Stephen Talks to the Charleston Post & Courier about the Upcoming MUSC Benefit.

On Friday, the comedian, actor and Charlestonian Stephen Colbert will appear at the Gaillard Auditorium for a benefit to raise money for an endowed chair in his father’s name at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. James W. Colbert served as the university’s first vice president for academic affairs from 1969 until his death in a plane crash in 1974. The school, which also named its education center after Dr. Colbert, calls him a “transformative figure” that helped MUSC adopt the traditions of academic medicine. His son, host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” spoke with Post and Courier columnist Brian Hicks about the benefit, his recent participation in the Charleston Bermuda Race and, of course, South Carolina politics.

Q: What does it mean to you that MUSC is creating an endowed chair in your father’s name?

A: My father was an M.D. but he was also an academician and a researcher. He believed in research universities and teaching. This chair and anything we can do to raise money for it is a fitting memorial. It’s maybe the most satisfying use of what little fame I have.

Q: What is the format of this show? What can we expect?

A: Jon Alter, formerly of Newsweek and now on MSNBC, is going to interview me on stage and we’ll take questions from the audience. We’ve done this before and it’s a very fun night. I’m so happy to be helping them with this. I’d just encourage everyone to come.