The blurred reality of Stephen Colbert’s world

The 43-year-old Colbert grew up in Charleston, S.C., the youngest of 11 children in a Catholic family. In 1974, his father and two of his brothers were killed in an airline crash. His mother, Lorna, recently said of her son on South Carolina public television network ETV, “I can never nail him down as to exactly what he is” — which makes you wonder what hope the rest of us have.

The young Colbert’s fondness of science fiction and fantasy — “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Lord of the Rings” — is easily apparent on “The Report,” where the serialized sci-fi story of his intergalactic alter-ego Tek Jansen plays out. One of Colbert’s prized possessions — which he gleefully brandishes — is Anduril, the sword from “The Lord of the Rings” films, theatrically bestowed to him by Viggo Mortensen on the show.

After studying acting at Northwestern University, Colbert joined Chicago’s revered improv troupe, Second City. Comedian Robert Smigel was blown away by Colbert on a night when he was just an understudy, and hired him for his first TV gig on “The Dana Carvey Show.”

“I didn’t really think it was possible to be honest with you,” says Smigel of Colbert’s one-man show. “He’s a force of nature. I don’t know who works harder than that guy.”

Colbert voices Ace in Smigel’s famed “Ambiguously Gay Duo” animated sketch, and Smigel’s comment on the role is symbolic: “He was born to play a cartoon super hero, not a real one.”

With collaborators Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello, he moved to New York to make the short-lived Comedy Central sketch show “Exit 57,” and later, the series (and movie) “Strangers with Candy.”

In his nearly decade-long tenure, Colbert became a standout correspondent on “The Daily Show,” and “The Report” was spun-off by Stewart’s company, Busboy Productions.

“Stephen has such encyclopedic knowledge and I figured using himself as the foundation of a character like that, there was no question he could do this every day,” says Stewart. “He was just ready. He wears that character so perfectly.”

Colbert, who is more at ease in a sweatshirt, agrees: “I just look like a suit, which is the best part. The best part is, boy, do I look the part.”

Politicians appear on show at own risk
So far, Obama has appeared on “The Report” via satellite and Clinton has made a quick cameo, but McCain hasn’t yet stopped by. His preferred Comedy Central visit is “The Daily Show,” where he’s guested 10 times.

A politician’s appearance to “The Report” certainly comes with risks. In a sit-down interview, Colbert memorably — and in a keen journalistic fashion — asked Georgia Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, who had lobbied for the Ten Commandments to be displayed in government buildings, to name them. Westmoreland managed only two and got one wrong, while Colbert sat patiently counting.

Another sly comment came during the writers strike, when Comedy Central’s parent company, Viacom Inc., pushed “The Daily Show” and “The Report” back into production without writers. Colbert, desperate for material, rebroadcast an interview with CNN pundit Lou Dobbs, renown for his tough stance on immigration.

Dobbs’ segment aired exactly as it had months earlier, but Colbert’s side was redone with him dressed as “Estaban Colberto,” a Spanish-speaking, mustachioed alter-ego (yes, alter-egos can have their own alter-egos). Estaban arrived at the interview by creeping under a chicken-wire fence.

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