The Colbert Report: Season 5
Season 5 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of The Colbert Report Season 4.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 5 Progress Shield
John King
Jan 5, 2009
Stephen congratulates John King and the rest of the media on getting Obama elected.
Matt Miller
Jan 6, 2009
Matt Miller says the government must make sure we have basic securities like health care and pensions.
Benicio Del Toro
Jan 7, 2009
Benicio Del Toro talks about meeting Castro to prepare for "Che."
Lawrence Lessig
Jan 8, 2009
Lawrence Lessig says the outdated copyright laws have turned our kids into criminals.
Anthony Romero
Jan 12, 2009
Anthony Romero believes it will be a huge mistake if Barack Obama doesn't close Guantanamo immediately.
Niall Ferguson
Jan 13, 2009
Niall Ferguson explains how money is a relationship between a creditor and a debtor.
Alan Khazei
Jan 14, 2009
Barack Obama may be over-marketed, and Alan Khazei wants Americans to volunteer.
David Gregory, Shepard Fairey
Jan 15, 2009
A look back on President Bush's relationship with the media -- Stephen wonders if tonight's the night they finally do it and Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster belongs to everyone.
Frank Rich
Jan 19, 2009
Frank Rich says George W. Bush delivers a message of hope for mediocrity.
Jabari Asim
Jan 20, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Washington Post columnist and author of The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why, Jabari Asim.
Elizabeth Alexander
Jan 21, 2009
Elizabeth Alexander explains to Stephen the difference between a metaphor and a lie.
Jon Meacham
Jan 22, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Newsweek editor and author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, Jon Meacham.
Chris Mooney, Ed Young
Jan 26, 2009
Obama changes Bush's policy on science, and Ed Young thinks married people should have more sex.
Dan Zaccagnino
Feb 2, 2009
The government collapses in Iceland, and Stephen gets mad at Dan Zaccagnino.
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Feb 3, 2009
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. says Abraham Lincoln was always against slavery, but he wasn't a fan of black people.
James Surowiecki, Jonah Lehrer
Feb 5, 2009
Stephen salutes the Boy Scouts, and Jonah Lehrer discusses the neuroscience of decision-making.
Robert Ballard
Feb 10, 2009
It's tough times for the Republican Party, and Stephen gives a shout out to a former employee.
Eleanor Holmes Norton, Steven Pinker
Feb 11, 2009
New York Times article, "My Genomic Self"
David Ross, Ed Colbert, Adam Gopnik
Feb 12, 2009
Adam Gopnik claims that faith and fear no longer rule our lives because of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin.
Father James Martin, Helen Fisher
Feb 23, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the chief scientific advisor for chemistry.com, anthropology professor and author of Why Him? Why Her?: Finding Real Love By Understanding Your Personality
Cliff Sloan
Feb 24, 2009
Cliff Sloan believes that Marbury v. Madison is significant because it established the rule of law.
John Fetterman
Feb 25, 2009
Mayor John Fetterman believes Braddock, PA is a great place to spend some of the stimulus money.
Kris Kristofferson
Feb 26, 2009
Stephen wants to know how Kris Kristofferson can be a country musician and a liberal at the same time.
Mark Bittman
Mar 3, 2009
President Obama taxes the rich to pay for universal health care, and South Carolina may finally end gun prostitution.
Carl Wilson
Mar 4, 2009
Carl Wilson tries to understand the popularity of Celine Dion in "Let's Talk About Love" and will NASA name part of the space station after Stephen if he changes his name to Stephe
Steven Johnson
Mar 5, 2009
Steven Johnson talks about Joseph Priestley, the man who first realized that plants actually create the oxygen we breathe.
Lisa Hannigan
Mar 9, 2009
Lisa Hannigan sewed the cover, liner notes and lyrics of her album "Sea Sew."
