Trending Now - Colbert Bids Farewell to Late-night With Star-studded Sendoff

WHO:

Rolling Stone TV Movies - President Trump referred to Stephen Colbert as "no talent, no ratings, no life" in a post on Truth Social after Colbert's final episode.

IJR - President Trump hinted that "others, of even less talent, to soon follow" Colbert's departure.

NY Post - The invitation for Colbert's afterparty specified attire as "Fired & Festive!" and read, "That's a Wrap! (Party)."

Fast Company - Colbert's wife, Evie McGee Colbert, was present during the final show.

The Guardian - Byron Allen, who will host "Comics Unleashed," stated he is not trying to replace Colbert, calling him "phenomenal" and "fantastic."

NY Post - The invitation for Colbert's afterparty specified attire as "Fired & Festive!"

Fast Company - Colbert highlighted the "joy" his team felt creating over 1,800 episodes of "The Late Show."

Screen Rant - President Trump threatened other late-night hosts, stating, "May they all Rest In Peace!"

Screen Rant - Stephen Colbert, Donald Trump

NY Post - Mark Hamill, Drew Barrymore, Paul McCartney, Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Tig Notaro, Ryan Reynolds, Michael Keaton, Jon Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Steven Spielberg, David Byrne, Bruce Springsteen, Evie McGee Colbert, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Elijah Woods, Pete Buttigieg

Fox News - President Trump

WHAT:

Fast Company - Colbert's final episode was described as "ambitious" and included a performance of "Jump Up" with Elvis Costello, Jon Batiste, and Louis Cato.

Fast Company - The final episode featured a skit where Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV was his last guest, who refused to appear due to a lack of the correct snacks.

Fast Company - Colbert's final episode included a segment where he was asked questions by various celebrities, including Mark Hamill, Martha Stewart, Ben Stiller, and Robert De Niro.

Fast Company - The final episode featured a humorous skit where Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV was his last guest, but the character refused to appear due to a lack of the correct snacks, specifically hot dogs.

The Guardian - Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed" has been running for 20 years and will not include political humor, focusing instead on making people laugh.

Fast Company - Colbert's final episode included a performance of "Hello, Goodbye" with Paul McCartney, who offered a framed photo of the Beatles at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

Fast Company - The final episode featured a skit where Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV was his last guest, who refused to appear due to a lack of the correct snacks.

Fast Company - Colbert's final show ran approximately 17 minutes over its scheduled time.

Fast Company - Colbert's final episode included a segment where he was asked questions by various celebrities, including Mark Hamill, Martha Stewart, Ben Stiller, and Robert De Niro.

Fast Company - Colbert's final show was described as "ambitious" and ran approximately 17 minutes over its scheduled time.

Fast Company - The final show included a performance of Elvis Costello's "Jump Up" alongside former bandleader Jon Batiste and current bandleader Louis Cato.

Fast Company - Colbert's last episode was filled with surprises and technical glitches, including stray sounds and glitches.

Fast Company - During the final show, Colbert encountered a reason for the technical issues in a pre-taped bit involving an interdimensional wormhole explained by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Fast Company - Colbert's final episode included a performance of Elvis Costello's "Jump Up" alongside former bandleader Jon Batiste and current bandleader Louis Cato.

Fast Company - The final episode featured a humorous skit where Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV was his last guest, but the character refused to appear due to a lack of the correct snacks.

Fast Company - Colbert's final show was described as "ambitious" and ran approximately 17 minutes over its scheduled time.

Fast Company - Colbert's final episode was described as "ambitious" and ran approximately 17 minutes over its scheduled time.

The Guardian - Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed" has been airing in a different time slot for 20 years and will now take over Colbert's former slot.

The Guardian - CBS will fill "The Late Show" time slot with "Comics Unleashed," hosted by Byron Allen, starting the day after Colbert's final episode.

The Guardian - Byron Allen will pay CBS for the time slot through a 16-month-long lease agreement while selling advertising for "Comics Unleashed."

