Bette Midler's Heartfelt Tribute to Stephen Colbert on The Late Show
On October 15, Bette Midler made a special appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to discuss her non-profit organization, the New York Restoration Project. However, she surprised Colbert with a heartfelt tribute in the form of a spoof of her classic hit song "Wind Beneath My Wings" from the movie Beaches. Midler expressed her gratitude to Colbert for his support over the years and performed a customized version of the song as a farewell gesture.
Midler humorously pleaded with Colbert not to leave the show, acknowledging that he will continue to be on the air until May. She thanked him for his voice of reason, sanity, and honor, and presented him with a rewritten version of the song's lyrics as a token of appreciation. The tribute, titled "Did you ever know that you're my Frodo," included references to The Lord of the Rings and humorously highlighted Colbert's departure from The Late Show.
CBS had announced the cancellation of The Late Show in July, a show that Colbert had taken over from David Letterman in 2015. The decision was attributed to financial reasons, but some critics speculated that it was influenced by the network's desire to gain favor with the FCC for its parent company's merger with Skydance. Despite the show's end, Midler's performance and tribute to Colbert added a touch of humor and sentiment to the farewell.