Stephen Colbert's conservative alter-ego returns to beg Obama to stay

Colbert Report Stephen Colbert returned to send Obama off

(Image credit: Late Show)

published 20 January 2017

Thursday night was President Obama's last night as president, and Stephen Colbert kicked it up a notch on The Late Show, bringing out an old friend for a sort of end-of-administration eulogy. Colbert set it up by ribbing Obama. "Whether or not you liked him or voted for him, we can all agree eight years later, it's still kind of crazy that his middle name was Hussein," he said. "I can't believe he got elected."

"Now I tried very hard to come up with a way to talk about Barack Obama's legacy tonight, but after looking at the scope of his presidency, I realized that anyone who thinks they can sum up the last eight years in a few minutes would have to be a delusional egomaniac," Colbert said. His Colbert Report alter-ego appeared (well, close enough for lawyers): "Did someone say delusional egomaniac?" After the Report Colbert said he was up to the task of recapping Obama's presidency, Late Show Colbert stepped aside: "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome conservative pundit Stephen Colbert."

Colbert Report Colbert started off with all the hits from Obama's early years, when Colbert was still on Comedy Central. "Well, well, well, at long last our America-hating, secret-Muslim, lead-from-behind, terrorist-fist-bumping, hopey-changey apologist in chief is leaving office," he said, in character. "Well, I have just one thing to say to him, and it's tonight's WERD." The WERD was "Thanks, Obama," and it started out sarcastic. "I don't want to exaggerate here," he said. "Every year of the Obama regime felt like he was strangling a bald eagle with the American flag while taking a dump on an apple pie." (WERD: "A La Commode.") "That's why I want to say, Thanks Obama," Report Colbert said. "You reminded guys like me what we truly stand for: the opposite of whatever you said." (WERD: "The Audacity of Nope.") The bit is a reminder of Obama's presidency, but also of why Colbert's old persona was such effective and brutal satire — at the end, it's not quite clear which Colbert is speaking, or whether it's funny. Watch below. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.