The Guardian - CBS executives stated that the deal to move up Allen's show will provide "immediate profitability" for the network.

Fast Company - Stephen Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" aired after 11 seasons, featuring over 1,800 episodes.

Fast Company - Colbert performed "Hello, Goodbye" with Paul McCartney during the final broadcast.

Fast Company - The final show included appearances by celebrities such as Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, and Tim Meadows.

Fast Company - Colbert's last episode was filled with surprises and technical glitches.

Fox News - President Trump criticized Colbert on Truth Social, calling him "no talent" and "no ratings."

Rolling Stone TV Movies - Trump stated, "Thank Goodness He’s Finally Gone!" regarding Colbert's departure.

WHERE:

Fast Company - The final afterparty for "The Late Show" took place at an NYC event space.

Fast Company - The final broadcast occurred at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

NY Post - The invitation for Colbert's afterparty read, "That's a Wrap! (Party)" and specified attire as "Fired & Festive!"

NY Post - The final afterparty for "The Late Show" took place at an NYC event space, with an invitation that read, "That's a Wrap! (Party)" and specified attire as "Fired & Festive!"

NY Post - The final afterparty for "The Late Show" took place in New York City.

Fast Company - The final broadcast occurred at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

WHEN:

Sportskeeda - Stephen Colbert officially ended his 11-year run as host of The Late Show on May 22, bringing to a close a late-night franchise that had existed for 33 years.

Spin Magazine - The final episode of "The Late Show" aired on May 21.

Fast Company - CBS announced the cancellation of Colbert's show the previous summer.

WHY:

Fast Company - CBS executives stated that the cancellation of "The Late Show" was driven by financial reasons, despite Colbert being the ratings leader in late-night TV.

Fast Company - CBS executives stated that the decision to cancel "The Late Show" was driven by financial reasons, despite Colbert being the ratings leader in late-night TV.

Fast Company - CBS cited economic reasons for the cancellation of "The Late Show," despite Colbert being the ratings leader in late-night TV.

Fast Company - CBS cited financial reasons for the cancellation of "The Late Show," with a specific mention of a $16 million settlement related to Trump's lawsuit.

Fast Company - CBS executives stated that the decision to cancel "The Late Show" was driven by financial reasons, despite Colbert being the ratings leader in late-night TV.

Fast Company - CBS cited financial reasons for the cancellation of "The Late Show," with a specific mention of a $16 million settlement related to President Trump's lawsuit.

Fast Company - CBS cited economic reasons for the cancellation of "The Late Show."

Fast Company - Colbert expressed skepticism that Trump's criticism of the show influenced its cancellation.

HOW:

The Guardian - Byron Allen will pay CBS for the time slot through a 16-month-long lease agreement while selling advertising for "Comics Unleashed."

The Guardian - Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed" has been running for 20 years and will not include political humor, focusing instead on making people laugh.

The Guardian - Byron Allen stated that he is paying CBS millions of dollars for the time period of "Comics Unleashed," which he claims is a profitable arrangement for both parties.

The Guardian - Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed" has been running for 20 years and will not include political humor, focusing instead on making people laugh.

Fast Company - Colbert's final episode included a performance with Paul McCartney and a humorous skit involving a fictional Pope.

Fast Company - The final show featured a segment where Colbert was asked questions by various celebrities, including Mark Hamill and Robert De Niro.

(UPDATED May 23, 2026 15:17 UTC)

President Trump took to Truth Social to criticize Stephen Colbert, calling him "no talent, no ratings, no life," following Colbert's ambitious final episode of The Late Show, which featured a performance of "Jump Up" with Elvis Costello and others. In his post, Trump also hinted that "others, of even less talent, to soon follow" Colbert's departure, which marks the end of an 11-year run for the host and a late-night franchise that lasted 33 years. CBS executives have cited financial reasons for the show's cancellation, despite Colbert's status as the ratings leader in late-night television.

