Introduction:
Stephen Colbert Honors Toby Keith in Emotional Tribute on ‘The Late Show’
New York, NY – February 6, 2024 — In a heartfelt segment on The Late Show, host Stephen Colbert paid tribute to Toby Keith, the country music legend who passed away at age 62 following a battle with stomach cancer. The moment stood out for its sincerity, warmth, and reflection on an unlikely but enduring friendship between the comedian and the chart-topping artist.
“I was shocked and saddened… I knew he was ill, but I still had hope we’d see each other again,” Colbert said, recalling their many interactions over the years.
Colbert first met Toby during the early days of The Colbert Report, where he had originally planned to challenge the singer’s famously patriotic persona. But moments before going on stage, he changed course:
“What are you doing? You’re a host. He’s your guest. Make him feel welcome.”
That shift sparked a genuine connection.
After the taping, Toby stopped Colbert in the hallway and offered a now-legendary line:
“Hey, man. You do a great job. Whatever the [bleep] it is you do.”
Colbert cherished the compliment so much, his head writer had it embroidered on a pillow.
The tribute traced Toby’s incredible journey—from Oklahoma oil fields and semi-pro football to 20 No. 1 Billboard hits, 42 Top 10 songs, and a legacy as a brash, patriotic, and deeply relatable performer.
“He was always surprising people,” Colbert said, recalling seeing Toby Keith at President Obama’s Nobel Prize ceremony, rising in a standing ovation.
Despite political and cultural differences, Colbert emphasized the deeper lesson Toby left him:
“Don’t judge people too quickly.”
Ending the tribute, Colbert invited viewers, regardless of background, to meet at a place of shared grief:
“I don’t care who you are. I’ll meet you at being broken-hearted that Toby Keith is gone.”
Rest in peace, Big Dog. You were as good as you once were—and then some.