The Colbert Report
The Colbert Report
Now Showing

The Colbert Report

6.9
Yr 2005
Rt 24m
Status Ended
News Comedy
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Series Brief

Overview

The Colbert Report is an American satirical late night television program. It stars political humorist Stephen Colbert, a former correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The Colbert Report is a spin-off from and counterpart to The Daily Show that comments on politics and the media in a similar way. The show focuses on a fictional anchorman character named Stephen Colbert, played by his real-life namesake. The character, described by Colbert as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot", is a caricature of televised political pundits.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 85 /100

Critical reception of The Colbert Report is largely defined by its cultural impact and the effectiveness of its central persona. The show is widely celebrated for its sharp satire, which was praised for being politically astute and culturally influential, notably for popularizing terms like "truthiness." Reviewers frequently highlight the host's ability to maintain a layered, self-important character that served as an effective conduit for skewering media tropes and political discourse.

However, the show remains a polarizing entity depending on viewer perspective. While many critics laud its wit, others express concern over its overt liberal leanings and aggressive style, leading to polarized views on its contribution to media dialogue. Despite these divergent opinions on its political messaging, the program is generally recognized as a landmark achievement in late-night television.

“The show is politically astute but not didactic, thought-provoking but light on its feet, hilarious but also deeply felt.”

“The Stephen Colbert character feels like it has existed far longer than it actually has.”

“The show's underlying message is decidedly liberal.”

Why fans love it

The Colbert Report relies on the sustained commitment of its lead to a single persona. Stephen Colbert inhabits a fictional anchorman who serves as a mirror for the sensationalism and overconfidence often found in cable news punditry. By maintaining a persona described as a well-intentioned but poorly informed idiot, the show lampoons the format of political talk shows while stripping away the pretense of objective reporting.

The program functions as a direct counterpart to The Daily Show, offering a distinct brand of news satire that balances absurdity with biting critique. Guests ranging from politicians like Barbara Boxer to creative figures like J.J. Abrams participate in interviews that treat the host’s heightened reality as absolute truth. This constant performance turns every segment into a test of the host’s ability to remain in character under pressure, creating a rigid structure that remains unpredictable.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 1
Longest run 1447 eps
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
as Self - Host
1447 episodes
Nas
Nas
as Self
2 episodes
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
as Self
2 episodes
J.J. Abrams
J.J. Abrams
as Self
2 episodes
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
as Self
2 episodes
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
as Self
2 episodes
Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman
as Self
2 episodes
Steve Martin
Steve Martin
as Self
2 episodes
Show 67 more
Peter Beinart as Self 2 episodes Daniel Ellsberg as Self 2 episodes Deepak Chopra as Self 2 episodes Michael Moore as Self 2 episodes Katrina vanden Heuvel as Self 2 episodes Neil Young as Self - Musical Guest 3 episodes Malcolm Gladwell as Self 2 episodes Cornel West as Self 2 episodes Stone Phillips as Self 2 episodes Jeff Daniels as Self 2 episodes Paul Dinello as Tad 2 episodes Tim Robbins as Self 2 episodes Al Gore as Self 2 episodes George Stephanopoulos as Self - Guest 3 episodes Jim Lovell as Self 2 episodes Stephen Sondheim as Self 2 episodes Toby Keith as Self 3 episodes Doris Kearns Goodwin as Self 3 episodes Jon Stewart as Self 9 episodes Arianna Huffington as Self 4 episodes Andrew Sullivan as Self - Guest 5 episodes Jack White as Self 4 episodes George Saunders as Self - Guest 3 episodes Elvis Costello as Self 2 episodes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Self 3 episodes Lou Dobbs as Self 3 episodes John Legend as Self 2 episodes Chris Matthews as Self 6 episodes Maureen Dowd as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Bob Costas as Self 2 episodes Barry Manilow as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Reza Aslan as Self 3 episodes Randy Newman as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Christiane Amanpour as Self 4 episodes Jeff Goldblum as Self 5 episodes David Brooks as Self 2 episodes Charlie Rose as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Bill Clinton as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Sam Waterston as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Andrew Young as Self 2 episodes John McCain as Self - Guest 2 episodes Alan Alda as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes James Franco as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Ken Burns as Self 5 episodes Peter Frampton as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Elijah Wood as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Kevin Spacey as Self 2 episodes Eric Drysdale as Bobby (uncredited) 3 episodes David Cross as Russ Lieber (voice) (uncredited) 3 episodes Andy Cohen as Self - Guest 2 episodes Gloria Steinem as Self 3 episodes Tom Hanks as Self - Guest 2 episodes Henry Kissinger as Self 3 episodes Barney Frank as Self 2 episodes Tom Brokaw as Self (uncredited) 2 episodes Michael Stipe as Self 3 episodes David Gregory as Self - Guest 2 episodes Byron Dorgan as Self 2 episodes Mike Huckabee as Self - Guest 8 episodes Tim Meadows as Self 4 episodes Eliot Spitzer as Self 3 episodes Bradley Whitford as Self 2 episodes Neil deGrasse Tyson as Self 3 episodes Matt Taibbi as Self 2 episodes Bernie Sanders as Self - Guest 2 episodes Thomas L. Friedman as Self - Guest 3 episodes Jim Webb as Self 3 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Production Assistant
Philip Knittel Bryan Dinello Adam Wager Meg DeFrancesco
Camera Operator
Ron Washburn Tore Livia Dante Pagano John Meiklejohn
Editor
Andrew Matheson Josh Weinstein
Gaffer
Costa Leonardos
Electrician
Cory Schaub Dirk Delacour
Supervising Producer
Paul Dinello Rich Dahm
Creator
Jon Stewart
Executive Producer
Jon Stewart Tom Purcell
Accountant
Joshua Bell
Production Coordinator
Kate Sunbury-Shupp
Co-Executive Producer
Meredith Bennett Barry Julien
Post Production Coordinator
Jeremy Tchaban
Director
Jim Hoskinson
Script Supervisor
Deanna Storey
Graphic Designer
Andro Buneta Darryl DeAngelo
Makeup & Hair
Kerrie R. Plant
Lighting Director
Michael Scricca
Executive In Charge Of Production
Lou Wallach
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Colbert Report overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

political satire talk show celebrity interview
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
October 17, 2005
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
24 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
303