William Gerstenmaier, Dr. Jay Keasling
Mar 10, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes microbiologist and member of the Joint BioEnergy Institute, Dr. Jay Keasling. Also Stephen talks with NASA's associate administrator for space operations B
Howard Fineman
Mar 11, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Newsweek correspondent and author of 'The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates that Define and Inspire Our Country', Howard Fineman.
Simon Johnson, Peter Singer
Mar 12, 2009
Peter Singer urges Stephen to give money to poor people rather than enjoying it himself.
Jonathan Chait, Neil Gaiman
Mar 16, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of 'The Graveyard Book'.
David Grann
Mar 17, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of 'The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon'.
Juan Cole
Mar 18, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of 'Engaging the Muslim World'.
John McCardell
Mar 19, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the president of Choose Responsibility.
Derrick Pitts
Mar 30, 2009
The guest tonight is Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer at The Franklin Institute.
David Plotz
Mar 31, 2009
David Plotz, Author of 'Good Book LP' talks to Stephen tonight.
Dambisa Moyo
Apr 1, 2009
Author of "Dead Aid", Dambisa Moyo is the guest on tonight's show.
Biz Stone
Apr 2, 2009
One of the co-founders of Twitter is the guest for tonight's show.
Tom Brokaw, Rich Lowry
Apr 6, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the co-author of Banquo's Ghosts, Rich Lowry.
Phil Bronstein
Apr 8, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the editor at large for the San Francisco Chronicle, Phil Bronstein.
Bart Ehrman
Apr 9, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes Bible expert and author of Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them), Bart Ehrman.
Sunita L. Williams, Susie Orbach
Apr 14, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes psychotherapist and author of Bodies, Susie Orbach. Also, Stephen talks with NASA's Deputy Chief, Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center, Sunita Will
Jim Lehrer
Apr 15, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the anchor of PBS' NewsHour and author of Oh, Jonny, Jim Lehrer.
Kanishk Tharoor, Doug Kmiec
Apr 16, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the former head of the Office of Legal Council for both President Reagan and George Bush Sr., and author of Can a Catholic Support Him? Asking the Big Ques
Ken Quinn, Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Apr 20, 2009
Sheriff Joe Arpaio denies that he focuses too much on illegal immigration.
Coach Mike Kryzewski
Apr 21, 2009
Tonight Stephen talks with Duke University men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Ira Glass
Apr 22, 2009
Tonight Stephen talks with host of This American Life, Ira Glass.
Elizabeth Bintliff
Apr 23, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the West Africa Program Officer for Heifer International, Elizabeth Bintliff.
David Gross
Apr 28, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes journalist and author of 'Dumb Money: How Our Greatest Financial Minds Bankrupted the Nation', Daniel Gross. Also, Stephen talks with war correspondent Ric
David Kessler
Apr 29, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes former FDA commissioner and author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, David Kessler.
Jonathan Alter, Ethan Nadelman
Apr 30, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, Ethan Nadlemann.
J.J. Abrams
May 4, 2009
The Prescott Group needs a bailout, and J.J. Abrams reveals clues to Stephen's Persian Gulf mystery.
Cliff Sloan, Paul Rieckhoff
May 5, 2009
Cliff Sloan believes that Marbury v. Madison is significant because it established the rule of law and Paul Rieckhoff wants to make sure returning veterans get education, employmen
Laurie Garrett
May 6, 2009
President Obama's approval numbers are at 67%, and public health expert Laurie Garrett is here to shed some light on the swine flu.
Mitchell Joachim
May 7, 2009
It's Bring Your Savior to Work Day, and Mitchell Joachim wants to build carbon-neutral cities.
Jeff Daniels
May 11, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes actor Jeff Daniels Also, Stephen talks with the vice president of policy at Demos.org, Tamara Draut about credit cart reform.
Ron Howard
May 12, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the producer & director of Angels & Demons, Ron Howard. Also, Stephen talks with the head of Latin American Division of the Council on Foreign Relations, J
Michael Pollan
May 13, 2009
Tonight Stephen welcomes the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, Michael Pollan.
