Stephen Colbert hosted a Michigan public access show on Friday night, just one day after his final appearance on CBS's The Late Show. The comedian took over Only in Monroe in Monroe, Michigan, continuing his television hosting duties in a starkly different setting.
Colbert's Return to Monroe
Colbert had previously guest-hosted Only in Monroe in 2015, shortly before he began hosting The Late Show. In that episode, he interviewed Michigan rapper Eminem. On Friday evening, he returned to host again, welcoming guests Jack White and Jeff Daniels, with special appearances from Steve Buscemi, Eminem, and Byron Allen.
"It's been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV, so I am grateful to be able to be here on Monroe Community Media before they also get acquired by Paramount," Colbert joked.
The End of an Era
Colbert took over The Late Show in 2015 from David Letterman after hosting Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. His tenure ended this week when CBS canceled the 33-year-old network staple due to a financial decision by parent company Paramount. The final episode featured Paul McCartney and other celebrities, culminating in a goodbye with the entire crew as the lights were turned off in the Ed Sullivan Theater.
Last year, Paramount announced the cancellation as it sought approval for an $8bn merger with Skydance. The merger was delayed due to a lawsuit Trump filed against CBS's 60 Minutes. Paramount settled the lawsuit with a $16m donation to Trump's presidential library, a move Colbert called a "big fat bribe."
Political Backlash
Colbert had been one of the most outspoken late-night hosts criticizing Trump. Critics saw the show's cancellation as appeasement to the Trump administration. Trump posted an AI-generated video showing him throwing Colbert into a dumpster and later wrote on Truth Social that Colbert's firing was the "Beginning of the End" for late-night hosts.
Late-night shows have been losing viewership and revenue for years, and Trump has urged networks to fire hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers.
