Barry Manilow on the ‘Colbert Report’ Final

Barry Manilow talks to ‘The Desert Sun‘ about taking part in the ‘Colbert Report’ final, and details how the massive star-studded sing-along was meticulously planned and performed.

“There were around 100 famous (REALLY) famous people there,” he told me by e-mail this weekend. “I was told that Stephen had chosen only his favorite guests. I couldn’t have been more honored to be included in that stellar group.”

“Amazingly, it was very organized,” he said. “Two rehearsals for everyone to know where to enter from and to learn the song. I was surrounded with some of the smartest, brilliant geniuses, all in one room. I was getting a headache from all those smart brains!”

[…] The shoot took place in the small Colbert studio. The celebrities were gathered in 10 sections with five people in each section. There also was a “choir,” Barry said, of more famous people.

“My section had New York Mayor Bill deBlasio — great guy — and General Raymond Odierno. At one point, the general draped his arm around my shoulders and we sang and swayed! Too much.

“Both Stephen and Jon Stewart hugged me. I thought that was really great of them since I beat them both that year when I won the Emmy over them!

“There were no tears. Just joy.”