This year has been such a doozy that the very number 2016 has taken on a life of its own. Stephen Colbert chose to immortalize the year in song (hey, we all cope in different ways) by tallying up all of the highlights, including some you might have forgotten. Conveniently, former R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe just happened to be in the Late Show studio for the 2016-themed remix of “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” but Stipe refused to finish the chorus with “and I feel fine.” Can you blame him?
Colbert’s rendition included everything from Harambe to Flint’s still-ongoing water crisis to Sad Batfleck to that big, unavoidable, sickeningly orange story of the year: “a government that’s wired with the new alt-right.” Then James Franco joined in, because why not? Don’t forget, there are 15 days left in the year. Depending on what happens, you may need to remix “Everybody Hurts” next, Colbert.
