Stephen Colbert bid farewell to CBS's The Late Show in an 80-minute finale packed with celebrity guests, including Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Bryan Cranston and Tig Notaro. The episode, which aired on [date not given], marked the end of the talk show franchise that began in 1993 with David Letterman.
CBS's decision to cancel the show, which was the No. 1 network late-night programme, has been attributed to financial reasons, though political motivations have been speculated. The network will replace it with Comics Unleashed, a syndicated series. Colbert used his final episode to address the change with humour, including a gag involving a dolphin confirming the decision was purely financial.
The finale featured a running joke about the identity of the final guest, with interruptions from actors such as Paul Rudd, Ryan Reynolds and Tim Meadows. Eventually, Paul McCartney appeared, recalling his 1964 performance at the Ed Sullivan Theater, the show's home. Colbert and McCartney discussed change and technology, but the highlight came when a green portal opened, leading to pre-recorded segments with Jon Stewart and fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver.
In the closing moments, Colbert fulfilled a decade-old wish by performing the obscure B-side track 'Jump Up' with Elvis Costello. The song, which Colbert had praised in a 2012 interview, served as a satirical and personal endnote to his tenure. The episode concluded with a bittersweet goodbye, leaving viewers to reflect on the show's legacy.