Yusuf Islam
May 14, 2009
Donald Trump allows Miss California to keep her crown, the DonorsChoose competition continues, and Yusuf performs.
Meghan McCain
May 18, 2009
Meghan McCain loves the Republican Party and wants to save it from the people trying to make it more extreme.
Walter Kirn
May 19, 2009
Republicans find a way to make us love them again, and a Difference Maker stands up to the government.
Seth Shostak
May 20, 2009
Torture memo author John Yoo gets a newspaper column, and Nancy Pelosi says the CIA lied to her.
Green Day
May 21, 2009
Stephen reveals most of the Indian election results, and Green Day talks about their album, "21st Century Breakdown."
Jeffrey Toobin, Sen. Byron Dorgan
Jun 1, 2009
Republicans could lose their Latino voter, and you can see Stephen's Persian Gulf destination from Sarah Palin's house.
Katty Kay
Jun 2, 2009
The FDA challenges medical claims made by Cheerios, and Jim Moran protects kids from erectile dysfunction advertising.
Eric Schlosser
Jun 3, 2009
California allows some gay couples to stay married, and Obama invites Iran to celebrate 4th of July.
Dag Soderberg, David Byrne
Jun 4, 2009
Wikipedia takes on the Church of Scientology, and the latest on abstinence-only education will be worth the wait.
General Raymond Odierno
Jun 8, 2009
General Ray Odierno steps up to the plate to be Stephen’s first guest in Iraq.
Specialist Tareq Salha, Sgt. Robin Balcom
Jun 9, 2009
Stephen welcomes Sergeant Robin Balcom and Specialist Tareq Salha to his international desk of wisdom and truthiness.
Lieutenant General Charles Jacoby
Jun 10, 2009
Tom Hanks and Stephen prepare a care package, and Charles H. Jacoby Jr. picks his favorite soldier.
Stephen broadcasts from Iraq, Command Sgt. Major Frank Grippe
Jun 11, 2009
George W. Bush praises the troops, and Frank A. Grippe orders his officers to sing the Army song.
Austan Goolsbee
Jun 15, 2009
Stephen gives advice to the next leader of North Korea, and asks Austan Goolsbee if his arm gets tired from throwing money at problems.
Karim Sadjadpour, Jim Rogers
Jun 16, 2009
According to polls, 120% say the Iranian election wasn't rigged, and Jim Rogers wants to reduce Duke Energy's carbon footprint.
Joshua Micah Marshall
Jun 17, 2009
Sonia Sotomayor belongs to an exclusive women's-only club, and Joshua Micah Marshall won't be doing the pointing and talking.
Paul Muldoon
Jun 18, 2009
Someone finally agrees to accept Gitmo detainees, and Stephen nails poet Paul Muldoon.
Simon Schama
Jun 22, 2009
Stephen suggests punching randomly until we find the enemy among us, and Simon Schama writes a history of the future of America.
Howard Dean, David Kilcullen
Jun 23, 2009
David Kilcullen fights wars by taking a local approach to combat smaller guerrilla movements.
Matthew Crawford
Jun 24, 2009
The Jonas Brothers don't abstain from making awesome rock, and Matthew Crawford believes in working with his hands.
Jim Fouratt
Jun 25, 2009
ABC turns their network over to Barack Obama, and Jim Fouratt meets the leader of the gay shame movement.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Jun 29, 2009
Neil deGrasse Tyson tries to make science accessible to whomever wants to reach out and touch it.
Alexi Lalas, Kevin Mattson
Jun 30, 2009
Stephen questions whether America should embrace soccer, and Kevin Mattson thinks Jimmy Carter was underappreciated.
Nicholas Kristof
Jul 1, 2009
The Supreme Court takes its recess, and Nicholas Kristof discusses "It's Time to Learn From Frogs" after crossing five lanes of busy traffic.
