Even though it’s bittersweet for Stephen Colbert as he nears the end of The Late Show, Jon Stewart quite literally lifted the host’s spirits on Tuesday.
During Stewart’s visit to the CBS late night talk show for his final guest appearance, he brought Colbert a gift, previewing the host’s new life once The Late Show ends on May 21.
“Everybody has been coming up with a bit to sort of end their thing. They sang you a song. They wrote you a poem. They did all that. I am not talented, so I’m not doing any of that,” The Daily Show host quipped.
“You deserve something tangible, something that you have earned. You deserve a gift that befits the sacrifice and work that you have put into this show, and that can show you the life you can lead and the life that I am leading now that I’m not really in show business,” Stewart said, as crewmembers rolled out two recliners. “My man. You’re gonna enjoy watching Matlock in this motherfucker.”
However, the surprise didn’t stop there.
“The thing about these chairs is as you get comfortable in them, you start to think to yourself, ‘Am I going to have to expend energy to get out of it?’” Stewart said as they both lay back in the chairs. No need to fear, though, because he had a solution.
“Stephen, get ready for the ride of your fucking life,” The Daily Show host quipped, as the duo pressed a button on the chairs that started lifting them up. “Press the up button. Press the up button. Press it. Press it.”
But the moment was still missing something, as Stewart admitted that “his tribute isn’t complete” without a special performance.
“Stephen, this tribute doesn’t represent the joy that you brought to me as my friend and the joy that you’ve brought to this country as one of its leading entertainers,” he said. “No, what this moment needs is something so much more.”
That’s when Andra Day walked out on the stage, leaving Colbert pleasantly surprised. She sang her hit song “Rise Up,” which was perfect for the moment as the pair ascended together in their recliners, holding hands.
Colbert and Stewart have been close friends for nearly 30 years since Colbert joined The Daily Show in 1997. Then, when Colbert became the host of The Late Show in 2015, Stewart made frequent guest appearances, even performing in surprise sketches over the years.
Steven Spielberg also made an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday. The show’s final episode airs Thursday.