Stephen Colbert Character

STEPHEN COLBERT (Character)

Dr. Stephen T. Colbert is the fictionalized persona of political satirist Stephen Colbert, as portrayed on the Comedy Central series The Colbert Report. Described as a “well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot” and a “self-important right-wing commentator”, the character incorporates aspects of the real Colbert’s life and interests but is primarily a parody of cable news pundits, particularly Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly. (More from Wikipedia)

My interest in Wikipedia was piqued by several stunts fomented by Stephen Colbert on his show The Colbert Report. In one famous incident, “The Wørd” on July 31, 2006 was “Wikiality”; Colbert explained that on Wikipedia, “any user can change any entry, and if enough users agree with them, it becomes true.” He then encouraged his viewers to modify the Wikipedia entry on “elephants” to state: “Elephant population in Africa has tripled over the past six months”. The changes mounted by the “Colbert nation” spread to other pachyderm-related articles: African forest elephant, African bush elephant, Babar the elephant, white elephant, Dumbo, etc.

I remember another time when Stephen Colbert changed a Wikipedia entry on camera during The Colbert Report so as to fit his worldview – that is to say, the worldview of his buffoonish character “Stephen Colbert” who hosts the show; he is a different person from the actual human being.

(September 2013)