Trending Now - Stephen Colbert's Departure Marks the End of an Era in Late Night

WHO:

ABC News Business - Colbert's youngest son, John, graduated from Yale University.

CNN - Colbert's brother, Tommy, is getting married in Washington, DC.

The Hollywood Reporter - Jon Stewart brought Stephen Colbert a gift of two recliners during his final appearance on "The Late Show."

The Hollywood Reporter - Andra Day performed her song "Rise Up" as part of Jon Stewart's tribute to Colbert.

CNN - Colbert's youngest son, John, graduated from Yale University.

CNN - Colbert's brother, Tommy, is getting married in Washington, DC.

CNN - Colbert confirmed he is co-writing a new “Lord of the Rings” movie for Warner Bros alongside his son, Peter McGee.

The Guardian - Jon Stewart humorously suggested that Colbert would enjoy watching "Matlock" in the recliners he gifted him.

The Hollywood Reporter - Jon Stewart brought Stephen Colbert a gift of two recliners during his final appearance on "The Late Show."

The Hollywood Reporter - Andra Day performed her song "Rise Up" as part of Jon Stewart's tribute to Colbert.

The Guardian - Hugh Jackman sang a parody of Neil Diamond’s "Sweet Caroline" during Colbert's farewell.

The Guardian - Bette Midler performed a satirical rewrite of "Wind Beneath My Wings" as part of the farewell celebrations.

The Guardian - John Lithgow wrote and recited a poem entitled "The Mighty Colbert" during the farewell.

The Guardian - Jake Tapper hand delivered a painting of Colbert as Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings."

ComingSoon.net - Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show"

ComingSoon.net - Stephen Colbert, host of "The Late Show"

NY Post - Andra Day, surprise guest

WHAT:

CNN - Colbert has confirmed that he is co-writing a new “Lord of the Rings” movie for Warner Bros alongside his son, Peter McGee.

CNN - Colbert stated, “I could see creating a show,” but he has not committed to a specific format.

CNN - Colbert has received offers for new work but has not been ready to consider them while finishing "The Late Show."

CNN - Colbert announced that he had first approached Peter Jackson about the "Lord of the Rings" movie idea two years earlier.

The Hollywood Reporter - Jon Stewart humorously suggested that Colbert would enjoy watching "Matlock" in the recliners he gifted him.

The Guardian - Hugh Jackman sang a parody of Neil Diamond’s "Sweet Caroline" during Colbert's farewell.

The Guardian - Bette Midler performed a satirical rewrite of "Wind Beneath My Wings" as part of the farewell celebrations.

The Guardian - John Lithgow wrote and recited a poem entitled "The Mighty Colbert" during the farewell.

The Guardian - Jake Tapper hand delivered a painting of Colbert as Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings."

CNN - Colbert has received offers for new work but has not been ready to consider them while finishing "The Late Show."

CNN - Colbert stated, “I could see creating a show,” but he has not committed to a specific format.

The Guardian - CBS will replace "The Late Show" with "Comics Unleashed," a syndicated talk show featuring stand-up comedians.

The Guardian - Trump stated on his Truth Social platform, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.”

Fox News - "The Late Show" was reportedly losing CBS around $40 million per year.

The Guardian - CBS's cancellation of "The Late Show" was announced in July, just three days after Colbert mocked a $16 million legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump.

The Guardian - Colbert's final episode will feature a series of tributes from various celebrities, including performances and poems.

The Guardian - CBS's decision to cancel "The Late Show" was described as a “purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” according to CBS.

ABC News Business - Colbert's run on "The Late Show" ends Thursday, marking the conclusion of his on-air feud with President Trump.

CNN - Colbert announced that he had first approached Peter Jackson about the "Lord of the Rings" movie idea two years earlier.

The Guardian - CBS claimed the cancellation of "The Late Show" was a “purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.”

The Guardian - Trump responded to the cancellation by stating on his Truth Social platform, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.”

The Guardian - CBS will replace "The Late Show" with "Comics Unleashed," a syndicated talk show featuring stand-up comedians.

CNN - Colbert has confirmed that he is co-writing a new “Lord of the Rings” movie for Warner Bros alongside his son, Peter McGee.

CNN - The movie will draw from “the six chapters early on in ‘The Fellowship’” that director Peter Jackson did not adapt in the original trilogy.

The Guardian - Colbert's final episode will air on May 21, 2026, marking the end of a 33-year television institution that began with David Letterman.

The Guardian - CBS announced the cancellation of "The Late Show" in July, just three days after Colbert mocked a $16 million legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump.

The Guardian - The Late Show will be replaced by "Comics Unleashed," a syndicated talk show featuring stand-up comedians.

ComingSoon.net - Jon Stewart joined Stephen Colbert on the third-to-last night of "The Late Show"

NY Post - Jon Stewart gifted Stephen Colbert a surprise serenade from Andra Day

WHEN:

The Guardian - Colbert's final episode will air on May 21, 2026, marking the end of a 33-year television institution that began with David Letterman.

The Guardian - Colbert's final episode will air on May 21, 2026.

ComingSoon.net - "The Late Show" will air its final episode on May 21, 2026

WHY:

The Guardian - CBS's cancellation of "The Late Show" was announced in July, just three days after Colbert mocked a $16 million legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump.

CNN - Colbert has dismissed the idea of running for president, calling it “stupid” during a conversation with Barack Obama.

The Guardian - CBS claimed the cancellation of "The Late Show" was a “purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.”

