Farewell, The Colbert Report: Stephen, We Hardly Knew Ye

[formerlyfreedom]

As we observe the end of The Colbert Report, let's bring our sadness here. Our memories, our stories, our what-could-have-beens...

 

Commence the mourning...

 

(Think of this as our Irish Wake...)

[ABay]

I'm not going to make it to 11:30 to watch the finale live. It's already past my bedtime, but I will join the dirges and lamentations in the morning.

[catrox14]

This is one of the saddest days in television in 10 years :(. The landscape of satire sorely needs the likes of Stephen Colbert.

[MostlyC]

*sob!*

 

His "The Word" never failed to make me laugh (and cringe).

[brgjoe]

Was saddened to find out his Formidable Opponent was just an illusion after all.  I thought he was a real person and would be 1st in line to take over the Report once our Stephen left.  So sad that won't happen now.  :P

 

It's going to be a LOOONG while to wait to see Stephen in his new gig.   Plus the fact I just loved "Stephen" being on my TV screen 4 nights a week.  Regardless of how great the new Late Show is, it still won't have quite the same charm as The Colbert Report.   So that will definitely be a loss for all of us fans. 

 

But look on the bright side -- Stephen is immortal now! 

[catrox14]

All my cries...:(. I'm not supposed to be this sad...but seriously...I did cry. See you soon, Stephen Colbert.

[ABay]

Moved to the other thread...

Edited December 19, 2014 by ABay

[StatMom]

There was one last "...with apologies to Doris Kearns Goodwin." I loved that bit!

 

Anyone remember how that one kicked off? What was the first apology? 

[cassandle]

All my cries...:(. I'm not supposed to be this sad...but seriously...I did cry. See you soon, Stephen Colbert.

 

Me too.  I was holding it together pretty well until Doris Kearns Goodwin popped up in the song and then the crying started.  That turned into inconsolable sobbing when Stephen tossed it back to Jon.  I was wrecked.  

[walnutqueen]

This is one of the saddest days in television in 10 years :(. The landscape of satire sorely needs the likes of Stephen Colbert.

 

This is one of the saddest days in television in my 60 years.  That is all.

[Primetimer]

The Colbert Report signs off with a moment that hints at how delightfully weird The Late Show With Stephen Colbert might be.

Read the story

[torontomeridith]

Forget all the TV and movie stars, I was most excited to see Colbert SuperPac attorney, Trevor Potter. Complete with briefcase full of ways to sneak money to political candidates.

[marceline]

I loved all the sci-fi shoutouts. We got Highlander, Tolkien, and Star Wars (including appearances by both Lucas and Abrahms)!

[trow125]

Me too.  I was holding it together pretty well until Doris Kearns Goodwin popped up in the song and then the crying started.  That turned into inconsolable sobbing when Stephen tossed it back to Jon.  I was wrecked.  

Oh my God, me too. I was a mess. Laughing/crying. My husband was trying to console me by saying that "The Nightly Show" will be starting soon -- I'm a huge Larry Wilmore fan and always get so darned excited whenever he turns up as the Senior Black Correspondent on TDS -- but I didn't want to hear it. I'm sure TNS will be good, but STEPHEN. Dammit, my eyes are moistening just thinking about it.

 

And torontomeridith, I too was just delighted to see Trevor Potter! And Neil DeGrasse Tyson -- I knew he'd have to be there! The whole finale was such a gift to members of the Nation.

[cassandle]

I'm still a wreck--I can't stop watching the footage.  I'm one of those nuts who pretty much did anything Stephen told his Nation to do.  Buy a WRISTSTRONG bracelet?  Okay.  Donate to a Super PAC?  Sure!  Eat Americone Dream, even though I don't particularly like it, just to beat Jimmy Fallon?  You bet!  Vote for a bridge in Hungary?  Why not?  Who's going to tell me what to think now?  Jon Stewart is still around, sure, and I like Larry Wilmore a lot too but you're right, trow125, it's not the same.  I need to console myself by watching the Daft Punk episode that I still have saved on my DVR--that'll make the pain go away, at least for a few minutes.

 

By the way, who was the guy who started dancing with Katie Couric?  He looked so familiar but I can't place him....

[ABay]

cassandle, the dancer is ballet dancer David Hallberg. I asked over in the other thread and got an answer.

Edited December 20, 2014 by stacey

[panthergirl13]

Oh my God, me too. I was a mess. Laughing/crying. My husband was trying to console me by saying that "The Nightly Show" will be starting soon -- I'm a huge Larry Wilmore fan and always get so darned excited whenever he turns up as the Senior Black Correspondent on TDS -- but I didn't want to hear it. I'm sure TNS will be good, but STEPHEN. Dammit, my eyes are moistening just thinking about it.

 

And torontomeridith, I too was just delighted to see Trevor Potter! And Neil DeGrasse Tyson -- I knew he'd have to be there! The whole finale was such a gift to members of the Nation.

I bought the episode on iTunes. It's a keeper.

[wonderwoman]

An annotated version of "We'll Meet Again" at Slate:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/12/19/colbert_report_finale_annotated_list_of_everyone_who_appeared_in_sing_along.html

[Padma]

That was great, the annotation from Slate. Quite a few names that I missed watching live--Abrams, Yoyo Ma, Cory Booker, Stone Phillips, the Colbert Family...a bunch! What a nice sendoff.

[Galileo908]

I loved all the sci-fi shoutouts. We got Highlander, Tolkien, and Star Wars (including appearances by both Lucas and Abrahms)!

Don't forget Patrick Stewart repping for Star Trek!

[Captanne]

I just looked at a comprehensive list of everyone who was in the finale -- where the hell was Bill O'Brian?  Isn't he who Colbert fashioned his whole persona after?  Where was he?

[attica]

I was particularly delighted that Vince Gilligan appeared still chained to his laptop in the 'basement'. Way to commit to a bit!

[dusang]

I just looked at a comprehensive list of everyone who was in the finale -- where the hell was Bill O'Brian?  Isn't he who Colbert fashioned his whole persona after?  Where was he?

 

O'Reilly?  He's never been an It-getter.

[SoSueMe]

I will be grieving for a long time. I'm also aching for any and all pistachio commercials with SC and Freedum the eagle. :)

[nowandlater]

I believe this is real....why didn't Colbert use this? Isn't the sitting president singing better than Clinton singing?

 

[alexvillage]

Why din't they get this on camera? 

[nowandlater]

Why din't they get this on camera? 

 

From the YouTube description: Apparently their mics were on while they were backstage, and what your seeing is there mics being broadcast to the media room.

 

Apparently it wasn't filmed.

[alexvillage]

It looks like they were rehearsing though. I wonder why they did not did the actual footage of the President singing.

 

Or maybe it was decided that they like the former President better than the current :/

[trow125]

I realize this topic is dormant, but I just wanted to pop in and say that I still miss Stephen so much -- I've been watching "The Nightly Show," and sometimes it strikes me that it's being filmed in the old Colbert studio, and it makes me sad ("TNS" is OK, but it's no "TCR"). I'm really looking forward to the new "Late Show"...

[Jaded Sapphire]

I actually went back on the website and watched the very first episode. The audience isn't quite into it yet but I'll be damned if I didn't find it just as hilarious as the first time. Something that struck me was his very first Threatdown was about Florida's new law that allowed people to shoot if they felt threatened. There was someone handing out fliers about the law to tourists getting off planes.