Late-night TV host Stephen Colbert signed off for the last time Thursday evening after 11 years at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.
CBS announced the cancellation of the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in July, citing it as a “financial decision.” Colbert used his final episode to thank his viewers, criticize his employer, and have a “regular episode.”
“We love doing this show for you, but what we really, really love is doing the show with you,” Colbert said during his opening remarks.
In his monologue, Colbert said he considered a “huge finale,” but felt the “regular episode” felt more appropriate.
The episode, titled, “Hello, Goodbye,” had a bittersweet tone, intertwining moments of reflection and appreciation, while poking fun at CBS with the typical humor seen in every episode.
Throughout the episode Colbert would state it was a normal show, but would make jokes relating to the show’s cancellation.
The cancellation prompted censorship accusations as Paramount, CBS’s parent company, was entering a merger with Skydance that needed approval from the Federal Communications Commission. Colbert is a frequent critic of President Donald Trump.
During the episode, various celebrities like Ryan Reynolds, Paul Rudd, Tig Notaro, and Bryan Cranston, would pop in to joke that they were there to be interviewed as the final guest.
When the audience booed in response to Colbert saying it was his last episode, the late-night host reiterated his appreciation for holding the position for as long as he did.
“No, no, we were lucky enough to be here for the last 11 years,” he said.
Colbert had announced the guests for the last week of episodes, but stopped short of sharing the final episode’s guest. Because of the mystery around the final guest, there was speculation online about who it might be, with rumors suggesting it could be Pope Leo XIV.
Colbert is an outspoken Catholic who has been open about his faith throughout his career, so some people speculated the final guest could be the Pope after Colbert said he would be his “white whale” guest.
Colbert played into the rumors, opening the guest segment with someone acting as Pope Leo XIV refusing to come out of his dressing room, because his rider (a list of demands or requirements that an artist sets) wasn’t met, including the quality of the hot dogs in the dressing room.
Ultimately, Paul McCartney joined Colbert for the final interview on the Late Show, discussing the former Beatle’s career and his upcoming album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane.
McCartney’s appearance was special, as the Beatles performed their first American show at the Ed Sullivan Theater, the same venue Colbert hosted the Late Show for 11 years. The musician gifted Colbert a signed photo of the group performing at the theater.
All eyes were on Colbert’s final show, as his fellow late-night hosts decided to air reruns in solidarity with Colbert, including Jimmy Kimmel.
One segment of the show was dedicated to joking about the end of late-night television. Numerous late-night hosts joined Colbert for the skit, including his fellow members of “Strike Force Five”: Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Oliver, and Seth Meyers.
The demise of the late-show comes at a challenging time for late-night television, as viewership declines from a developing media landscape and shifts away from cable news.
Colbert took over the Late Show in 2015 from long-time host, David Letterman.
STEPHEN COLBERT’S DEMISE, BY THE NUMBERS
The show started in 1993, bringing Letterman to CBS after 5 years of hosting Late Night with David Letterman on NBC. Since its inception, the show has featured numerous celebrities, political figures, and other notable figures.
The debut episode in 1993 featured Bill Murrary as the show’s first guest, and Billy Joel as its first musical act. As for Colbert’s first show in 2015, George Clooney was the first guest.
The show ended with Colbert joining McCartney to perform the Beatles’s classic, “Hello, Goodbye.”