(UPDATED May 23, 2026 11:17 UTC)

In a heartfelt farewell, Stephen Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" featured celebrity questions from stars like Mark Hamill and Robert De Niro, along with a humorous skit about a fictional Pope refusing to appear due to snack issues. Following the show, an afterparty in New York City celebrated Colbert's tenure, where guests were invited to dress in "Fired & Festive!" attire. As CBS transitions to Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed," which will focus on humor without politics, the network cited financial reasons for the cancellation, despite Colbert's strong ratings.

(UPDATED May 23, 2026 04:12 UTC)

Stephen Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" aired at the Ed Sullivan Theater and featured a memorable performance of "Hello, Goodbye" with Paul McCartney, who presented a framed photo of the Beatles at the venue. The show, which ran approximately 17 minutes over its scheduled time, included a humorous skit where Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV was his last guest, but he declined to appear due to a snack shortage. CBS announced the cancellation of "The Late Show" for economic reasons, even though Colbert had been the ratings leader in late-night television, and Byron Allen will take over the time slot through a 16-month lease agreement while promoting "Comics Unleashed."

(UPDATED May 23, 2026 01:31 UTC)

Stephen Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" featured a star-studded lineup of celebrities, including Mark Hamill, Martha Stewart, Ben Stiller, and Robert De Niro, and was described as "ambitious," running about 17 minutes over its scheduled time. The show included a humorous skit where Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV was his last guest, who humorously declined to appear due to a lack of hot dogs, and also showcased a performance of Elvis Costello's "Jump Up" with former bandleader Jon Batiste and current bandleader Louis Cato. CBS announced the cancellation of "The Late Show" citing financial reasons, including a $16 million settlement related to Trump's lawsuit, while Colbert's afterparty invitation playfully read, "That's a Wrap! (Party)" with attire specified as "Fired & Festive!"

(UPDATED May 22, 2026 21:20 UTC)

In a memorable finale, Stephen Colbert's last episode of "The Late Show" featured a performance of Elvis Costello's "Jump Up" alongside both former bandleader Jon Batiste and current bandleader Louis Cato, while also showcasing a humorous skit where Colbert pretended that Pope Leo XIV was his final guest, only for the character to decline due to a snack shortage. The ambitious show ran about 17 minutes over its scheduled time, and the final afterparty in New York City had a playful invitation that read, "That's a Wrap! (Party)" with a dress code of "Fired & Festive!" CBS executives revealed that the decision to cancel "The Late Show" was based on financial reasons, despite Colbert's status as the ratings leader in late-night television.

(UPDATED May 22, 2026 19:26 UTC)

President Trump has issued a bold threat to other late-night hosts, declaring, "May they all Rest In Peace!" Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" was described as "ambitious" and ran about 17 minutes over its scheduled time, while CBS has decided to cancel the show due to financial concerns, including a $16 million settlement tied to Trump's lawsuit. In a significant shift, Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed," which has been airing in a different time slot for 20 years, will now take over Colbert's former slot, with Allen stating that he is paying CBS millions for this arrangement, which he believes is beneficial for both parties.

(UPDATED May 22, 2026 17:34 UTC)

CBS has announced that "Comics Unleashed," hosted by Byron Allen, will take over "The Late Show" time slot starting the day after Stephen Colbert's final episode. Allen will pay CBS through a 16-month lease agreement while selling advertising for the show, which has been entertaining audiences for 20 years without political humor. CBS executives believe this move will lead to immediate profitability for the network.

(UPDATED May 22, 2026 15:52 UTC)

Stephen Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" aired after 11 successful seasons, featuring a memorable performance of "Hello, Goodbye" with Paul McCartney and appearances by stars like Bryan Cranston and Paul Rudd. In a twist, President Trump took to Truth Social to criticize Colbert, calling him "no talent" and expressing relief that he was "finally gone." The final broadcast, which was filled with surprises and technical glitches, took place at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, with the afterparty following nearby.