History Heartwarming / TheColbertReport

* [[http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/429266/september-24-2013/stephen-s-emmy-awards This segment]] after Stephen finally won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Program. Can you say HeterosexualLifePartners?
* After Stephen found out that 24 weddings were canceled because of October 2013 Government Shutdown he volunteered his show and [[ItMakesSenseInContext his services as an Ordained Minister]] to a young couple in place of the spot (the Jefferson Memorial) they were going to use for their wedding. They were married right there on his show, with Creator/MandyPatinkin singing the Shehecheyanu and Tony award-winner Audra [=McDonald=] performing [[Creator/BillyIdol "White Wedding"]] for the first dance.

* After Stephen found out that 24 weddings were canceled because of October 2013 Government Shutdown he volunteered his show and [[ItMakesSenseInContext his services as an Ordained Minister]] to a young couple in place of the spot they were going to use for their wedding.

* June 4, 2012: Congressman John Lewis, one of the leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement, spoke ''eloquently'' through most of the interview, and though Colbert cracked a couple of jokes his heart was obviously somewhere else. Martin Luther King, [[PoliceBrutality Bloody Sunday]][[hottip:*:not to be confused with the Ireland 1972 massacre]] and hope for tomorrow. You don't know whether to cheer or cry.

* August 31, 2012: His interview with Clint Eastwood's Chair after the infamous scene at the 2012 RNC. Though played for laughs, Stephen unwittingly acknowledging Obama's accomplishments and the need for hope ending with [[spoiler: Stephen leading the audience in a chant of "YES WE CAN"]] feels so very heartwarming.

* Similarly to the above, his April 24, 2012 interview with Julie Andrews ends with the two of them singing "Accentuate the Positive". After she'd turned him down several times throughout the interview when he asked her if she wanted to sing together.

* April 2013: Stephen's rousing endorsement of his sister, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, in her run for a senate seat. He uses it to springboard into a hilariously scathing criticism of her opponent, but you can tell how proud Stephen is of his big sis.
* During his interview with a scientist from NIH after Obama's announcement of funding for brain research, Stephen tells him that the memory he would want constant access to is one of his mother bringing him tomato soup on a snow day.
* On April 16, 2013, the day after a bombing at the Boston Marathon in which 3 people (including an 8-year old boy) were killed and at least 28 others were injured, Stephen subverted his typical "Tonight!" opening speech by explaining how the people of Boston still remain strong through the tragedy.

* A small Kentucky town made discriminating against gays illegal, which Colbert naturally railed against. But in the last part of the segment, a local gave a short speech about how he struggles to reconcile his religious beliefs with his moral ones. It's very sweet.

* A small Kentucky town made discriminating against gays illegal, which Colbert naturally railed against. But in the last part of the segment, a local gives a short speech about he struggles to reconcile his religious beliefs with his moral ones. It's very sweet.

* Stephen's entire interview with Harry Belafonte, rich with some good hearty humor. Especially when Stephen shyly asks if Belafonte still sings, to which he responds in a voice that has noticeably worn a little bit: "Occasionally..." Beat. Everyone smiles as Stephen starts singing one of Belafonte's signatures "Jamaican Farewell", to which Belafonte begins to sing along. Hearts immediately melted.
* Similarly to the above, his interview with Julie Andrews ends with the two of them singing "Accentuate the Positive". After she'd turned him down several times throughout the interview when he asked her if she wanted to sing together.
* Singing "Love is like a butterfly" with Dolly Parton, Colbert was so flustered he made two false starts before finally nailing it.

* His interview of big-cat conservationist Alan Rabinowitz in 2008 starts off heart-warming, and edges towards TearJerker territory:

--> '''Alan''': I'm a stutterer. And, as you know, there are only two things a stutterer can do without stuttering: sing, and talk to animals. And I was never much of a singer. So every day I'd come home from school, where everyone called me stupid, and I would pour my heart out to these animals. So as a kid, I made a promise to animals. I swore to them that if I ever found my voice and could control my stuttering, that I would use my voice to help them.
--> '''(uproarious applause)'''
--> '''Stephen''': Are you TRYING to make me cry?

