{"product_id":"stephen-colbert-9780313386282","title":"Stephen Colbert","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis book explores how comedian Stephen Colbert''s satiric views of American life have captured the imagination of viewers around the worldand sharpened these individuals'' own critical interpretations and opinions on current events.Stephen Colbert may be just a comedianone not all audiences find funny, especially among those who have been mercilessly lampooned by himbut there is no arguing that the condescending, bombastic, and largely ignorant pundit he plays on Comedy Central has brought awareness of current events and political happenings to a substantially larger portion of the American population.The only available biography on Stephen Colbert, this book examines his life story and details how he became one of the most influential people on current American culture. Beginning with coverage of Colbert''s childhood, the chapters discuss his education, highlighting his interest in drama; describe his introduction to the world of comedy; review his contributions as a correspondent on\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian and actor who has built a following around the character he created—a character who is also named Stephen Colbert. Since 2005, he has hosted an Emmy-winning television show, \u003ci\u003eThe Colbert Report,\u003c\/i\u003e on the cable channel Comedy Central. Colbert's character is a satirical version of conservative political pundits like Bill O'Reilly. Colbert the real person claims two honorary doctorates and Jordanian knighthood, and he sometimes does add the titles Dr. and Dr., Sir to his name, though usually as a joke. Colbert was born on May 13, 1964, the 11th and last child in his family. He grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. When he was 10 years old, his father and two brothers were killed in a plane crash as they were traveling to Connecticut to drop off the boys at boarding school. As all the other siblings were older, Stephen lived alone with his mother until he went away to college. Although the Colbert family is Catholic, Stephen attended Porter-Gaud School, a private Episcopal high school in Charleston. While in his teens, he became interested in drama and theater. For two years he attended Sydney-Hampden College in Virginia, an all-male institution, where he studied philosophy. Unhappy there, he transferred to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, as a communications\/theater major. Though his intent was to become a serious dramatic actor, friends drew him into Chicago's rich world of improvisational theater. After graduation from Northwestern in 1986, he joined Second City, the premier American training ground for improvisational comedians. With Second City, he was in a traveling company with the late Chris Farley (of \u003ci\u003eSaturday Night Live\u003c\/i\u003e), Amy Sedaris, and Paul Dinello and served as understudy for future coworker Steve Carell. Colbert found kindred spirits in Sedaris and Dinello. The three moved to New York, where they wrote and acted in several short-lived series for Comedy Central. \u003ci\u003eExit 57\u003c\/i\u003e looked at the weird and wacky lives of a group of young people. \u003ci\u003eStrangers with Candy,\u003c\/i\u003e their most successful endeavor, was about a problem teen who returns to high school decades later to get her diploma and is now a problem adult; it spawned a movie of the same title. If one watches the credits for \u003ci\u003eStrangers with Candy,\u003c\/i\u003e one might notice a certain Evelyn McGee—aka Mrs. Stephen Colbert. McGee was also a Charleston native; the two met in 1990, married, and have raised a family of three very non-show-business children. Colbert was also involved in writing for the short-lived \u003ci\u003eThe Dana Carvey Show.\u003c\/i\u003e Among Comedy Central's programs in the late 1990s was \u003ci\u003eThe Daily Show,\u003c\/i\u003e hosted at first by Craig Kilborn. The program was a send-up of real newscasts, complete with a team of correspondents. For a short time in the Kilborn years, those correspondents included Colbert. He also tried his hand at real news for ABC's \u003ci\u003eGood Morning, America,\u003c\/i\u003e where he covered humorous human interest stories. Only one of his pieces actually aired. In 1999, Craig Kilborn left \u003ci\u003eThe Daily Show\u003c\/i\u003e and was replaced by Jon Stewart, an actor and stand-up comedian who had previously hosted a talk show on MTV. Reluctantly, Colbert accepted an offer to rejoin the cast of \u003ci\u003eThe Daily Show.\u003c\/i\u003e With the smart, biting wit of Stewart at the helm, the show skyrocketed to success. Colbert began developing his character, a \"poorly informed, high-status idiot,\" as a foil to Stewart. As many of \u003ci\u003eThe Daily Show\u003c\/i\u003e's other correspondents—Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Rob Corddry—left the show for other movie or television projects, Comedy Central looked for a way to keep Colbert in its stable. What developed was a \u003ci\u003eDaily Show\u003c\/i\u003e spinoff, \u003ci\u003eThe Colbert Report.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Colbert Report\u003c\/i\u003e parodies the shows of such pundits as Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh. Colbert proclaims his conservative version of the truth loudly and bombastically and refuses to be swayed from his beliefs by mere facts. His guests on the show have run the gamut from politicians to scientists to rock bands, from the sublime to the ridiculous. None are spared from Colbert's sharp tongue. The show engendered a fan following, known as Colbert Nation, which wields considerable clout in the real world. The real Stephen Colbert should not be mistaken for the character of the same name; while there is some overlap between the two, they are not the same. Both are proud, vocal Catholics; the real Stephen Colbert actually teaches Sunday school without his trademark irony. Whereas the character is staunchly Republican, the real Stephen Colbert holds a more Democratic views. And sometimes it is difficult to say whether an accomplishment belongs to the man or the character. Queen Noor of Jordan, for instance, knighted Stephen on one episode of his show—but, since he was in character, is \u003ci\u003ehe\u003c\/i\u003e entitled to be called Sir, or just his character? He holds two honorary doctorates of fine arts, one from Knox College, the other from his alma mater, Northwestern University. Colbert lives with his wife and three children in New Jersey, a short commute to the Manhattan studio where \u003ci\u003eThe Colbert Report\u003c\/i\u003e is taped.","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51017763193175,"sku":"9780313386282","price":33.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780313386282.jpg?v=1750774589","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/stephen-colbert-9780313386282","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}