All articles tagged with #the late show
Stephen Colbert made his first late-night appearance since CBS canceled 'The Late Show' by appearing as a guest on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on Tuesday. He joked about his former network, shaved his beard on air, and expressed relief at no longer having to cover the news daily. The show won its final Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series the previous night.
Stephen Colbert won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series for 'The Late Show' at the 78th ceremony, marking a final victory for the program canceled by CBS in May 2026. Colbert used the speech to advocate for his writing staff, urging producers to hire them, and highlighted the show's role as a training ground for young talent. The win capped an 11-season run that ended amid political controversy and financial disputes involving Paramount and President Trump.
Beatles drummer Ringo Starr has maintained a minimalist diet for decades, favoring a sandwich consisting solely of goat cheese and bread. During a 2021 appearance on 'The Late Show,' he explained that he avoids cow-derived dairy because he believes the molecules are too large for human digestion, preferring goat products instead. This preference has been highlighted in recent social media recreations of his meal.
Ringo Starr told The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that his go-to sandwich is a two-ingredient goat cheese on bread and that he avoids cow dairy because the molecules are 'too big,' a claim not scientifically established.
Stephen Colbert returned to Instagram two months after ending The Late Show to wish his dog Benny a happy seventh birthday, a pet that has long been a fan favorite on the show. Colbert had teased Benny’s on-set antics in the past and has since popped up publicly for a few appearances as he shifts focus to family and other projects.
CBS disclosed that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert loses about $40 million per year, and that Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed operates under a 'time buy' in which Allen pays CBS about $15 million annually to lease the 11:30 PM hour and sell the ads himself, a structure CBS says turned the hour from a loss into a profit (a roughly $55 million swing). The revelation comes amid ongoing debate over Colbert's cancellation and the successor's early ratings; Comics Unleashed drew about 878,000 viewers across two half-hours, far below Colbert's finale's 6.74 million, underscoring the challenges in late-night television.
After CBS canceled The Late Show, Stephen Colbert launched a YouTube channel and posted his May 22 hosting gig on the Michigan public access show Only in Monroe. The episode featured guests like Jack White, Eminem, Jeff Daniels, Steve Buscemi and Byron Allen, who has bought Colbert’s CBS timeslots. CBS says the Monroe episode was financed by CBS Studios and posted in collaboration with Monroe Community Media and The Late Show’s YouTube channels, and, while typical takedown notices were paused for this episode, they plan further review of enforcement.
Trump claimed Colbert had ‘no ratings’ even as Colbert’s Late Show farewell drew about 6.74 million viewers—the show's strongest in years—well above recent averages; the piece notes Trump amplified the dispute with an AI-generated clip of Colbert being dumped in a dumpster, illustrating how his online strategy leans on imagery over data.
Paul McCartney joined Stephen Colbert for CBS’s The Late Show finale, sharing memories and performing Hello, Goodbye as a slew of cameos—including Bryan Cranston, Ryan Reynolds and Jon Stewart—helped close out Colbert’s 11-year run. The network cited economic reasons for ending the show, and the broadcast leaned into surreal, celebratory moments—from a faux Pope cameo to a snow-globe theater gag—as Colbert bid farewell to late-night TV.
Stephen Colbert’s final Late Show episode included a subtle dig at Donald Trump (he never named him) during a Paul McCartney interview about the Beatles’ Ed Sullivan Theater debut, with Colbert quipping about makeup and the era’s orange glow, and closing with a playful nod to Tolkien’s Shire. The night also featured Trump’s Truth Social rant praising Colbert’s end and anti-Trump protests outside the Ed Sullivan Theater, all set against CBS’s earlier characterization of its cancellation as a financial decision.
On the penultimate Late Show, Stephen Colbert subjected himself to his own Colbert Questionert as a slate of famous guests—Billy Crystal, Weird Al Yankovic, Josh Brolin, Martha Stewart, Mark Hamill, Jim Gaffigan, Jeff Daniels, Tiffany Haddish, Evie McGee Colbert, Amy Sedaris, Ben Stiller, Aubrey Plaza, James Taylor, and Robert De Niro—ask him the 15 questions, with John Dickerson moderating. Highlights include Crystal naming Katz’s pastrami as the best sandwich, Brolin’s fear of trapdoor spiders, Colbert recalling an autograph moment with Steve Martin, and his love of Raiders of the Lost Ark as his favorite action movie, plus personal quirks like preferring aisle seats on planes. He also shares the line he gave for describing his life in five words: “My family, my friends, fun.” The piece notes the long-running bit’s guests and invites readers to watch past Questionerts.
Bruce Springsteen used The Late Show’s penultimate episode to blast Donald Trump and Stephen Colbert’s bosses, accusing them of kissing Trump’s backside to get what they want, and performing an acoustic Streets of Minneapolis as Colbert’s era at CBS nears its end amid ongoing controversy over the network’s leadership and the show’s cancellation.
Donald Trump said he would have a message for Stephen Colbert at a later date as Colbert braces for the final Late Show episode; CBS canceled The Late Show for financial reasons, prompting coverage of reactions from other late‑night hosts and Colbert’s own post‑show plans.
On Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel urged fans not to tune into CBS for Stephen Colbert’s final Late Show, quipping “Don’t Ever Watch It Again” while praising Colbert and saying he’ll be watching the finale; the finale airs May 21, 2026, with reruns on other late-night programs, and the piece notes The Late Show’s ending was a financial decision by CBS/Paramount linked to a Trump-related settlement.
Stephen Colbert says CBS’s abrupt ending of The Late Show wasn’t his choice, but he’s framed it as a chance to pause, regroup, and pursue other projects (including a Lord of the Rings script) while spending time with family; with three episodes left, staff must vacate the Ed Sullivan Theater as CBS defends the decision as financial, drawing support from Letterman and fellow hosts.