Stephen Colbert's Mother Lorna Ill: Host Suspends 'Colbert Report'

"The Colbert Report" has been temporarily suspended due to the host's mother, Lorna Colbert, 91, falling ill, sources close to the show say.

Since news broke early yesterday morning that new episodes of "The Colbert Report" had been abruptly put on hold due to "unforeseen circumstances," speculation as to the reason has ranged far and wide. Many fans suspected a family illness, while others speculated that the host had been fired or that he was engaging in some kind of bizarre PR stunt.

While "The Daily Show" has previously cancelled shows at the last minute -- once for the birth of Jon Stewart's second child and once after the death of a staffer -- this is the first time "The Colbert Report" has done so.

On Thursday, a person who has a business relationship with the network told The Huffington Post that the host's mother was seriously ill, and on Friday, The New York Post cited an additional source who confirmed the illness.

According to that source, the network has remained tight-lipped over the situation because the Colberts are "a very private family.”

Colbert was born the youngest of 11 children to his mother Lorna and father James Colbert. Tragedy struck the family in 1974, when James and two of Colbert's brothers, Peter and Paul, were killed in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 in Charlotte, N.C. Colbert was 10 years old at the time.

Fans and supporters have been tweeting messages of love and support for Colbert and his family since early Thursday. The show will continue in reruns until the host is able to return.

Lorna Colbert appeared on a South Carolina television station talking about her famous son in 2008:

And here is quick clip of Colbert reminding his audience why Mother's Day is so important:

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[Tony Sanchez]

02:38 AM on 02/20/2012

Stephen,prayers to you and your family. That is all that matters right now.

[iburl]

01:09 AM on 02/20/2012

Steven should take as much time off as he wants. I hope the best for Lorna.

[Andrew Wegrzyn]

12:55 AM on 02/20/2012

Tip of my hat to you Stephen Colbert.

[shadowfall71]

11:50 PM on 02/19/2012

I am so, so happy to finally read about a public figure putting his career on hold to spend time with an ailing loved one. My heart and prayers to out to Colbert and his family.

[quocthai]

11:16 PM on 02/19/2012

an chay

[Ilya Kipnis]

10:59 PM on 02/19/2012

If this is a stroke at this age, well, I lost my grandmother at that age from a stroke. Hopefully mamma Colbert has better luck than my grandma did.

[rman96]

10:58 PM on 02/19/2012

Between Colbert and Stewart, you have the last sane voices remaining on television - and I doubt they'd be allowed to express their views were it not in the form of comedy.

I really hope his mother gets better. Poor guy.

[Kingstone]

09:45 PM on 02/19/2012

Mothers first, everything comes last.

[quocthai]

11:18 PM on 02/19/2012

an chay

[wishiwereacowboy]

03:49 PM on 02/19/2012

Take as long as you and mom require. Trust me there will be plenty of foder when you get back.

[MJinCanada]

03:32 PM on 02/19/2012

I have my fingers crossed for his mom.

[D Carter]

01:40 PM on 02/19/2012

Maybe people should mock and satire Colbert in this time to give him a taste of his own medicine.

[Ender Wiggin]

02:21 PM on 02/19/2012

give it a shot mate. i've found most people who don't like Colbert have no sense of humor anyway

[zerorpd]

02:41 PM on 02/19/2012

maybe when your mom dies we should all laugh at you too

[EInlander]

03:55 PM on 02/19/2012

Welcome to Huffington post zoo, all trolls here are on a special diet, so please don't feed the trolls. To the left lions, and the right the monkey house.

[swedeintheus]

12:56 PM on 02/19/2012

Finally someone in showbiz with his priorities straight!

[The Complainer]

11:50 AM on 02/19/2012

Our prayers go out to Mr. Colbert, his mother, and his entire family. He is one of the few true class acts in today's media world—and tribute to his mother. To Lorna Colbert: you did an awesome job our kindest thoughts are with you.

[Ed Breider]

03:45 PM on 02/19/2012

WELL SAID ! Allow me to join you.

[jwbasinlaw]

12:03 PM on 02/19/2012

dmc, what a mo ron ic comment to make about a former president who also happened to be a mo ron

[Jab Allen]

09:16 AM on 02/19/2012

We should appreciate how it is to be the youngest child in a large family. You are conditioned to give lots of deference to the older siblings and your parents. But cancelling your show because your friend Stewart has a baby? Is Stewart his brother? That's carrying it pretty far. My dad was the youngest of five children, and the others were his four Sisters, so he was learned to be respectful to them even if he didn't like some thing they did to him occasionally. Since he's in comedy, I should at least say look on the bright side, if you will: think of the French man whose mother told him on her death bed that ... his father was Hitler...

[Time528]

09:49 AM on 02/19/2012

Colbert's show was not canceled when Stewart's baby was born. Jon Stewart's show (The Daily Show) was canceled when Stewart's baby was born.

[GovSpy]

09:51 AM on 02/19/2012

Colbert didn't cancel his show for Stewart's kid. They said The Daily Show "has previously cancelled shows at the last minute -- once for the birth of Jon Stewart's second child and once after the death of a staffer -- this is the first time 'The Colbert Report' has done so."