Jon Stewart Gives Heartfelt Farewell Speech on Larry Wilmore's Final 'Nightly Show'

"You did it, my… mishpocha," Stewart told WIlmore on his final Nightly Show appearance

Photo: Brad Barket/Getty

Larry Wilmore has signed off.

On Thursday, The Nightly Show host said his final goodbyes following the announcement that Comedy Central was canceling the late night show. Before Wilmore made his exit, his longtime friend Jon Stewart appeared on stage with champagne to see him off with an emotional farewell speech.

“Your last show?” Stewart said. “Oh my God! What did you, piss off Peter Thiel?”

Thiel, being the the billionaire who financed Hulk Hogan‘s lawsuit against Gawker.

“I just decided to stop by and tell you I love you,” he continued. “And may I say something else, if I may? Do you have a moment? I have been in situations in what we call show business, television where my name has been on the show, and they’ve locked the door and told me – this was a Paramount executive – ‘Get your s— and get out.’ And a very wise man said to me, ‘Do not confuse cancelation with failure.’ And I took that to heart.”

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“What you, my friend, were tasked to do, you have done and done beautifully,” Stewart added. “You gave voice to underserved voices in the media arena and you did it – it was a show that was raw and poignant and funny and smart and all those things.”

Stewart, 53, also took a not-so-veiled jab at the Comedy Central’s executive who claimed The Nightly Show didn’t “resonate” in a New York Times interview.

“We talk about a little thing called – I guess the word someone uses – resonance,” Stewart began. “Did you resonate with an audience? I would say not only that, but in an important way, but in a way you don’t even realize yet and won’t reveal itself for years to come, and it’s this: You started a conversation that was not on television when you began. And you worked with a group of people who you invited to that conversation to collaborate with you, to sharpen that conversation, and what you don’t realize is that you walk out of this room, that conversation doesn’t end.”

After his tribute, the former Daily Show host pounded his chest and told Wilmore, 54, one last joke – by referencing Wilmore’s controversial remark to President Barack Obama at his final White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“You did it, my… mishpocha,” said Stewart.