Stephen Colbert is preparing to leave Comedy Central this week after 10 seasons. Take a look back at The Colbert Report‘s best moments!
Her Excellency The Rev. Sir Doctor Stephen Tyrone Mos Def Colbert, D.F.A., Heavyweight Champion of the World** featuring Flo Rida La Premiere Dame De France, is retiring from television. Stephen Colbert, on the other hand, is moving to basic cable, taking over for David Letterman in May 2015. While the former character may have a strong hold on America’s hearts, he is due to meet with special guest “Grimmy” on his closing night.
We’ve gathered the 10 best moments from Colbert’s time in the 11:30 p.m. slot on Comedy Central.
The WristStrong Saga
Warning, when amping up the audience for a taking by running around to a Beyoncé track, be sure to wear shoes with traction. Colbert slipped and fractured his wrist before a taping in June 2007 right before the show went on hiatus. When the show came back to air, Colbert appeared with a foam finger covering a cast wrist and a mission; get a WristStrong bracelet to a famous person. Just as the LiveStrong silicone bracelets took off a few years prior, Colbert’s bracelets were seen everywhere from the wrist of presidents to floating in space! He had his cast signed by members of the political elite, both sides of the aisle to keep things fair, and when the cast came off he auctioned it off on eBay for over $17,000. Over all the campaign raised $171,525.00 for the Yellow Ribbon Fund and the bracelets are still raising money today.
Cheating Death with Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A.
Want to the secret to eternal life? Well, Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, along with his (fictional) partners at Prescott Pharmaceuticals. Is the FDA is putting limits on how many mg of Ambien you can take? Prescott has not met an FDA sanction it could not work around! Mixing the top medical news stories with his own “professional” recommendations, the Cheating Death segment always follows its recommendations by listing a wide variety of side effects. After hearing from this recipient of an honorary a Doctorate of Fine Arts, you’ll soon wonder why you ever sought out the medical advice of a medical professional.
Learn how to get your best sleep and where to get jewelry for your internal organs!
The Wørd
Do not underestimate the power of The Wørd. Usually chosen to provide a launching ground to offer commentary on a topic in the headlines, Colbert’s first chosen Wørd, “truthiness,” made it into the dictionary. Spell check did not even put a red line under it! The segments commentary by Colbert is only one half of the comedy mixture. The other can be seen on the sidebar usually highlighting what Colbert is saying of severely undercutting it.
So if you ever find the word truth is not cutting it, try a variation that means “truth that comes from the gut, not books” and be sure to thank Stephen Colbert in your footnotes.
Watch the first The Wørd segment here!
Obama pays Colbert a visit, delivers ‘The De¢ree’
Long time butt of the joke, no time official guest, Obama stopped by Colbert’s desk to hijack the show for a bit before their formal interview. Obama delivers The De¢ree as Stephen Colbert, as does a knock up job delivering the punchlines and hitting on his own agenda in the process. Though Obama and Colbert have crossed paths before, this is the first time Obama enters the ring with Colbert as the leader… Well at least for a segment. Obama has filmed bits and pieces for The Colbert Report over the years and Colbert has hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner during Obama’s term.
The ThreatDown
Red alert, orange alert, green alert. Who needs color coded messages when Colbert already has the greatest threats to America nicely laid out in a segment called The ThreatDown? While robots and bears (and especially robot bears) tend to top the list more often than not, many others have made the list over the years. For example, Superman relinquishing his American citizenship is only saved by Lex Luthor’s job creation.
Watch The ThreatDown: Superman, Madden 12, Glee here!
Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando
In 2009, Colbert took his show to the troops and spent time hosting from Camp Victory, Baghdad. Prior to his arrival, Colbert prepared by attending one full day of basic training in South Carolina before meeting with guest, General Ray Odierno. But something in his training was not up to snuff. Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama appears via “satellite” and commands General Ray Odierno to shave Colbert’s head.
Stephen saves the 2010 U.S. Speed Skating Team
When the bank responsible for sponsoring the USA National Speed Skating Team went bankrupt in 2010, the Colbert nation refused to let the “USA! USA! USA!” chants die. Within days of finding out the news, Colbert urged his audience to help support the team with a pledge and a donation. After all what is more exciting than “running on top of water with samurai swords strapped to your feet?” Not too much! Colbert did not make speed skating the butt of his jokes, but he did wind up with a Sports Illustrated cover and the Colbert Nation logo on at least one skater’s thighs!
Colbert Super PAC (also known as Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow)
The race for 2012, Stephen Colbert chose to draw attention to campaign funding in the best way he could think of; start a political action committee. The Colbert Super PAC raised over $1 million dollars and by doing so highlighted the problem of having unlimited campaign funds coming in from corporations and wealthy individuals. As Colbert himself stated the finds would be used for political ads, of course, but also, “normal administrative expenses, including but not limited to, luxury hotel stays, private jet travel, and PAC mementos from Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.” Aside from running a few ads, the Super PAC was dissolved and the funds of nearly $800,000 were sent to a charitable fund in honor of his deceased fictional advisor Ham Rove. (The funds were distributed to various charities thereafter.) Colbert won a Peabody Award for his work responding to the 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United ruling.
A tribute to Lorna Tuck Colbert
In a rare moment for the Colbert Report, Stephen appears out of character to pay tribute to his late mother, Lorna Tuck Colbert, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 92. Colbert remembers her as the mother of 11 who brought love and acting into their home. A woman who gave everything in spite of tragic loss. Colbert honors his mother without comedy, but addresses the need to get back to business. It’s what Lorna would want to see him do.
Daft Punk, who needs ’em?
MTV Video Music Awards or Stephfest Colbchella ‘013? Since Daft Punk’s contract prohibited them from performing prior to the MTV VMAs, or so MTV claimed, Colbert and his sponsors were left without the song of the summer. But what does Colbert do? A few clever jibes at MTV executives were followed by this declaration, “My audience will get the song of the summer if they want it, and I don’t even need Daft Punk to choose my show over the VMAs to get it.” He not only gave the audience the song of the summer, but a slew of cameos and Bryan Cranston roller disco-ing made everyone forget about those two performers behind the helmets!
Colbert Dances to Daft Punk's Get Lucky HD by daftworld
Be sure to tune into The Colbert Report‘s final episode tomorrow, Thursday, December 18 at 11:30 on Comedy Central.
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