Stephen Colbert became visibly emotional when Blues Clues original host Steve Burns made a surprise appearance on his talk show on Thursday.
"Colbert, 57, was doing a riff on a sweet video Burns had shared for his longtime fans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the children's program.
Then he was interrupted by Burns, 47, who walked out and shocked Stephen. The two chatted and Burns ended up giving Colbert a hug.
Touching: Stephen Colbert became visibly emotional when Blues Clues original host Steve Burns made a surprise appearance on his talk show
'Folks, that soft sound you've been hearing everywhere this week is the internet weeping because Steve, the original host of the children's show Blue's Clues, dropped a video message to millennials,' Stephen said in the beginning of the segment.
'Now, I was a grown up in the late '90s. Although I was aware of the show because of my kids, those kids are all grown up and moved away now.
'So obviously I have no emotional investment in Steve,' he continued to the laughter of the audience.
'But alright, what did he say?' Colbert asked. He then played the video, which he stopped occasionally to insert his own jokes.
He's back! On Tuesday, Burns, 47, shared a message for fans of the animated children's show on its 25th anniversary in a clip that went viral
The video then began with Steve, wearing his signature green striped polo along with a baseball hat, saying, 'Hi, you got a second? Okay, you remember how when we were younger we used to run around and hang out with Blue and find clues and talk to Mr. Salt and freak out about the mail and do all the fun stuff?'
'I remember that,' Stephen joked.
As the clip continued, Burns said, 'And then one day, I was like "Oh hey, guess what? Big news … I'm leaving. This is my brother Joe, he's your new best friend." And then I got on a bus and I left – and we didn't see each other for like a really long time. Can we just talk about that?'
Stephen deadpanned, 'Yeah, let's talk about that. Where'd you go?'
Explaining: Steve admitted that it was 'kind of abrupt' that he left the show to go to college, which he said was 'really challenging, by the way'
Steve admitted that it was 'kind of abrupt' that he left the show to go to college, which he said was 'really challenging, by the way.'
'But great because I got to use my mind and take a step at a time, and now I literally am doing many of the things that I wanted to do,' Steve said.
'Wow, I guess I never thought about your needs back then. I'm sorry, I didn't know, go on,' Colbert quipped.
The former Blue's Clues host then told his fans it was 'amazing' how they have grown up since watching him on TV, in a particularly emotionally rousing part of the video.
Sweet: The former Blue's Clues host then told his fans it was 'amazing' how they have grown up since watching him on TV, in a particularly emotionally rousing part of the video
'And then look at you, and look at all you have done and all you have accomplished in all that time. And it's just, it's just so amazing, right?' he said.
Stephen interjected, 'I have grown a lot. I'm on network now.'
The clip resumed as Steve said, 'I mean, we started out with clues and now it's what? Student loans, and jobs, and families, and some of that has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know.'
'I know,' Colbert said with nod.
In the video, Steven continued, 'I guess I just wanted to say that after all these years, I never forgot you. Ever.'
'I never forgot you either,' Stephen jested.
Burns concluded, 'And I'm super glad we're still friends.'
Emotional: Though the talk show host adopted a sardonic tone as he reacted to the video, by the end, he appeared genuinely touched
Surprise! The camera then cut to Steve, who was standing at the side of the stage
Though the talk show host adopted a sardonic tone as he reacted to the video, by the end, he appeared genuinely touched.
'You're welcome, you're welcome,' Stephen said as he shuffled papers on his desk and wiped his face.
'Like I said, like I said, um, nice message and everything, but that show was for my kids,' Colbert said. 'And I am a man, and, by definition, I feel nothing.'
Fun moment: The studio audience began cheering as Colbert looked at Burns with a shocked expression
The camera then cut to Steve, who was standing at the side of the stage. 'Are you sure about that, Stephen?' he said, tilting his head with a smile.
The studio audience began cheering as Colbert looked at Burns with a shocked expression.
'Steve from Blue's Clues who I'm not
