The Colbert Report/Tear Jerker

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Tear Jerkers in The Colbert Report include:

  • In one episode, Stephen interviewed zoologist and animal advocate Alan Rabinowitz, and asked him why he chose his career path. Rabinowitz then explained that, when he was younger, he had a severe stutter that prevented him from speaking. He was only able to speak clearly to his pet turtle and chameleon, and said that since he realized that animals couldn't speak for themselves either, he became determined to speak out for them.

Colbert: ...Are you trying to make me cry?

  • Colbert's 2010 treatment of Salvatore Giunta; instead of making jokes or interrupting, Colbert sat down with this man and drew out the events that led to Guinta earning the Congressional Medal of Honor. Guinta wished to make the point that the armed forces are full of equally brave people who are not so honored, and Colbert obviously respected him and helped him to articulate this on air. When he stood up to personally applaud Guinta.

Colbert: How can we honor the other men and women at home who don't have (the Medal of Honor)?
Guinta: There are so many unsung heroes in this war, and there are so many people who have given every single one of their tomorrows so we can have our today. And they'll never come back to a handshake. They'll never come back and hug their family. And it's for those that I wear this.

  • When he set out to save marriage from the gays. He was describing this elaborate scenario with that sneaky smile he gets, then all of a sudden when he gets to the actual saving marriage bit, he spends the next few minutes not crying about how he's just broken Jonathon's heart and how he's the only one who can comfort him and...
  • No specific dialogue, but the episode where he mentions his father, and interviews someone who knew him, had me almost in tears just from the genuine emotion and how Colbert was unable to stay in character throughout.
  • Stephen's tribute to Steve Jobs. After a segment about the show's free plugging of Apple products over the years, and how he often had them sent to him for free as a result (including his appearance at the 2010 Grammys, reading the nominees off the first iPad owned by someone outside the company), he shared an email he received the next day from Jobs himself that said "Sweet! Thanks! Steve". Stephen sent a reply, saying "Right back at ya. Thanks for everything."
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