* The end of the 2010 Christmas special, ''A Colbert Christmas''. "There are much worse things to believe in."
** If you pay really close attention to the lyrics... possibly. But it's pretty open to interpretation, and the sentiment's still valid.
* His interview with Maurice Sendak. A few months later Sendak died and ''The Colbert Report'' showed another part of the interview, in which he talked about one of his books, ''Higglety Pigglety Pop''. Sendak and Colbert cracked very few jokes during this part, and Sendak stated his philosophy on trying not to turn children away from the fact that the world is very harsh.
* His interview with Clint Eastwood's Chair after the infamous scene at the 2012 RNC. Though played for laughs, Stephen unwittingly acknowledging Obama's accomplishments and the need for hope ending with [[spoiler: Stephen leading the audience in a chant of "YES WE CAN"]] feels so very heartwarming.
* The whole [[Literature/TheHobbit Hobbit]] week and Stephen's [[OneOfUs nerdy joy]] over playing with his Literature/LordOfTheRings merchandise, pwning IanMcKellen in Tolkien trivia, over-gleefully thanking the stars for coming to his show etc. was very heartwarming to watch.
* Congressman John Lewis, one of the leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement, spoke ''eloquently'' through most of the interview, and though Colbert cracked a couple of jokes his heart was obviously somewhere else. Martin Luther King, [[PoliceBrutality Bloody Sunday]][[hottip:*:not to be confused with the Ireland 1972 massacre]] and hope for tomorrow. You don't know whether to cheer or cry.
--> Because we all live in the same house, and we must all learn to live together or we will perish as fools.
* Stephen's rousing endorsement of his sister, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, in her run for a senate seat. He uses it to springboard into a hilariously scathing criticism of her opponent, but you can tell how proud Stephen is of his big sis.

* Stephen is clearly a MamasBoy; his various ShoutOut s to her when her health was failing (and, ultimately, when she passed away) were incredibly heartwarming.

* On April 16, 2013, the day after a bombing at the Boston Marathon in which 3 people (including an 8-year old boy) were killed and at least 28 others were injured, Stephen subverted his typical "Tonight!" opening speech by explaining how the people of Boston still remain strong.

* On April 16, 2013, the day after a bombing at the Boston Marathon in which 3 people (including an 8-year old boy) and at least 28 others were injured, Stephen subverted his typical "Tonight!" opening speech by explaining how the people of Boston still remain strong.

* His interview with Maurice Sendak, which happened a few months before he died. One part was shown after he died. Sendak was talking about one of his books, Higglety Pigglety Pop. Sendak and Colbert were cracking very few jokes during this part, and Sendak stated his philosophy on not trying to turn children away from the fact that the world is very harsh.

* His interview with Maurice Sendack, which happened a few months before he died. One part was shown after he died. Sendack was talking about one of his books, Higglety Pigglety Pop. Sendack and Colbert were cracking very few jokes during this part, and Sendack stated his philosophy on not trying to turn children away from the fact that the world is very harsh.

--> '''Alan''': I'm a stutterer. And, as you know, there are two things a stutterer can do without stuttering: sing, and talk to animals. And I was never much of a singer. So every day I'd come home from school, where everyone called me stupid, and I would pour my heart out to these animals. So as a kid, I made a promise to animals. I swore to them that if I ever found my voice and could control my stuttering, that I would use my voice to help them.

* His interview with Clint Eastwood's Chair after the infamous scene at the 2012 RNC. Though played for laughs, Stephen unwittingly acknowledging Obama's accomplishments and the need for hope ending with [[spoiler: Stephen leading the audience in a chant of "YES WE CAN"]] feels so very heartwarming.

* His interview with Maurice Sendack, which happened a few months before he died. One part was shown after he died. Sendack was talking about one of his books, Higglety Pigglety Pop. Sendack and Colbert were cracking very few jokes during this part, and Sendack stated his philosophy on not trying to turn children away from the fact that the world is very harsh.

* Similarly to the above, his interview with Julie Andrews ends with the two of them singing "Accentuate the Positive". After she'd turned him down several times throughout the interview when he asked her if she wanted to sing together.

* Stephen's entire interview with Harry Belafonte, rich with some good hearty humor. Especially when Stephen shyly asks if Belafonte still sings, to which he responds in a voice that has noticeably worn a little bit: "Occasionally..." Beat. Everyone smiles as Stephen starts singing one of Belafonte's signatures "Jamaican Farewell", to which Belafonte begins to sing along. Hearts immediately melted.

Stephen's entire interview with Harry Belafonte, rich with some good hearty humor. Especially when Stephen shyly asks if Belafonte still sings, to which he responds in a voice that has noticeably worn a little bit: "Occasionally..." Beat. Everyone smiles as Stephen starts singing one of Belafonte's signatures "Jamaican Farewell", to which Belafonte begins to sing along. Hearts immediately melted.