# 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:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/41 "2007-10-16T15:18:01Z")
There was an [Australian TV series called “The Games”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165024/), in which: John Clarke played John – Olympic supremo (i.e., head of the Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, SOCOG) Bryan Dawe played Bryan – SOCOG chief accountant Gina Riley played Gina – SOCOG marketing manager Nicholas Bell played Nicholas – secretary of the Olympic Games minister. (The series was set in the time running up to the 2000 Olympic Games) ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/42 "2007-10-16T15:19:25Z")
Sarah Silverman ---
**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, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/43 "2007-10-16T15:24:28Z")
I cannot believe I didn’t think of this one earlier: Kinky, Kinky, Kinky. Friedman that is. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/44 "2007-10-16T15:38:45Z")
Britney Spears ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/45 "2007-10-16T15:41:42Z")
Professional wrestling probably has some people who qualify. I don’t follow it any more but back when I was there were wrestlers who performed under their own names but with fictional backstories, and of course the ongoing storylines were fictional. The McMahon family and Mick Foley come to mind as possible examples. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/46 "2007-10-16T15:49:53Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] And The Monkees TV show! Davy Jones, **Michael Nesbitt** , Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork were playing characters with their names. [/QUOTE] (bolding added) Michael _Nesmith_ ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/47 "2007-10-16T16:34:58Z")
There was also that short-lived series on Showtime called “Fat Actress” starring that, um, fat actress (what was her name?). ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/48 "2007-10-16T16:49:01Z")
Here’s a similar thread from last year: > **[What Celebrities have wholly artificial public personas?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=368417)** > > I was listening to the radio on my way to work the other day, and heard Adam Carolla talking about a character he used to do on various call-in shows. He remembered talking with one radio executive who told him that the character was funny, he would... ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/49 "2008-01-11T01:54:44Z")
Ronald Reagan played the part of Ronald Reagan, the president. ---
**Author:** ![bubble\_pop\_electric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@bubble\_pop\_electric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubble_pop_electric)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/50 "2008-01-11T02:08:25Z")
Will Smith! ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/51 "2008-01-11T02:18:16Z")
[QUOTE=Beadalin] PeeWee Herman, maybe? Not a clean fit, but close. [/QUOTE] PeeWee Herman was the character, Paul Reuben was the person who played him. One was a public masturbator, one did a “adult” kids show. SSG Schwartz ---
**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:** [January 11, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/52 "2008-01-11T02:25:21Z")
How about the Three Stooges? They almost always referred to themselves by their real life names: Larry Fine, Moe Howard, Shemp Howard. Although Curly’s name was made up when he became a Stooge (he was always called either Jerry, or “Babe” by older brother Moe), he still was referred to as Curly Howard in most shorts. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831/53 "2008-01-11T05:43:04Z")
Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-performers-play-a-same-name-other-character-like-stephen-colbert/422831.md?page=2)