NEW YORK (FN) — Stephen Colbert signed off from The Late Show on Thursday night with a surprise guest: Sir Paul McCartney. Together, the comedian and the legendary Beatle closed out the program’s 33-year run at the Ed Sullivan Theater with a spirited performance of “Hello, Goodbye.”
The finale capped Colbert’s 11 seasons as host, following David Letterman’s two-decade tenure. CBS announced last summer that the show would end, citing financial pressures in late-night television. The decision drew criticism from fans and even Letterman himself, who returned last week for one last rooftop stunt with Colbert — tossing furniture and watermelons onto a CBS logo, a nod to his own era.
Colbert opened the final broadcast with his trademark monologue, insisting it would be “business as usual” rather than a sentimental farewell. Celebrity cameos from Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, and Ryan Reynolds teased the mystery of who would be the last guest. At one point, Colbert joked that Pope Leo XIV was scheduled to appear, only for a staffer to announce the pontiff had refused to leave his dressing room. A hot dog tossed from behind the door was the only “papal” sighting.
The suspense ended when McCartney “happened to be in the area” and joined Colbert on stage. The two reminisced about The Beatles’ historic appearances at the same theater in the 1960s and the band’s first impressions of America. “It was where all the music we loved came from — rock ’n’ roll, the blues, the whole thing,” McCartney said. “America was just the land of the free, the greatest democracy. That’s what it still is, hopefully.”
The closing moments saw Colbert and McCartney backstage, turning off the lights of The Late Show for good. Outside, fans gathered under the marquee with signs reading “Thank You Stephen” and “Colbert for President.” Some traveled long distances to witness the finale, including one woman who flew overnight from Amsterdam without sleep.
In the days leading up to the finale, Colbert was showered with tributes from Hollywood and his late-night peers. Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver all stopped by. Fallon and Kimmel even declined to air new episodes on Thursday night in solidarity.
Colbert’s run was marked by sharp political commentary, particularly his criticism of President Donald Trump. While some speculated that political pressure played a role in CBS’s decision to cancel the show, the network maintained the move was “purely financial” and unrelated to content.
Launched in 1993 with Letterman, The Late Show became a cornerstone of American late-night television. Colbert’s finale, blending humor, nostalgia, and music, closed the curtain on one of the medium’s most influential stages.