Ed Viesturs
Jul 2, 2009
Congress passes a renewable energy bill, and climber Ed Viesturs scales Stephen's ego.
Paul Rieckhoff, Paul Krugman
Jul 13, 2009
The Sotomayor confirmation hearings begin, and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman knows a lot about money.
Leymah Gbowee
Jul 14, 2009
Stephen suggests looking for change in the folds of Barney Frank, and asks Leymah Gbowee where Liberia is.
Douglas Rushkoff
Jul 15, 2009
There's bad news for people with target-shaped birthmarks, and Douglas Rushkoff lets Jews and Freemasons off the hook.
Edmund Andrews
Jul 16, 2009
Stephen is emotionally dead inside, and Ed Andrews should write about teen vampires if he wants to get out of debt.
Geoffrey Canada, Bob Park
Jul 20, 2009
Geoffrey Canada can't find any area where white men are being disproportionately victimized and Bob Park doesn't understand why humans need go to space when robots can do a better
Dr. Aaron Carroll
Jul 21, 2009
Stephen will be the mighty oak when he investigates Acorn, and Aaron Carroll believes America should have a single-payer system.
Matthew Waxman, Chris Anderson
Jul 22, 2009
The truth behind the CIA's secret assassination squad is revealed, and Chris Anderson talks about a future economy where everything is free.
Zev Chafets
Jul 23, 2009
The British announce plans to cut and run, Tom Vilsack drops out of the presidential race, and Zev Chafets angles for a Christmas present.
Movits!
Jul 27, 2009
A report on tasers may shock you, and Swedish band Movits! helps Stephen put his Ikea futon together
Arianna Huffington
Jul 28, 2009
Arianna Huffington was born in the United States, but she cultivated an accent to give herself an air of being an ethnic minority.
Kevin Baker
Jul 29, 2009
Lance Armstrong comes in third in the Tour de France, and Kevin Baker says Obama is the new Hoover.
Kathryn Bigelow
Jul 30, 2009
Kathryn Bigelow's war movie, "The Hurt Locker," is getting great reviews, despite not having explosions and ear-splitting sound effects.
General Anthony Zinni
Aug 3, 2009
President Obama finds a way to pay for health care, and General Anthony Zinni will wax Stephen's chest.
Kurt Andersen
Aug 4, 2009
According to Kurt Andersen, the economic and health crises give Americans a brief chance to get things where they want them.
Kris Kobach
Aug 5, 2009
Kris Kobach wants to fight illegal immigration on the local level and reward the people willing to come to this country legally.
Meryl Streep
Aug 6, 2009
Stephen reviews the movies that are destroying America and talks to Meryl Streep about her role as Julia Child.
Sen. Barbara Boxer
Aug 10, 2009
Vladimir Putin returns to the spotlight, and Stephen interviews Barbara Boxer with deaf suspicion.
Jonathan Cohn
Aug 11, 2009
Afghanistan prepares for Bring Your Rocket Launcher to Work Day, and Jonathan Cohn explains why America's having a health care crisis.
Mark Johnson
Aug 12, 2009
Americans speak Glenn Beck's mind at town hall meetings, and Mark Johnson spreads peace through music.
Mark Devlin
Aug 13, 2009
Glenn Beck loses his sponsors, and Mark Devlin uses giant balloons to life telescopes to the edge of space.
Bill McKibben
Aug 17, 2009
Reporters get so desperate they'll even work for a newspaper, and Bill McKibben lowers carbon dioxide levels by not exhaling when he talks.
Ang Lee
Aug 19, 2009
Ang Lee captures the hope and optimism of tired, dirty kids in his movie, "Taking Woodstock."
Chris Matthews
Aug 20, 2009
The Earth's population nears 7 billion, and Chris Matthews discusses his documentary, "The Kennedy Brothers."
Cory Booker
Sep 14, 2009
The health care debate rages on, MTV's VMAs deliver a shock, and Cory Booker admits he is the mayor of Newark.
