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Stephen Colbert Pays Emotional Tribute to Longtime Friend Toby Keith: ‘Thank You Big Dog’

Stephen Colbert paid emotional tribute to longtime friend Toby Keith on Tuesday night's (Feb. 6) 'Late Show' following singer's death at 62.

The Late Show ‘s Stephen Colbert paid emotional tribute to his longtime friend country singer Toby Keith on Tuesday night (Feb. 6), describing the long arc of their relationship and sharing a special memento he keeps in his office to remind him of the man he affectionately referred to as “Big Dog.” “I was lucky enough to become friends with Toby over the years, as improbable as that seems,” said Colbert, whose laser-sharp daggers of commentary are often aimed at bloviating right wing politicians and media figures — as well as other know-nothings from any side — suggesting that viewers might not have expected him to befriend a singer whose often jingoistic, red meat patriotic anthems seemed at odds with the host’s more liberal-leaning point of view. And for that lesson, and for a lot of other things, I’m always going to be grateful.” Later in the segment, Colbert hinted at that complexity by showing footage of the country star giving President Obama a standing ovation at the former commander-in-chief’s Nobel Peace Prize speech in 2009.

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