That’s a long introduction, but it really was a great show (and unexpectedly big on Twitter last night — and, as it turns out, in the ratings). I’m glad I watched, glad enough that I want to share it — and this was my favorite part (well, I loved the Susan Stroman-choreographed Mel Brooks medley, too). By now, everyone knows that Bruce is from Jersey, and if you watch Jon Stewart, you know not only that he is, too, but that he is a gigantimungous Springsteen fan. So even seeing him walk out to do the honors was exciting, if you happen to love the Boss (which I do, every since I was told that I wasn’t a beauty but, eh, I was all right).

“When you listen to Bruce’s music, you aren’t a loser, you’re a character in an epic poem…about losers,” joked Stewart, but he also got to the essential, caring core of the Springsteen oeuvre, which has been a constant for the decades, now, that he’s been on top. (That and the cars. Always with the cars.) That emotional component is what made the performance of “The Rising” by Sting and “City of Ruins” by Eddie Vedder so compelling. And it was also awesome to hear that crowd, so fancy there in proper Washington, doing the classic, Jersey-bar-born call: Bruuuuuce.

Anyhow. Enjoy.

…and here is Eddie Vedder doing “City of Ruins” (via @MickiMaynard):

32nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors [KennedyCenter.org]
Kudos for Kennedy Center Honors [Examiner]
Photogallery [CBS News]

Or would we? Turns out Mediaite has obtained the video, and three weeks later it’s still pretty damn funny, and shocking. Said Donald: “My trained eye tells me that since 1982 you’ve been condemned from the waist down – and like most dilapidated structures, you haven’t been entered in decades!” And it only got worse from there. Viewer discretion advised!

>>>NEXT PAGE: Clips of Griffin, Rivers, Whitney Cumming, Carl Reiner, Jeffrey Ross, Nick Kroll and more!