Stephen Colbert has a long history of playfully poking fun at Canada on his late-night shows, “The Colbert Report” and “Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” almost treating the country like a secret crush he enjoys teasing affectionately. His jokes often revolve around Canadian currency, politics, and culture. However, the era of his Canadian-themed antics is coming to a close as he announced last July that the upcoming season would be the last.
While Paramount and CBS cited financial reasons for canceling the show, eyebrows were raised due to the timing of the announcement, shortly after Colbert criticized Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, for settling a lawsuit with former U.S. President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” story.
As the final episode of Colbert’s show approaches on May 21, let’s reminisce about some of his most memorable Canadian moments. Did you know that Colbert has Canadian roots? Ancestry.ca revealed that his great-great-grandparents hailed from Ireland but eventually settled in Canada, sparking his passion for hockey.
In 2016, Colbert humorously reacted to changes in Canada’s national anthem, proposing his own revisions during a skit that included references to Canadian heartthrobs Ryan Gosling and Ryan Reynolds. Additionally, he once humorously took a faux Canadian citizenship test, showcasing his wit by giving unconventional answers.
Colbert’s jests extended to Canadian politicians like Justin Trudeau, whom he interviewed and bantered with about Canadian bacon and national identity. Canadian stars also made appearances on his show, with Colbert expressing admiration for icons like Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy.
One notable incident involved Colbert joking about Windsor, Ontario, in a segment about geothermal power, which sparked a playful back-and-forth with the city’s mayor and even led to a humorous interaction involving CBC News.
As Colbert bids farewell to his Canadian-themed segments, his lighthearted jabs and affectionate teasing will be fondly remembered by fans on both sides of the border.
