Although Stephen Colbert is primarily known for making fans laugh, he has endured several emotional moments on late night television. Among the most memorable includes Andrew Garfield discussing his late mother, while Keanu Reeves gave his opinion on what he thinks happens when we die.
Stephen Colbert himself knows all about tragedy and grief. In the following, we'll reveal the trauma Colbert faced at a young age, and how he was able to deal with it. We're also going to take a look at a question Anderson Cooper struggled to deliver. Ultimately, Colbert had the perfect response and one fans adored, including Cooper himself.
Stephen Colbert Had A Tragic Childhood Dealing With The Loss Of His Dad And Brothers
Stephen Colbert is among the most successful late night show hosts and at the moment, it can be argued that he's at the very top of the list. However, getting to such a point was no easy task for a few reasons. Among them, was Colbert's traumatic childhood experience. When he was only 10, Colbert lost his two brothers and father in a plane accident. Stephen was brave enough to discuss the situation during multiple interviews, including alongside Mo Rocca on CBS Sunday Morning With Charles Osgood.
Colbert revealed, “Oh, it certainly gives you one step back from society or what is considered normality,” says Colbert. “
"Because it’s a shock to the system to lose your father and your brothers at that age. And school and friends and homework and that value system suddenly doesn’t mean anything anymore. And I think it really helps if you’re doing comedy or maybe even specifically doing satire, is that what seems normal no longer has status."
Colbert managed to turn the moment into a positive, and in a separate interview, Anderson Cooper was blown away by the late night show host's approach.
Anderson Cooper Broke Down Asking Stephen Colbert How He Deals With His Grief
Anderson Cooper's interview with Stephen Colbert was a little deeper considering Anderson lost his father at the age of 10, the same age as Colbert. One question in particular made Cooper struggle. He asked Colbert how he viewed his most traumatic day ever as a positive. Clearly, just asking the question was a tough task for the host.
"You told an interviewer that you have learned to, in your words, love the thing that I most wish had not happened. You went on to say, What punishments of God are not gifts? Do you really believe that?"
Colbert's answer provided so much clarity, and is an admirable approach to take when dealing with grief.
Colbert answered, "Yes. It's a gift to exist. And with existence comes suffering. There's no escaping that. But if you are grateful for your life. Then you have to be grateful for all of it. And so, at a young age. I suffered something so that by the time I was in serious relationships in my life with friends or with my wife or with my children, is that I have some understanding that everybody is suffering and however imperfectly."
He continues, "Acknowledge their suffering and connect with them and to love them in a deep way that makes you grateful for the fact that you have suffered so that you can know that about other people. I want to be the most human I can be, and that involves acknowledging and ultimately being grateful for the things that I wish didn't happen because they gave me a gift."
Colbert was applauded for his response, and even the host Anderson Cooper revealed he couldn't stop thinking about Stephen's answer in the days that followed.
Anderson Cooper Admitted He Couldn't Stop Thinking Of Stephen Colbert's Words After The Interview
Anderson Cooper felt inclined to get Colbert's words of wisdom during their interview given the grief he was going through in his own life at the time, particularly when his mother had passed away.
The response Colbert gave was one that blew Cooper's mind, and he couldn't get it out of his head in the following days after their memorable interview moment.
"About two months after my mom died in June 2019, I was back at work and I sat down with Stephen Colbert for an interview on CNN. I was feeling lonely and sad after my mom's death, and I decided to see if Stephen might be willing to talk with me about some of his experiences with grief."
"Stephen's words blew my mind, and I've been thinking about them ever since. Can we really learn to love the things we most wish had never happened? Can I love the death of my brother and father? My mother? Can I love the sadness of it? Can I see those things, those deaths as."
An interview moment that not only helped Cooper, but also millions of others struggling with grief as well.
