Goodbye, Stephen Colbert

Colbert, left, was originally one of "The Daily Show's" correspondents. He began with the show during its Craig Kilborn era and stayed when Jon Stewart, center, came to host in 1999. Others on the show included, from left, Ed Helms, Rob Corddry and Samantha Bee.

While appearing on "The Daily Show," Colbert was also part of the cast of "Strangers with Candy," a comedy series with Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello. He met the pair while he was a member of the Second City comedy troupe in the early '90s.

As a "correspondent" and later an anchor, Colbert developed a character that has been, at turns, pompous, pious and egocentric -- basing the persona on many others in television.

As correspondent, Colbert was key to "The Daily Show's" election coverage. Here he takes part in Election Night 2004.

Colbert's work on "The Daily Show" contributed to a number of awards -- including several Emmys. He poses here with, left to right, Rob Corddry, host Jon Stewart, Ed Helms and Samantha Bee.

Colbert earned praise -- and notoriety -- for his hosting of the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner. In character, his barbs about President George W. Bush and the political news media drew blood.

On "The Colbert Report" -- and that's pronounced "Col-bear Rap-pour" -- Colbert highlights the foibles of politicians with such segments as "Better Know a District," a proposed 435-part series in which he offers a take on every House District. The representatives he interviewed sometimes haven't been aware of the joke.

Very quickly, Colbert's influence rose so high that he got his own Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor: AmeriCone Dream. Here he poses with Ben Cohen, left, and Jerry Greenfield at the flavor's launch party.

The White House hasn't been immune to Colbert's charms. He showed up for a mock press conference in 2007.

"The Daily Show" may have won a bunch of Emmy awards, but in 2013 "The Colbert Report" broke its streak of 10 straight awards for outstanding variety series. It's also won two Emmys for writing, as well as two Peabodys.

Colbert hosted a roast for then congressman -- and later Chicago mayor -- Rahm Emanuel in 2008. Colbert, a South Carolina native, has ties with Chicago, having gone to college at Northwestern, in nearby Evanston, and worked in the city's comedy scene.

Colbert's awards haul isn't limited to Emmys and Peabodys. In 2010 he won a Grammy for his Christmas album, and four years later won another for best spoken-word album.

In September 2010, Colbert testified at a hearing on immigration. He took time to chat with Phil Glaize, chairman of the U.S. Apple Association, left, and Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers. Again, some representatives didn't get Colbert.

In October 2010 Colbert teamed up with Stewart for a Washington rally, "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear." Stewart handled the sanity; Colbert took care of the fear. The rally was a response, sort of, to rallies led by Glenn Beck and Al Sharpton.

Colbert's character definitely loves himself. He went so far as to lick himself during the unveiling of his wax figure at the Madame Tussauds wax museum in Washington in 2012.

Colbert may be responsible for Bill Clinton being on Twitter. When the former president appeared on his show in 2013, Colbert set up an account, @PrezBillyJeff. Clinton later set up his real account, @billclinton.

Colbert, a devout Catholic, has taught Sunday school and talked about social justice. He spoke at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 2013 Ripple of Hope Awards dinner.

Colbert faces a changed talk-show landscape. Jimmy Fallon, left, has gotten off to a fast start as new "Tonight Show" host on NBC, and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel also has a strong fan base. Observers are curious whether Colbert will bring his character with him to "The Late Show." We'll find out when David Letterman steps down.

Colbert takes a selfie with Letterman on the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Tuesday, April 22. CBS began to introduce the next host of the "Late Show" by having its current host interview him.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

• Stephen Colbert wraps up "The Colbert Report" Thursday night


• Colbert's blustering "Stephen Colbert" character has made him famous


• Real Colbert is a soft-spoken family man


• Colbert will take over for David Letterman in 2015

(CNN) -- Goodbye, Stephen Colbert. We hardly knew you.

In fact, that was the idea, wasn't it?

Obama goes head-to-head with Colbert

Colbert: First Lady has 'courage'

Political Funny: Clinton on Colbert

On Thursday night, Colbert -- the pugnacious, "nation"-inspiring champion -- will host his last "Colbert Report" on Comedy Central. About six months from now, he will take a new role as host of CBS' "Late Show."

It will be like Superman changing into Clark Kent -- or, perhaps, into Kal-El.

For the Colbert we've been watching bears only a tangential resemblance to the real thing. The real Colbert, as revealed in profiles in the New Yorker and The New York Times, is a modest family man, a devout Catholic with three children who's "extremely normal," one of his neighbors said.

The Colbert of the "Colbert Report" is bombastic and ironic, equal parts Bill O'Reilly (who's referred to as "Papa Bear" on the show) and David Letterman, the man the real Colbert is replacing.

Nevertheless, it's worth noting that bombast and irony have paid off handsomely for the onetime "Daily Show" correspondent and "Strangers with Candy" actor. In some ways, he has become the power he's ridiculed.

Without Colbert, we wouldn't have a word for what's now called "truthiness," the concept that if you feel it in your gut, it must be true. (It was Merriam-Webster's word of the year in 2006: the power of Stephen at work.) We wouldn't "Know a District" and the sometimes humorless people who are elected to them. And we wouldn't understand how to turn the other cheek to Internet activists who wanted to #cancelColbert.

Yes, occasionally the Colbert alter ego pushed boundaries a little fiercely. When he was the featured entertainer at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner, his scathing jokes about President Bush, the Bush administration and the news media -- delivered with all mere feet away -- hit close to home. (So close, in fact, that the entertainment for the 2007 dinner was provided by the much safer Rich Little.)

And then there was the Colbert super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow. Colbert thought it would show the absurdity of campaign finance laws. It did -- but mainly because both Democrats and Republicans were willing to go along with it. Anything for money, it seems.

It's a funhouse mirror that Colbert's partner in crime, Jon Stewart, has willingly supported. Both have found comedy gold through mockery, but if Stewart is the exasperated uncle, Colbert has been the mischievous nephew. By questioning reality through a character, Colbert has actually shown how absurd real reality often is.

No wonder he'll be missed. Who else can symbolize America with a Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor, a NASA device and a minor league hockey mascot? Colbert IS the Real America.

Not everyone loves Stephen Colbert

Colbert mocks Bieber, Bloom feud

Study: 'Colbert' best teacher of ...

Occasionally he's shown us who he is underneath the character, of course. He answered a Reddit AMA very much as himself, and took the time to be a grown man for a Rookie magazine feature. He may be that guy when his "Late Show" stint begins.

But we don't know who the new Colbert will be. Will he be full of smarm, like a Martin Short parody? A puckish intellectual, a la Dick Cavett? A rollicking Steve Allen type? Whatever he is, he's said he's leaving the "Colbert Report's" Colbert behind.

Colbert's time slot will be well-cared for, thanks to Larry Wilmore and the "Nightly Show," which will follow Stewart's "Daily Show" starting January 19. But his impact may never be equaled.

Surprisingly, Colbert was worried that the character wouldn't sustain. As he told The New York Times, "I thought topical stuff had an ephemeral quality -- it would be meaningless in a week. I wanted my character to be eternal."

No worries there, Stephen Colbert. We'll always remember.