Stephen Colbert and Michael Stipe Put Modern Twist on a Classic R.E.M. Song
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert opened the show with an updated version of the R.E.M. hit “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” reimagined to perfectly encapsulate the events of 2016. He even got a little help from R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe. But just a little. Stipe stood silent with a microphone in front of him as Colbert sang about about everything from the Zika virus to Harambe, from climate change to white supremacists in the government.
Stipe nearly joined in after Colbert finished the second verse, which began with Black Lives Matter and ended with Trump in the White House, referring to the election as idiotic and chaotic. But just as Stipe opened his mouth, Colbert cut in with the chorus. But Colbert finally leaned in close to Stipe, who was fighting a smile as Colbert got really close, and Stipe finished the chorus.
As if Colbert and Stipe performing the song together wasn’t already good enough, they brought out a special guest and had fireworks in the background for an epic ending.
Hear what Seth MacFarlane had to say about being the roast master at Donald Trump’s 2011 roast:
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