The Colbert Report

Stephen Colbert has a killer resume. The Comedy Central star has a best-selling book out and his own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor. Oh, and he ran for president. Though his bid failed, he succeeded at exposing many of the absurdities of our political system. Running in both Democratic and Republican primaries as South Carolina’s “favorite son,” Colbert lampooned the backroom politics that kept his name off the ballot. From satirizing campaign finance with his “Hail to the Cheese—Stephen Colbert’s Nacho Cheese Doritos 2008 Presidential Campaign Coverage” to catching members of Congress off guard in his “Better Know a District” segment, Colbert expertly uncovered brilliance in absurdity. What started as a parody of punditry is now its own political platform. Whether serving as a campaign site or “merely” mocking television itself, the result is a program that inspires viewers to laugh, think and sabotage Wikipedia. Colbert elicits fear from members of Congress, expands our vocabulary and skewers personality-driven journalism—all while maintaining his composure as an egotistical, but lovable, uber-patriot. For its masterful mix of punditry, parody and “truthiness,” The Colbert Report receives a Peabody Award.