s alternate persona was also raised in South Carolina, is the youngest of 11 siblings and is married.[48] The actual Colbert's career history in acting and comedy, however, is often downplayed. In July 2012, Colbert added two years to his contract with Comedy Central, extending the run of the Colbert Report until at least the end of 2014.[49] Politics

g ratings, averaging 1.2 million viewers nightly during its first week on the air. Comedy Central signed a long-term contract for The Colbert Report within its first month on the air, when it immediately established itself among the network's highest-rated shows.[46][47]
Much of Colbert's personal life is reflected in his character on The Colbert Report. With the extended exposure of the character on the show, he often references his interest in and knowledge of Catholicism, science fiction, and The Lord of the Rings, as well as using real facts to create his character's history. His alternate persona was also raised in South Carolina, is the youngest of 11 siblings and is married.[48] The actual Colbert's career history in acting and comedy, however, is often downplayed.
In July 2012, Colbert added two years to his contract with Comedy Central, extending the run of the Colbert Report until at least the end of 2014.[49]
Politics

2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
Main article: Stephen Colbert at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
On Saturday, April 29, 2006, Stephen Colbert was the featured entertainer for the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Standing a few yards from U.S. President George W. Bush[50]—in front of an audience the Associated Press called a "Who's Who of power and celebrity"[51]—Colbert delivered a searing routine targeting the president and the media.[52] In his politically conservative character from The Colbert Report, Colbert satirized the George W. Bush Administration and the White House press corps with such lines as:
“    I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound—with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.[53]    ”
Colbert received a chilly response from the audience.[54] His jokes were often met with silence and muttering, apart from the enthusiastic laughter of a few in the audience.[55] The major media outlets paid little attention to it initially. Washington Post columnist Dan Froomkin and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism professor Todd Gitlin claimed that this was because Colbert's routine was as critical of the media as it was of Bush.[56][57] Richard Cohen, also writing for The Washington Post, responded that the routine was not funny.[58] The video of Colbert's performance became an internet and media sensation,[59][60] while, in the week following the speech, ratings for The Colbert Report rose by 37% to average just under 1.5 million total viewers per episode.[61] In Time magazine James Poniewozik called it "the political-cultural touchstone issue of 2006".[62] Writing six months later, New York Times columnist Frank Rich referred to Colbert's speech as a "cultural primary" and called it the "defining moment" of the 2006 midterm elections.[63][64]
2008 Presidential bid