performing "Charlene II (I'm Over You)", which they also performed together on the show.

2011: Switch to Snapstream Software

In 2011, The Colbert Report switched to Snapstream software, improving the process of searching and compiling TV clips. This allowed for searching closed captioning for select words. A group of staff coders and independent contractors also developed Scripto software to collaborate on scripts in real time.

2011: Al Gore Refers to Colbert's Persona as a Character

In 2011, during an interview on The Colbert Report, Al Gore accidentally referred to Stephen Colbert's persona as a "character," highlighting the blurring lines between Colbert's real self and his on-screen portrayal.

2011: Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear Nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards

In 2011, the Colbert and Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear was nominated for four Daytime Emmy awards, including the Outstanding Special Class Special category and the Outstanding Special Class Writing category.

2012: Broadcast on Comedy Central Africa

As of 2012, The Colbert Report began broadcasting in Africa on DSTV's version of Comedy Central.

2012: Colbert Discusses Inspirations for His Character

In 2012, Stephen Colbert discussed the inspirations behind his character, citing cable news pundits like Bill O'Reilly, Aaron Brown, Stone Phillips, Bill Kurtis and Geraldo Rivera.

2012: Interview with Maurice Sendak

In 2012, Stephen Colbert interviewed illustrator/author Maurice Sendak, and Sendak got Colbert to break character. The show staff and Colbert considered this segment to be one of the show's most memorable moments.

2012: Release of "America Again" and "I Am a Pole (And So Can You!)"

In 2012, two spinoff books of The Colbert Report were released: "America Again", a sequel to the show's first book, and "I Am a Pole (And So Can You!)", a children's book about a fictional pole finding its purpose.

September 2013: Awkward Interview with Philip Mudd

In September 2013, The Los Angeles Times called the Colbert Report interview with political commentator and former CIA official Philip Mudd Colbert's "most awkward interview", stating that Mudd "could barely disguise his contempt" for Colbert.

2013: Writers Share Show Creation Process at New York Comedy Festival

During an appearance at the New York Comedy Festival in 2013, writers for The Colbert Report shared details about the show's creation process, including the development of scripts and segments like "The Word."

2013: Colbert Speaks About His Mother's Death

In 2013, Stephen Colbert further blurred the lines between his character and real life when he spoke about the death of his mother on The Colbert Report. This moment contributed to the perception of a 'third' Colbert persona.

2013: Outstanding Variety Series Emmy Award

In 2013, The Colbert Report won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series, recognizing the show's quality and impact.

2013: Emmy Win for Outstanding Variety Series

In 2013, The Colbert Report won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series, breaking The Daily Show's winning streak. Stephen Colbert referenced his win on his program as the conclusion of Jon Stewart's "reign of terror."

April 2014: Announcement of Colbert's Departure for CBS

In April 2014, it was announced that Stephen Colbert would be leaving The Colbert Report to replace David Letterman as the host of The Late Show on CBS. This announcement coincided with the show's ending.

September 22, 2014: The Program Began Airing on M3

On September 22, 2014, due to The Comedy Network's acquisition of Canadian rights to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Colbert Report began airing on M3 and did so for the remainder of the show's run.

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December 2014: The Colbert Report's Final Episode Airs

In December 2014, The Colbert Report aired its last episode. The show was then replaced by The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.

December 18, 2014: Final Episode of The Colbert Report

December 18, 2014, marked the airing of the 1,447th and final episode of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. The show, which premiered on October 17, 2005, concluded after nearly a decade on air.

2014: Outstanding Variety Series Emmy Award

In 2014, The Colbert Report won its second consecutive Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series.

2014: Super PAC Coverage Increased Viewers' Knowledge

The Annenberg Public Policy Center reported in 2014 that The Colbert Report's Super PAC segments increased viewers' knowledge of PAC and 501(c)(4) campaign finance regulation more successfully than other types of news media.

2015: Emmy Nomination

In 2015, The Colbert Report received a subsequent nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

2015: Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming Emmy Award

In 2015, after Stephen Colbert had left the show, The Colbert Report won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming.

2021: Episodes Available on Comedy Central Website

As of 2021, almost seven years after the show ended, many episodes of The Colbert Report were presented in individual clips on Comedy Central's website.

September 19, 2025: One-Off Return of The Colbert Report on The Late Show

On September 19, 2025, The Colbert Report made a one-off return during a segment of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The segment, "The Word", was in the context of the indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! by ABC.

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