Stephen Colbert’s decision to end The Colbert Report with a musical finale might make more sense after watching this clip. Roughly 20 years ago, Colbert said farewell to another comedic institution — Chicago’s Second City — with music. This performance includes some special collaborators, such as Paul Dinello and David Razowsky, and a brief, albeit touching, intro by Steve Carell. (Colbert was Carell’s understudy while at the troupe.) Splitsider dug up the 1994 clip today as part of its weekly Second City archive series. Maybe watching the absurd medley will tide you over till Colbert’s TV return; if not, it should at least make you smile because the whole thing’s simultaneously hilarious and bittersweet.
