Colbert Bids Farewell to 'Late Show' with McCartney Finale

Stephen Colbert hosted his final episode of The Late Show on Thursday night after CBS canceled the long-running program. The finale featured Paul McCartney as the last guest, performing 'Hello Goodbye' alongside Colbert and other celebrities such as Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Ryan Reynolds, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon.

The show aired for a final time following CBS's decision last summer. Industry observers contended that the move was tied to Colbert’s relentless criticism of Trump, announced after Paramount settled a lawsuit filed by Trump for $16 million. The finale extended nearly 30 minutes beyond its usual one-hour runtime and included cameos from fellow late-night hosts.

Colbert made subtle jabs at Paramount and CBS throughout the show. Technical glitches culminated in the appearance of a black hole backstage, where Colbert confronted his future alongside Jon Stewart. Before the official start, Colbert addressed the audience, thanking the staff and calling the show 'The Joy Machine'. He downplayed the event's significance but was repeatedly interrupted by an emotional audience.

One of the few subtle references to President Trump came when McCartney relayed a story about the Beatles getting their faces covered with bright orange makeup before their appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show'. Colbert quipped, 'That’s pretty popular in certain circles these days.' The show ended with Colbert and McCartney going to the light box of the theater and pulling the lever to 'off', causing the theater to vanish into a green wormhole.

McCartney also performed alongside fellow musicians Elvis Costello and Jon Batiste. He shared stories about the Beatles' 1964 performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was filmed on the same stage as The Late Show. McCartney spoke about his after-show routine of a cheese and pickle sandwich with a margarita.

Colbert's final monologue included performances of 'Hello Goodbye' and Costello's 1997 song 'Jump Up'. The episode marked the end of Colbert's 11-year run on CBS’s late-night show, which debuted in 1993 and was originally hosted by David Letterman.

Colbert engaged in some clever misdirection during his monologue, claiming the finale would be a “regular episode” before teasing an appearance by Pope Leo. The show featured cameos from celebrity pals and culminated with a green portal opening in the studio, described as a wormhole by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Colbert was joined by Jon Stewart and other late-night hosts for a final performance of 'Hello Goodbye' alongside Paul McCartney.

The finale was part of a farewell extravaganza that had been unfolding for weeks, with A-listers such as Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Barack Obama appearing on the show. The end of The Late Show felt like a grand funeral for late night and the collective culture it once represented.

Colbert never stopped ridiculing Trump or the suits at CBS and its parent company, Paramount, whose decision to end his show coincided with a Paramount-Skydance merger that required FCC approval. The cancellation of The Late Show has been seen as part of a broader decline in mainstream platforms for humor that skewers the powerful.

The finale also highlighted the variety-show roots of late night, with Colbert's final music lineup including pop stars, country titans, rock bands, and Broadway greats. The show reflected on the limitations of the genre, particularly its failure to make room for hosts who weren't white, male, middle-aged avatars of societal defaults.

As traditional late-night shows face extinction, Colbert's finale served as a reminder of the value of collectivity, spontaneity, irreverence, ritual, and variety that once characterized television. The show offered an entertaining reprieve from political divisions and reminded viewers of the stakes involved in maintaining a functional society.