84 Comments
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Kevin Cowan's avatar

That effusive expression of joy we saw in Colbert/McCartney and troupe performing Hello Goodbye and the way the crowd engaged in that joy made me cry. It is why the arts will remain long after authoritarianism has died out.

Patty Mooney's avatar

What a full circle to have one of the original Beatles who first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show there in that theater, at last night's ending.

Claudia Pogreba's avatar

Especially the closing- completed the circle and on we will go with purpose! Glad I recorded. So many nuances hard to capture them all in real time. I’m in Madison and damn you’re not!

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

There in spirit, my friend. Always.

Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

Kevin, so agree! I cried too. So many of my friends said they cried and felt they’d lost a friend. He is so kind, so relatable, so damn smart and clever. He is not going away but just the circumstances of a giant media company kowtowing to a baby-man mob boss on his last gasp is just so absurd, so sad. I agree with Earl that the arts will always carry us through any tumultuous times. They always have. Thanks, Earl, for capturing this memory, this emotion so succinctly.

John H's avatar

My wife and I always watch the opening of The Late Show, but through the magic of DVR, we watch the entire episode the following day, over lunch. Colbert had a wonderful interviewing style, and the show seldom disappointed. Sadly, this is just one more, in an ever-growing list, of things Americans enjoyed that Donald Trump has broken.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

The arts are flourishing, and will never be destroyed, my friend.

John H's avatar

For now, it seems to be, but under a full dictatorship, I am not so confident.

WTH Is Going On?! Chris Berrie's avatar

That’s not gonna happen. Look around as all the losses keep stacking up on Trump and Co. Republican congressman are finally starting to turn against him publicly. He doesn’t have what it takes to be a dictator.

Mitch Ritter's avatar

May we never find out who has any stuff to be a dictator! We're losing track of our national body politic with all this personality contest and pixie nit-picking! Let's grow up...

Tio Mitchito

TM

Maureen Osborne's avatar

It seems the breaking is Trump's goal. If he can't have what he wants, he'll just break it. No wonder he got sent off to military school. Although it clearly did not help.

Russ's avatar

Well said. A "leader" does not take his country downward by alienating our allies and kissing up to those who want to destroy us. No tell what he does when no one is looking.

James R. Carey's avatar

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree;

There will be an answer, let it be.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

I knew I could count on you.

Sharon Bjork's avatar

Oh, the memories, Earl. To quote the great Carol Burnett...🎶I'm so glad we had this time together🎶... Thank you Steven Colbert. Eff CBS...

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

The great Carol Burnett indeed. Another go-to show when I need a laugh.

Megan Ross's avatar

Thank you for this lovely tribute to the great Stephen Colbert. He's my favorite late night host, but since I don't stay up until 11:30 to watch, I always have to stream it the next day, which is my plan for later today. I'm sure I will shed many tears. I will miss his biting humor, but I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him. Onward!🇺🇲

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

You'll really enjoy it, Meg.

Judy Schneider's avatar

This piece was pitch-perfect. Thank you. We will continue to take this sad song and make it better.

Ann Anderson's avatar

Stephen is off to write a Lord of the Rings screenplay. TV won't be the same without him. We recorded the last show, gonna savor it tonight.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Tried to avoid spoilers. Enjoy it, Ann.

Patty Mooney's avatar

It was the perfect joy-fest-send-off to a most remarkable man who helped us through the first Presidency of you-know-who, through Covid, and into this second so-called "presidency." Colbert is a gift to humanity. And that gift is going to continue to shine in a new iteration. And we're here for it.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Well said, Patty.

Tess's avatar

Damn! Excellent post! I will raise a glass of wine to you later this afternoon! That was expressing exactly what we are all feeling! Thank you!

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

I appreciate that, Tess.

Jennifer N's avatar

What a wonderful synopsis - thank you. When everyone got on stage at the end it represented "We the People" in my mind. "Burning Down the House" this week was amazing too & also represented the power of the arts & a celebration of diversity.

Judy Schneider's avatar

And despite all that has come down since- we had the Beatles! Still keeping us happy after all these years.

Russell C. Smith's avatar

Such an uplifting ending. One of the best musical moments ever broadcast on TV. McCartney/TheBeatles are transcendent multi-generational artists who live on and on.

Barbara E. Lennox's avatar

Brilliant take on a brilliant last show.

Seraphita's avatar

I’m glad you got to watch Colbert’s final show. You picked a great Beatles lyric in your post. My late partner had dozens of Beatles t-shirts! I kept one and let his grown sons fight over the rest.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Lovely story. Thanks.

KC Santa Rosa's avatar

It was a phenomenal show, which The New Yorker somehow did not appreciate. Nuts, do we have to keep one eye on THEM, now?

Ed Broyles's avatar

Nice to hear your take on Colbert. Haven't been a late night show watcher for a long time. Didn't know that Colbert was that conservative based on what I have read but I really appreciate your references to the Beatles which was so big in my early years and beyond. My great aunt asked my parents in '65 if me and my brother would live to go to a concert that my cousins, her grand daughters, to see a band called the Beatles that were going to play in Atlanta. We already had worn out the album Meet The Beatles and we were so excited. We got all dressed up like we were going to church to an outdoor stadium in the summer in the south. I don't think my great aunt really knew what she was getting in for. I think she thought it was like a Billy Graham revival. It was epic, sound wasn't that great and you couldn't hear much over all the screaming girl but it has been one of my most special days of my life. So great to Paul still so relevant. Ringo looks like he's got 20 years of performing, Really miss George and John. Thanks for the memories.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Thank YOU for the memories, Ed.

Ed Broyles's avatar

Thank you for what you are bring to the table. Let's keep it going. It is appreciated greatly.