Daft Punk did not appear on tonight’s episode of The Colbert Report after all.



As Stephen Colbert explained during the opening segment of tonight’s show, MTV booked the French electro duo to play this month’s Video Music Awards and claims to have exclusive rights to their performance.

Stephen Colbert explained, “Here’s the story: it’s a true story. We booked click and clack over here about a month ago. This network is owned by Viacom, which is also the owner of MTV… Apparently, Daft Punk are going to make a surprise appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards. Don’t tell anyone, because fun fact: no one told me until two o’clock yesterday.”

Daft Punk handlers reportedly told Colbert they never promised MTV any exclusive performance. Regardless, Viacom prevented the duo from appearing on the Report.

The Daft Punk performance was to be as part of Colbert’s music festival Stephest Colbchella. As a means of appeasing Colbchella’s sponsor, Hyundai, Colbert danced along to “Get Lucky” with a cavalcade of celebrities, including Matt Damon, Jimmy Fallon, Henry Kissinger, the cast of Breaking Bad, Jeff Daniels, and more, before bringing out Robin Thicke to perform the “new song of the summer,” “Blurred Lines”.

Replay clips from the episode below.

Want to see Daft Punk for real? Tune into the VMAs on Sunday, August 25th. Kanye is performing too.