The Colbert Report

The Colbert Report is a satirical late night television program that originally aired on Comedy Central, hosted by political humorist Stephen Colbert. As a spin-off from and counterpart to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, it takes on politics and media through a humorous lens, satirizing conservative personality-driven political commentary programs like Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor. The show centers around a fictional news anchor character named Stephen Colbert who is portrayed by the host himself. This persona, described by Colbert as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot," serves as an exaggerated reflection of televised political pundits.Over its run, The Colbert Report garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards including seven Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, two Television Critics Association Awards, and two Satellite Awards, ultimately winning two Emmys in 2013. Its impact was not limited to the entertainment sphere; in some instances, the program's satirical nature was mistaken for genuine journalism. For example, it was presented non-satirically by the Tom DeLay Legal Defense Trust and Congressman Robert Wexler after his interview on the show. One of its most notable contributions was the introduction of the term "truthiness," coined by Colbert and defined as "the truth that comes from the gut, not books." This word gained such popularity that Merriam-Webster named it their 2006 Word of the Year, reflecting The Colbert Report's influential role in shaping cultural discussions.