The story goes that his father always wanted to pronounce it with the silent "T," but that he refrained from doing so out of respect for his own father. He encouraged his kids to pronouce it either way they wanted until his death in an airline crash. Colbert started pronouncing it with the silent "T" when he went to college.
Either way, it can hardly be said that he's "hiding something."
15 posted on 10/05/2014 2:36:59 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep
("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels"-- Tom Waits)
A lot of immigrants changed names to become more “American.” I’m from two; both families changed spellings and pronouncement of names. It was for protection, not show-biz.
16 posted on 10/05/2014 4:36:50 PM PDT by Ace's Dad
(Proud grandpa of a "Brit Chick" named Poppy Loucks (Call sign "Popsickle").)