America has lost a legend. Stephen Colbert will take the next step of his career by taking over David Letterman's desk next year, but last night "Stephen Colbert," the right-wing blowhard of our satirical fantasies, took his final bow. Few things are promised in this life, and one of the things we used to be able to count on in this cruel world is now gone.
In this era of uncertainty, we knew that we could tune into Comedy Central at 11:30 p.m. EST and watch Colbert do something ridiculous in the name of freedom. Whether he was taking his guest's applause for himself, commissioning yet another portrait within a portrait to hang above his mantle, or simply delivering a dose of "truthiness," Colbert did right by us, and put himself first while he did it. Though it's hard to accept that he's gone, at least he gave us one hell of a send-off. Here are our 10 Favorite Moments From Last Night's Final Colbert Report.
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America has lost a legend. Stephen Colbert will take the next step of his career by taking over David Letterman's desk next year, but last night "Stephen Colbert," the right-wing blowhard of our satirical fantasies, took his final bow. Few things are promised in this life, and one of the things we used to be able to count on in this cruel world is now gone.
In this era of uncertainty, we knew that we could tune into Comedy Central at 11:30 p.m. EST and watch Colbert do something ridiculous in the name of freedom. Whether he was taking his guest's applause for himself, commissioning yet another portrait within a portrait to hang above his mantle, or simply delivering a dose of "truthiness," Colbert did right by us, and put himself first while he did it. Though it's hard to accept that he's gone, at least he gave us one hell of a send-off. Here are our 10 Favorite Moments From Last Night's Final Colbert Report.
2.A Charitable Moment
After a solid opening involving a Texas businessman whose pick-up truck ended up in the hands of ISIS, Colbert struck a more earnest note. He announced that the Colbert Report desk and fireplace had sold for a combined total of over $300,000—and it would all be donated to charity.
Not a funny moment, but a favorite nonetheless.
3.Colbert Defines His Legacy
"The Word" functioned one last time as a self-serving vehicle for Colbert's hubris, and we wouldn't have had it any other way. Colbert used his final word "Same To You, Pal" to define his legacy. He argued that while he didn't "change" the world, he did "same the world" with The Colbert Report. His evidence was strong. He pointed out that, just like when he began the show in 2005, "Another Bush governor is running for the White House" and "People on TV are defending torture." Colbert fought for the status quo, and he won.
As he brought his final "Word" to a close, he did something he rarely does: He didn't take all the credit. He listed off the highlights of his years on air, and pointed out that none of it would have been possible without his loyal Colbert Nation. He said, "You, the nation, did all of that. I just got paid for it."
5.Colbert Beats Death
Death was supposed to be Colbert's final guest, but half-way through the episode, he threw a curve ball. Last night, on American television, Stephen Colbert killed death. After he slew the Grim Reaper, he declared himself immortal. And what is an immortal to do? Interview himself, duh.
After conquering death, Colbert brought us back from a commercial break and mused on his own immortality: "My first impression of immortality? It feels okay. Kind of lonely. A little snacky. Over all, pretty good. I can see why God went this way."
7.The Star-Studded Finale
Of course, we expected the Report to go out with a bang and not a whimper, but Colbert outdid himself with the grandiose climax. It's only fitting that Colbert signed off with a sweetly ridiculous gesture: a star-studded sing-a-long. Calling in what must've been every favor in his Rolodex, Colbert brought out everyone from Sesame Street characters to professional athletes to former Presidents. They all gathered together to "We'll Meet Again."
The tune was a lovely send-off, making sure to nod to the crew, Colbert's recurring bits, and American heroes like astronauts and members of the military overseas. This last moment was also a clever nod to satirical tradition. "We'll Meet Again" figured prominently in Dr. Strangelove, a film that will be studied next to the Colbert Report in college satire courses for decades to come.
9.Messianic Moment
But that wasn't it. You didn't think that Colbert was going to allow the last moment of his show to be a group shot did you? If so, you haven't learned his greatest and most fundamental lesson: It's all about him.
After the song (and one last commercial break), the camera give us an empty studio. The portrait within a portrait within a portrait was still above the mantle, but Colbert's missing. We cut to the dark exterior of the studio. Night has fallen. We linger on a banner of Stephen in all his heroic splendor, the text reading "Farewell to Freedom." Then we see the man himself, armed with a Captain America shield and sword, asking aloud what he should do next.
A vaping Abraham Lincoln, Santa Claus, and Alex Trebek then joined Colbert on the roof and whisked him off into some version of red-blooded American Valhalla.
10.An Honest Farewell
Always the class act, Colbert finished out the episode with a heartfelt address to his crew, his guests, and the fans who made the show possible. It was sincere and moving and I can't keep typing about it or else I will cry. (Sorry.)
11.Last Moment of Zen
To bring everything to a close, Colbert kicked it to Jon Stewart, who then introduced a last "Moment of Zen." This last "moment" was an unused clip from June 2010, from a "toss" between the two shows. After being asked to redo a failed bit, Jon said, "Alright, let's go back into our funny characters. Hey Stephen, what are you doing?" He responded, "I'm getting angry at liberals."
Perfect.