Madeline Colbert — known professionally as Madeleine Carlisle — is the eldest child of comedian Stephen Colbert and Evelyn McGee-Colbert. Rather than following her father into comedy, she’s built a serious journalism career of her own, reporting for The Atlantic, TIME, and CBS’s 60 Minutes, with a 2026 career move that connects, in an unexpected way, back to her own father’s television career.
Quick Facts About Madeline Colbert
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Madeleine Colbert |
| Professional Name | Madeleine Carlisle |
| Born | September 24, 1995 |
| Father | Stephen Colbert |
| Mother | Evelyn McGee-Colbert |
| Siblings | Peter and John Colbert (younger brothers) |
| Education | Yale University, Class of 2018 |
| Career | Journalist and writer |
| Notable Employers | The Atlantic, TIME, 60 Minutes |
| Current Role (2026) | Staff writer, The Atlantic |
Who Is Madeline Colbert?
Madeline Colbert is a journalist and the eldest of three children born to Stephen Colbert, the comedian and former host of The Late Show, and Evelyn McGee-Colbert. Professionally, she goes by Madeleine Carlisle, a name that’s appeared on bylines and television credits across some of American journalism’s more recognizable outlets. Rather than trading on her father’s fame, she’s built a career covering politics, law, and civil rights issues, working her way up through internships, fellowships, and staff roles rather than starting at the top.
Her Parents and Family
Stephen Colbert built his career through political satire, first on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, before taking over as host of The Late Show in 2015. Evelyn McGee-Colbert has also worked in entertainment as an actress and producer. The couple married in 1993 and raised their three children in Montclair, New Jersey, with Stephen generally keeping his television persona separate from home life.
Her Siblings
Madeline is the oldest of Stephen and Evelyn’s three children and their only daughter. Her younger brother Peter Colbert, born around 1998, studied at Northwestern University and works in filmmaking, professionally using his mother’s surname, McGee. Her youngest brother, John Colbert, has also shown interest in film and graduated from Yale in 2026, following his older sister to the same university.
Education at Yale
Madeline attended Montclair Kimberley Academy before Yale University, graduating magna cum laude in 2018. At Yale, she became deeply involved in student journalism, serving as a writer and later co-editor-in-chief of The Yale Politic, the university’s undergraduate political journal — a role confirmed by a 2016 Yale Daily News report covering that year’s election coverage. She also worked as a producer with Yale’s WYBC radio station and as a video production assistant for the university’s public affairs office. Outside campus media, she worked with a criminal justice advocacy group in New Haven and tutored GED students at a maximum-security youth facility, experience that shaped the kind of serious, issues-focused journalism she’d go on to pursue.
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Career Beginnings at The Atlantic
Madeline’s professional journalism career began with a summer internship at 60 Minutes in 2017, followed by an editorial fellowship on The Atlantic’s politics team from 2018 to 2019. During this fellowship, she reported on issues including a Florida woman whose nephew was killed in the Parkland shooting and President Trump’s unfulfilled promises to General Motors workers in Ohio — serious policy journalism rather than anything connected to entertainment or her father’s public profile.
Reporting at TIME
After her Atlantic fellowship, Carlisle joined TIME in 2019, covering politics, the legal system, and LGBTQ issues, among other national topics. She became a staff writer there in May 2022, reporting on Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation and new state laws affecting transgender youth and their doctors in Florida and Texas.
Her Years at 60 Minutes
Carlisle returned to 60 Minutes in November 2022, this time as an associate producer, working behind the scenes with correspondents including Scott Pelley, Anderson Cooper, and Cecilia Vega. She contributed to a report on crypto entrepreneur Changpeng Zhao that received an Emmy nomination for outstanding investigative coverage.
Leaving 60 Minutes Amid a Larger CBS Shakeup
Carlisle resigned from 60 Minutes in early August 2026, part of a much larger wave of departures from the program following the arrival of Bari Weiss as CBS News’s new editor-in-chief. Her exit came alongside those of executive producer Bill Owens, correspondents Scott Pelley and Cecilia Vega, longtime producer Henry Schuster, and other senior staff — a shakeup widely covered as a significant shift in the newsmagazine’s editorial direction.
This departure carries some added resonance given her father’s own recent history with the network: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was canceled and ended its run in May 2026, a decision CBS described as purely financial, though it came shortly after Colbert publicly criticized Paramount for settling a lawsuit brought by President Trump against 60 Minutes for $16.5 million ahead of its merger with Skydance. Whether or not the two situations are directly connected, the timing placed Carlisle’s departure from CBS’s flagship news program within the same broader period as her father’s own exit from the network.
Returning to The Atlantic
On August 7, 2026, The Atlantic announced Carlisle was rejoining the magazine as a staff writer, alongside fellow new hire Danyel Smith, former editor-in-chief of Vibe and Billboard. Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg described her return as something the staff had anticipated, calling her “an outstanding journalist” in the announcement. The move marked a homecoming to the publication where her journalism career had first taken shape.
Her Private Life
Madeline keeps her personal life largely private, and there’s no reliable public confirmation of her current relationship status. Claims about her net worth circulating online generally aren’t well sourced and shouldn’t be confused with her father’s separately reported wealth — a parent’s finances aren’t the same as an adult child’s.
Final Thoughts
Madeline Colbert’s career reflects a deliberate choice to build professional credibility through serious, issue-focused journalism rather than trading on her father’s fame. From Yale’s student newsroom to bylines at The Atlantic and TIME to years producing investigative segments at 60 Minutes, her path has been built through the same internships, fellowships, and staff roles available to any working journalist — with her August 2026 return to The Atlantic arriving amid a period of real upheaval at CBS News that, notably, also touched her father’s own career.
FAQs About Madeline Colbert
Who is Madeline Colbert?
She is the eldest child of Stephen Colbert and Evelyn McGee-Colbert, working as a journalist under the professional name Madeleine Carlisle.
What does Madeline Colbert do for work?
As of August 2026, she’s a staff writer at The Atlantic, having previously worked at TIME and as an associate producer at 60 Minutes.
Why did Madeline Colbert leave 60 Minutes?
She resigned in August 2026 amid a broader wave of senior staff departures from the program following CBS News’s leadership change under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
Did Madeline Colbert’s departure connect to her father’s show being canceled?
The timing overlapped — The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ended in May 2026 — though CBS described that decision as financial.
Where did Madeline Colbert go to college?
She attended Yale University, graduating magna cum laude in 2018, where she was also co-editor-in-chief of The Yale Politic.
How many siblings does Madeline Colbert have?
Two younger brothers, Peter and John Colbert.
Is Madeline Colbert married?
There’s no reliable public information confirming her current relationship status.
What topics has Madeline Colbert covered as a journalist?
Primarily politics, law, the Supreme Court, and LGBTQ rights issues, including reporting on state legislation affecting transgender youth.
