Stephen Colbert on ideas that 'could kill us all' and the moment that changed his life

Stephen Colbert kicks up his feet at the Ed Sullivan Theater, where he tapes "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Stephen Colbert kicks up his feet at the Ed Sullivan Theater, where he tapes "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Stephen Colbert's desktop computer monitor is ringed with reminders -- Post-it notes ("Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God," Pierre Teilhard de Chardin), keepsakes (cards from musicians Regina Spektor and Jack White), directives ("Ask yourself this question: Is my attitude worth catching?"), When not in use, Colbert's computer screen defaults to a live feed of the Earth taken from the International Space Station. Right now, the view has just crossed the Nile, the sun is setting and clouds are casting long shadows across the Red Sea. Colbert looks at these images whenever he's feeling anxious. There's the whole world, he tells himself.