The NBCUniversal-owned cable network host invited an array of A-listers to his final taping, including Haley Joel Osment, Jon Cryer, Dr. Ken's Ken Jeong, James Van Der Beek, Nathan Fillion and Larry King.
Joel McHale hosted his final episode of E!'s The Soup Friday night and was accompanied by an array of A-listers for the final sendoff.
The comedic host, who joined the NBCUniversal-owned cable network in 2004, welcomed numerous famous faces — including Haley Joel Osment, Jon Cryer, Dr. Ken's Ken Jeong, James Van Der Beek, Nathan Fillion, Larry King, Paul Feig and Wendi McLendon-Covey — to participate in the hour-long sketch. Throughout the show, the actors and actresses sat in multiple rows pretending to be on telephones and jokingly calling fellow celebrities in an effort for them to take their places on the show.
The final hour-long program revisited the 11 "greatest clips of all times" while also revisiting some of the most memorable characters from the past 11 and a half years. In the top 11 moments, McHale threw jabs at past and present E! talent, including Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian West, Kris Jenner, Ryan Lochte and Caitlyn Jenner.
"We have a great relationship with E! If I have mentioned the network, I’m sure it was only in glowing terms,” he said before an array of tongue-in-cheek clips aired of him talking about “Popping culture” and throwing sarcasm at the network.
Working back from number 11 down to the number one most memorable clip, McHale revisited a "Rainbow Brite: The Movie" sketch, spaghetti cat, "Brokeback Kong," and "One Tree Hill." He dubbed the most memorable clip as a moment from former reality show Being Bobby Brown, which revisited Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston arguing; the clip ended with Houston saying, "kiss my ass."
To wrap the more than decade-long program, McHale expressed his gratitude on camera alongside The Soup staff.
"On behalf of everyone out there, and all of the guests here tonight over there in the chairs, I want to thank you, everyone, for watching The Soup for however long you did and whatever you did, we had a great f—ing time making it. We felt like we were robbing you for the last 11 and a half years," he said before thanking his "dedicated crew" and "to everyone at E! who we’ve worked with over the years." He added, "And thanks to our families who have supported us the whole time that we’ve been here. This isn’t the last you’ll see of me or the work of these people on your TV. It’s just the last time you’ll see us here. There'll be a Botched episode here next week. Don’t worry, it’s a re-run. Thank you on behalf of all of us and I bid you a heartfelt kiss my ass, everyone.”
After 11 and a half years of serving up jokes on the show, The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported in November that McHale's show would end. McHale said in a statement that he will be focusing his time on his acting career: "I loved doing The Soup for all of these years (86 to be exact) but am excited to solely focus on my acting career now," McHale said. "Thanks to all who watched and thanks to Kim Kardashian's ass for all that it's done for me and my family."
E!'s exec vp programming and development Jeff Olde said in a statement to THR: "We are incredibly proud of the long-running success of The Soup. [The show] has delivered countless laughs and unforgettable episodes, and we are grateful to the talented team’s fearless wit and clever approach week after week," adding, "Joel took the show to new heights for more than a decade, and his irreverent humor and unique brand of comedy as captured so perfectly on The Soup will be missed.”
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