Christiane Amanpour
Sep 15, 2009
Christiane Amanpour is going to make Americans care about the rest of the world with her CNN show "Amanpour."
Tony Danza
Sep 16, 2009
Obama indoctrinates America's school children, Tucker Carlson reveals Muslims' influence on textbooks, and The Flaming Lips perform.
Frank Bruni
Sep 17, 2009
Stephen resurrects the U.S. military technique of staring at a goats and Frank Bruni talks about mastering his addiction to compulsive eating as a food critic for the New York Time
Tue, Sep 22, 2009
Sep 22, 2009
The Senate votes to allow guns on trains, and Shai Agassi wants us all to drive electric cars.
AJ Jacobs
Sep 23, 2009
AJ Jacobs' life experiments include following all the rules of the Bible, trying to be the most rational person alive and radical honesty.
Ken Burns
Sep 24, 2009
The Republican Party is accused of racism, another holiday is under attack, and Ken Burns makes a documentary about national parks.
Sheryl WuDunn
Sep 28, 2009
Sheryl WuDunn believes giving women loans and educating girls is the way to lift developing nations out of poverty.
Matt Latimer / Out Of The Closet
Sep 29, 2009
An exciting new tobacco product hits the market, and Matt Latimer recalls his Bush speechwriting days.
Wed, Sep 30, 2009
Sep 30, 2009
Stephen has an update on his space treadmill, and he'll evolve Richard Dawkins' book into tiny shreds of paper.
Francis Collins
Oct 1, 2009
Francis Collins informs Stephen that it's going to take time for stem cell research to give him crab claws.
Arne Duncan
Oct 5, 2009
President Obama proposes a longer school year, and Arne Duncan could only get a job as a secretary.
The Mountain Goats
Oct 6, 2009
The Mountain Goats perform "Psalms 40:2" from their album, "The Life of the World to Come."
Alison Gopnik
Oct 7, 2009
Doctors invent a radical new surgery, and Alison Gopnik says babies can help us understand deep philosophical questions.
Thu, Oct 8, 2009
Oct 8, 2009
The media attacks Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh may buy a football team, and Colin Beavan makes no environmental impact.
Shashi Tharoor, Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Oct 12, 2009
Stephen takes on Norwegians for giving Obama the Nobel Peace Prize, plays tennis with James Blake and talks zombies with Sanjay Gupta.
David Javerbaum, Sylvia Earle
Oct 13, 2009
Stephen posts Twitter updates on Miley Cyrus, talks fetuses with David Javerbaum and asks Sylvia Earle why he should care about the ocean.
Amy Farrell, The RZA
Oct 14, 2009
Stephen gets angry over health care reform, discusses obesity with Amy Farrell, and talks wisdom with the RZA.
Jerry Mitchell
Oct 15, 2009
Stephen proves that mayo is the illest condiment, asks Jerry Mitchell what a newspaper reporter is and unveils his new portrait.
Cornel West
Oct 26, 2009
Stephen criticizes Washington State, endorses your job application and disagrees with everything Cornel West stands for.
Tue, Oct 27, 2009
Oct 27, 2009
The Catholic Church reaches out to former members, and Gail Collins talks about the modern American woman.
Brian Cox
Oct 28, 2009
Stephen finds out what broke the largest particle accelerator and preps for his interview with Brian Cox by watching "Baby Einstein" tapes.
Bill Simmons
Oct 29, 2009
Stephen talks to Rosanne Cash about torturing detainees with music and discusses "Teen Wolf" with Bill Simmons.
Nicholas Thompson
Nov 2, 2009
Stephen sponsors the U.S. speedskating team, analyzes Arnold Schwarzenegger's breakfast and disputes the end of the Cold War with Nicholas Thompson.
Andrew Sullivan
Nov 3, 2009
Stephen makes history with the U.S. Speedskating team, covers a gay couple's arrest on Mormon Church property and wants Andrew Sullivan to admit he's wrong.
