Stephen Colbert and Michael Stipe say goodbye to 2016 – and the world (as we know it)

If 2016 felt like a punch in the gut, well you’re not alone.

On Thursday night’s “The Late Show” on CBS, host Stephen Colbert changed the lyrics to REM’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” so that he could properly kiss off the year that brought us Zika, lead-poisoned water and Ben Affleck as Batman. While Colbert sang through his lines as fast as he could - sample line: “Fight for black lives, Ryan Lochte’s hair dyes, Prince and Bowie’s demise, Leonard Cohen died” - Michael Stipe stood by in a suit looking morose.

“It’s the end of the world as we know it,” Colbert sang, “And I feel. . . .”

At the point where Stipe was supposed to sing “Fine,” he instead shook his head tragically, and Colbert launched into the next rapid-fire verse.

Stipe finally came around toward the end of the song and joined in for the chorus. But then, as if to really drive the point home, smirky James Franco strolled onstage to add some backing vocals.

Is 2016 over yet?

This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 11:47 AM with the headline "Stephen Colbert and Michael Stipe say goodbye to 2016 – and the world (as we know it)."