# Any other performers play a same-name "other character" like Stephen Colbert? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 15, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831 "2007-10-15T20:39:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/21 "2007-10-15T22:48:43Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] in reality, Goldman has two daughters and no son. [/QUOTE] I never knew that! Somehow, that makes me like Princess Bride even more. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/22 "2007-10-15T22:55:36Z")
Tony Hancock. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/23 "2007-10-15T23:00:33Z")
Lots of rock stars. I don’t think Ozzy ever really worshipped the devil. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/24 "2007-10-15T23:03:11Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] Larry David on “Curb Your Enthusiasm?” [/QUOTE] I can’t believe that I didn’t think of that one. That is a perfect example of what the OP was asking. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/25 "2007-10-15T23:34:41Z")
[QUOTE=hajario] No. Lucille Ball played a character names Lucy Ricardo nee McGillicudy. Bob Newhart played a character named Bob Hartley. [/QUOTE] And Dick Loudon. Don’t forget Dick (even if he wasjust a dream.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/26 "2007-10-15T23:40:20Z")
What, nobody’s mentioned Drew Carey? Drew was born and raised in Cleveland, like his TV counterpart. The exterior of the Warsaw Bar, which TV Drew frequented is actually the exterior of Carey’s favorite bar in real life. Drew’s real mother is named Beulah, like his TV mom, played by Marion Ross, and his father was named Lewis, the same as his friend on the TV series. Like his TV character, Drew also bought the house where he was raised. There are undoubtedly many other autobiographical characteristics used in the Drew carey Show if one looks for them. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/27 "2007-10-16T00:16:00Z")
How about Ozzy and Harriet Nelson and their sons, Ricky and the other one? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/28 "2007-10-16T00:18:23Z")
:smack: David Nelson. My son, David, is not going to forgive me for that. If he ever hears of it. Hand up, everyone who’s too young to know who these people are? ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/29 "2007-10-16T00:53:50Z")
In Soviet Russia, Yakov Smirnoff plays _you_. ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/30 "2007-10-16T04:29:05Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] In Soviet Russia, Yakov Smirnoff plays _you_. [/QUOTE] 😃 I’ve always suspected that pundit-blowhards like Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh hold less extreme opinions in private than they inflict on us in public; they know how showbiz works. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/31 "2007-10-16T04:48:09Z")
Will Rogers did a number of movies as “Will Rogers,” who wasn’t exactly like himself, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/32 "2007-10-16T12:15:11Z")
If we are bringing in books, Stephen King writes a fictionalized version of Stephen King’s accident in the Dark Tower. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/33 "2007-10-16T12:24:15Z")
Bob Dole’s played Bob Dole in a number of ads. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/34 "2007-10-16T12:39:06Z")
In [this comedy charity clip from the BBC](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ia__1d_rM), we have Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Andi Peters, Jamie Oliver, Bono, The Edge, and Bob Geldof - all playing alter egos of themselves, cashing in on African famine. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/35 "2007-10-16T12:40:27Z")
[QUOTE=E. Thorp] …pundit-blowhards like Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh… [/QUOTE] In his interview with (the other?) Steven Colbert, Bill O’Reilly admitted as much – that is, when Bill appeared on Steven’s show. Colbert’s [interview on _Fresh Air_](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5040948) was not great, but the segment about his O’Reilly interview was fascinating. Since Colbert really plays an O’Reilly doppelganger, having O’Reilly (in or out of character) on the show was a brilliant move. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/36 "2007-10-16T12:56:26Z")
Many a person has played a Simpsons characature of themselves. Speaking of Bob Newhart & Lucille Ball and first names, you can add Tony Danza to the list. And The Monkees TV show! Davy Jones, Michael Nesbitt, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork were playing characters with their names. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/37 "2007-10-16T13:31:55Z")
Bette Midler in her standup routines portrays Bette Midler, an outrageously bawdy ribald floozie who hints at a former career as whore. ---
**Author:** ![wayward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wayward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wayward)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/38 "2007-10-16T14:43:08Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] In [this comedy charity clip from the BBC](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ia__1d_rM), we have Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Andi Peters, Jamie Oliver, Bono, The Edge, and Bob Geldof - all playing alter egos of themselves, cashing in on African famine. [/QUOTE] I was going to mention Ricky Gervais. Before he made it big with _The Office_, he had a regular spot on _The 11 O’Clock Show_ and later his own chat show where, as “Ricky Gervais”, he would display all sorts of ignorant, misogynistic and generally obnoxious opinions about all sorts of things… Pretty much the same character he always plays then, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that that’s just him. But he comes across as much more reasoned and intelligent in interviews (and sometimes his podcasts), which makes it obvious that it’s all an act. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/39 "2007-10-16T14:57:10Z")
Going back a ways… Foster Brooks used his real name as a performer, but his persona was always that of a belching drunk. I don’t think I evber saw him on TV out of character. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/40 "2007-10-16T15:03:44Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Speaking of Bob Newhart & Lucille Ball and first names, you can add Tony Danza to the list. [/QUOTE] And Fran Drescher, Roseanne Barr and Reba McIntyre [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831.md?page=3)