Harold Evans
Nov 4, 2009
Stephen declares Barack Obama the loser, gets dunked in water by Al Gore and asks Harold Evans if he's going to be a chimney sweep.
Thu, Nov 5, 2009
Nov 5, 2009
Stephen puts Canada on notice with Joey Cheek, introduces Vaxaconda and talks to William Bratton about McGruff the Crime Dog.
Mon, Nov 9, 2009
Nov 9, 2009
Stephen asks Mike Castle why he can't marry a chicken, helps Katherine Reutter win a gold medal, and talks art with Thomas Campbell.
Maria Shriver
Nov 10, 2009
Stephen defends Barney Frank for not recognizing marijuana, enjoys a Taser XREP ad and feeds ice cream to Maria Shriver.
Christopher Caldwell
Nov 11, 2009
Stephen believes bankers are God's representatives, criticizes "Sesame Street" and asks Christopher Caldwell where the Muslim pope is.
Woody Harrelson
Nov 12, 2009
Stephen uses Miracle Whip money to buy mayo, claims Lou Dobbs' audience and shaves Woody Harrelson's head.
Mon, Nov 16, 2009
Nov 16, 2009
Stephen shows Barack Obama how to greet foreign leaders, offers to sing in Aerosmith, and discusses architecture with Paul Goldberger.
Malcolm Gladwell
Nov 17, 2009
Stephen talks to Marc Kielburger about child labor, skateboards with Jackie Speier and asks Malcolm Gladwell to explain a New Yorker cartoon.
Norah Jones
Nov 18, 2009
Sarah Palin has a 400-page book, "2012" takes the world by storm, and Norah Jones talks about her famous father, Indiana.
Thu, Nov 19, 2009
Nov 19, 2009
The Senate introduces a tax on plastic surgery, and Elvis Costello plays "Cheap Reward" with Stephen.
Dan Esty, Cevin Soling
Nov 30, 2009
Stephen talks to Dan Esty about global warming, forces Joseph Cirincione to play "Sanction, Bomb, Marry?" and compares school to prison with Cevin Soling
Tue, Dec 1, 2009
Dec 1, 2009
Stephen profiles a made-up district, discusses alien Jesus with Guy Consolmagno and helps Sherman Alexie save part of white culture
Wed, Dec 2, 2009
Dec 2, 2009
Stephen critiques President Obama's speech, presents a device that lets him poop whenever he wants, and questions Craig Watson's innocence
Thu, Dec 3, 2009
Dec 3, 2009
Stephen covers Tiger Woods' car crash, tries out for the U.S. skeleton team and talks to Janet Napolitano about the color-coded threat level.
Mon, Dec 7, 2009
Dec 7, 2009
Bill T. Jones describes how Fela Kuti fought against the Nigerian government with his music.
Senator Bernie Sanders, Andy Schlafly
Dec 8, 2009
Stephen gives Bernie Sanders a chance to address the vicious socialist rumors and discusses the best of the public with Andy Schlafly.
Wed, Dec 9, 2009
Dec 9, 2009
Stephen appeals to the monkey demographic, gets a visit from Krampus and calls out Goldman Sachs with Matt Taibbi.
Thu, Dec 10, 2009
Dec 10, 2009
Stephen details Russia's battle plan for Afghanistan, tries out for the U.S. bobsled team and puts words in Lara Logan's mouth.
Snoop Dogg
Dec 14, 2009
Stephen interviews President Obama's cardboard cutout, signs Katherine Reutter's thigh and pre-censors Snoop Dogg.
Alicia Keys
Dec 15, 2009
John Slattery sells gold, Stephen relays the story of Treesus, and Alicia Keys performs her hit song.
Tom Brokaw
Dec 16, 2009
Stephen encourages Tiger Woods, sees the ghost of Stephen King and remembers the wacky decade with Tom Brokaw.