Tonight, Dec. 18, marks the end of the Stephen Colbert era on Comedy Central. For nine years, The Colbert Report gave its politically hilarious host a forum to vent his frustrations with America and poke fun at the people running it. Guests ranged from top political figures to authors to actors to musicians. When Colbert's favorite band, R.E.M., broke up in 2011, the host gave frontman Michael Stipe a spot on his "Shelves of Honor." But since the show is coming to an end and Colbert is moving to CBS, he decided to have a yard sale to get rid of his excess junk.
As Colbert introduces the skit, Stipe complains about not being dusted in a while.
"Hey! That's you in the corner, it's me in the spotlight! Read your contract," the host says, referencing R.E.M.'s 1991 hit "Losing My Religion."
The bit is vintage Colbert, who notes that having a yard sale is one of the most American things you can do. Dressed in red, white and blue, Colbert is able to free himself of just about everything from the show. One lucky fan walks away with the speech Colbert gave at the Correspondents' Dinner in 2006 while another customer left with a vintage Ringo Starr toy.
Stipe sits patiently as people pass him by and Colbert dusts him off. Eventually, the host has to lower the price from $1 to 25 cents. The singer is not there at the end, so someone must have seen the bargain. Check it out below via Pitchfork.
Colbert's move to The Late Show was announced in April.
"Stephen Colbert is one of the most inventive and respected forces on television," CBS wrote in a statement. "David Letterman's legacy and accomplishments are an incredible source of pride for all of us here, and today's announcement speaks to our commitment of upholding what he established for CBS in late night."
