Stephen Colbert Gives Sweet Speech for Wife Evelyn as She Accepts Visionary Award: 'So Proud to Be Evie’s Husband'

Seyanna BarrettMon, June 15, 2026 at 9:38 PM UTC

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Credit: Santiago Felipe/Getty -

Evelyn McGee Colbert was honored with the inaugural Evelyn Colbert Visionary Tribute Award at a Montclair Film event June 10

Stephen Colbert paid tribute to his wife with a speech and song

"I am so proud to be Evie's husband," said the former late-night host

Stephen Colbert is one proud husband.

​In honor of Evelyn McGee Colbert's commitment to Montclair Film and her legacy of leadership, the nonprofit organization established the Evelyn McGee Colbert Visionary Award. On Wednesday, June 10, they hosted an event at Joe's Pub in New York City, where she received that inaugural accolade in front of family, friends and peers.

By her side was her husband of 33 years, former Late Showhost Stephen, 62.

Stephen stepped onto the stage at Joe's Pub to applause, gave his wife a kiss and began his speech with: "I am so proud to be Evie's husband."

"I am so happy that she's received this recognition tonight," he said. "For the last 15 years I've said, 'I don't understand why you do it. No one's chanting your name...."

"I know how incredibly touched she is by what everyone said here tonight, and I know how uncomfortable she is in this level of spotlight," he continued. Colbert wrapped up his speech by mentioning how proud Evelyn's late parents, Joseph H. McGee Jr. and Evelyn "Patti" McGee, would be of their daughter. As he spoke, Evelyn smiled as she held her face, seemingly holding back tears.

"Evie dedicated her life to nonprofit and the arts and serving other people, and it is in her family's blood. Building the community that we grew up in was so important to Patti and Peter McGee, and I know more than anyone else in this universe, your mother and father are looking down right now, so proud of you."

"They love you, and so do I," he concluded.

Credit: Santiago Felipe/Getty

Others in attendance who gave tributes were New Jersey Gov. Mickie Sherrill; New Jersey's Lt. Gov. Dr. Dale Caldwell; and Montclair Film's Executive Director, Artistic Director and Board President Tricia Haggerty Wenz, Tom Hall and Mary Anne Vaughn.

At the time of the event, Stephen and Evelyn's sons, Peter and John, were traveling in Europe but still sent in a video tribute playing guitar and singing for their mom.

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Several celebrities also sent in video tributes congratulating Evelyn on receiving the award, including Steve Carell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jon Bon Jovi, Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien. A recurring theme throughout the tributes was Evelyn's grace, nurturing spirit, passion and impact on those around her.

Evelyn referenced her gratitude during her own remarks, which she gave prior to Stephen's speech. "I don't know what to say, I mean, I feel like I'm having my Sally Field moment when she went like, 'You like me. You really like me.'"

"But, I mean, who else were you going to give [the Evelyn McGee Colbert Visionary Award] to? I named it after myself," she joked. She even compared her nervousness that night to a memory from her teenage years — and couldn't help but poke fun at her husband in the process.

"I said to these guys this morning that I was so nervous. I didn't feel like I'd been this nervous since I was 16 and I thought my best friend was going to have a surprise party for me. And she did," she recalled. "And then I walked in the room, and all my friends were there, and it was wonderful. That's the way I feel right now. You are all my friends. I feel so grateful to have reached this moment with all of you, and thank you for being here with me. And, no, Stephen wasn't at that surprise party. He's a year younger than I am. And when you're 16, a 15-year-old boy cannot cross that ocean of awkwardness. It took another 10 years for him to be cool enough for me to look."

At the end of her speech, though, she made sure to include Stephen in her many thanks. "[And to my husband] who, years ago said to me, 'This sounds like a really fun idea. Why don't you do it? And let me help you.' And 20,000 interviews later, you have helped us."

Stephen opened up about life with his wife in his recent PEOPLE cover story.

"I go like, 'I can't believe Evie McGee's going out with me,' because I mean, we grew up in the same town like, 'Wow. Evie McGee, I must be doing okay,'" he said.

After they met in May 1990, they wrote each other letters before their first date on Dec. 26, 1990. They married in October 1993 and share three children: Madeleine, 30, Peter, 28, and John, 24.

Over the years, Evelyn has made numerous appearances on The Late Show. "Part of the joy for the audience is that she takes the piss out of me because she sure can," Colbert says.

"She's great company," he says. "I try to be equally good company. I don't think I am as good company as she is."

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”