Stephen Colbert

speaker

1,440 appearances 49 recordings 16 series first heard Feb 2024 last heard 4 Sep

Stephen Colbert’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.

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recordings per month · last 12 months

Recordings per month over the last 12 months — 31 in all, peaking in May 2026 with 18.

Appearances

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Fresh Air · Stephen Colbert / Remembering MA Rep. Barney Frank · 23 May 2026 podcast

And I wasn't speaking all that honestly because I was attempting to do something different than I had done before.

And the overcorrect I would say is that not realizing that through the character – I was actually speaking very honestly and you were hearing my voice a lot of the time.

I felt that way as a viewer.

Yeah, there's a confessional aspect to wearing a mask.

You know, the same reason why it's easier to confess behind a screen to a priest than face to face.

And so by the character was a 10 year confession, perhaps of, you know, indulging ego and appetite through the through the person of this character.

Then you go on stage as yourself and you're responsible for everything you say.

And there's a natural I think there's a natural inclination to pull your punch.

Because you have to be responsible for what you're saying.

You cannot hide behind the mask.

And also that if you talk about politics all the time, well, isn't that what that other guy did?

Why would I – or talk about the news all the time.

Well, isn't that what – then how am I changing in any way?

And it took me – oh, gosh.

I would say it took me almost half a year to realize that those two aren't mutually exclusive.

That you can have a highly opinionated, highly topical show as yourself and not essentially –

fall back into the basket of the Colbert report and now I have no qualms about being sharp and satirical and highly opinionated and saying whatever is on my mind as quickly as I can.

and not worrying about that I'm playing the same game.

I know I'm not playing the same game.

But it took me a little while to realize that the character was not in danger of reemerging.

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