NY Post - The event was part of the farewell celebrations for Stephen Colbert as he concludes his long-running show

HOW:

The Hollywood Reporter - Jon Stewart's tribute included a performance by Andra Day as a going-away present for Colbert.

CNN - Colbert's "Lord of the Rings" project was confirmed by Peter Jackson during an interview at the Cannes Film Festival, stating that Colbert had approached him about the idea two years earlier.

The Hollywood Reporter - Jon Stewart humorously suggested that Colbert would enjoy watching "Matlock" in the recliners he gifted him.

The Guardian - CBS's cancellation of "The Late Show" came just three days after Colbert mocked a $16 million legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump.

The Guardian - CBS's decision to cancel "The Late Show" came just three days after Colbert mocked a $16 million legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump.

NY Post - Jon Stewart's surprise included a performance by Andra Day as a going-away present for Colbert

(UPDATED May 21, 2026 08:10 UTC)

Colbert's youngest son, John, has graduated from Yale University, while his brother, Tommy, is set to marry in Washington, DC. In an exciting development, Colbert has confirmed he is co-writing a new “Lord of the Rings” movie for Warner Bros with his son, Peter McGee, and he announced that his final episode of "The Late Show" will air on May 21, 2026, marking the end of a 33-year television legacy. As a farewell, Jon Stewart paid tribute to Colbert with a special performance by Andra Day, celebrating his impactful career.

(UPDATED May 21, 2026 04:18 UTC)

In a heartfelt farewell to Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart surprised him with a gift of two recliners, humorously suggesting they would be perfect for watching "Matlock." The tribute featured an emotional performance of "Rise Up" by Andra Day, along with a parody of Neil Diamond’s "Sweet Caroline" by Hugh Jackman and a satirical rewrite of "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler. Additionally, John Lithgow recited a poem titled "The Mighty Colbert," while Jake Tapper presented a painting of Colbert as Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings."

(UPDATED May 21, 2026 01:38 UTC)

In a proud moment for Stephen Colbert, his youngest son, John, has graduated from Yale University, while his brother, Tommy, is set to tie the knot in Washington, DC. Colbert has received offers for new projects but is focused on wrapping up "The Late Show," mentioning that he could envision creating a new show without committing to a specific format just yet. Additionally, during a conversation with Barack Obama, Colbert dismissed the notion of running for president as “stupid,” and Peter Jackson confirmed Colbert's "Lord of the Rings" project, revealing that Colbert had approached him about it two years ago.

(UPDATED May 20, 2026 21:28 UTC)

Stephen Colbert has confirmed that he is co-writing a new "Lord of the Rings" movie for Warner Bros with his son, Peter McGee, while also facing the end of his tenure on "The Late Show," which will air its final episode on May 21, 2026. CBS has decided to replace "The Late Show" with "Comics Unleashed," a new syndicated talk show featuring stand-up comedians, citing financial challenges in the late-night landscape. In response to Colbert's departure, Trump expressed his approval on Truth Social, stating, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.”

(UPDATED May 20, 2026 19:40 UTC)

In a heartfelt farewell, Jon Stewart gifted Stephen Colbert two recliners during his final appearance on "The Late Show," humorously suggesting that Colbert could enjoy watching "Matlock" in them. The tribute also featured a performance of Andra Day's inspiring song "Rise Up." This comes after CBS announced the cancellation of "The Late Show," which had reportedly been losing the network around $40 million annually.

(UPDATED May 20, 2026 17:55 UTC)

In a heartfelt farewell to "The Late Show," Stephen Colbert was honored with a series of tributes from celebrities, including Hugh Jackman singing a parody of "Sweet Caroline," Bette Midler performing a satirical version of "Wind Beneath My Wings," and John Lithgow reciting a poem titled "The Mighty Colbert." Additionally, Jake Tapper presented a painting of Colbert as Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings" during the celebrations. This emotional send-off comes just days after CBS announced the cancellation of the show, citing a “purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” following Colbert's recent comments on a legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump.

(UPDATED May 20, 2026 16:10 UTC)

Colbert's run on "The Late Show" will come to an end this Thursday, marking the conclusion of his on-air feud with Trump, who responded to the cancellation by saying on his Truth Social platform that he "absolutely love[s] that Colbert got fired." CBS has stated that the decision to cancel the show was a purely financial one, occurring just three days after Colbert mocked a $16 million legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump. Following the cancellation, CBS plans to replace "The Late Show" with "Comics Unleashed," a new syndicated talk show featuring stand-up comedians.

(UPDATED May 20, 2026 13:50 UTC)

Stephen Colbert has confirmed that he is co-writing a new “Lord of the Rings” movie for Warner Bros with his son, Peter McGee, which will explore the six chapters early on in “The Fellowship” that director Peter Jackson did not adapt in the original trilogy. In a significant shift for late-night television, Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" is set to air on May 21, 2026, marking the end of a 33-year institution that began with David Letterman. Following the cancellation of "The Late Show" in July, just days after Colbert's comments on a legal settlement involving CBS's parent company and Trump, the program will be replaced by a new syndicated talk show called "Comics Unleashed."

(UPDATED May 20, 2026 10:05 UTC)

Jon Stewart made a special appearance on "The Late Show" alongside Stephen Colbert, marking the third-to-last night of the beloved program. As part of the farewell celebrations for Colbert, Stewart surprised him with a heartfelt serenade from Andra Day, making for a memorable moment. "The Late Show" is set to air its final episode on May 21, 2026, bringing an end to Colbert's long-running tenure.