‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Is No More

It’s not just that all of this is happening because we have an egomaniacal snowflake in charge and a bunch of Wormtongue-like squares to do his bidding. There’s more to it than the slow but certain death of late-night talk shows, which has accelerated in recent years. I’m more than aware of the broader implications of everything going on! But, as I write this tonight, high off the sweet fumes of the last episode of The Late Show, the thing that makes it all so much worse is that Stephen Colbert is so freaking good at this.

He kicked off the final show with a clip show of late-night hosts through the decades, making fun of Colbert through selective quotes. It’s hilarious, and he fits right in there among them, as one of the best to ever hold the job. His skill was on full display the whole night. He delivers the monologue with punch and excitement, but isn’t afraid to lean in when a joke doesn’t land (and the crowd was surprisingly quiet during tonight’s opening). He’s also brimming with respect for the gig as he stands there, and it shows.

Colbert has also long been an incredible sketch actor, and those talents extend to his hosting abilities. He sells every bit with earnestness, something that was essential for the Colbert Report, but followed him to the Ed Sullivan Theater. However, he’s also able to break character in an instant and blow a kiss to his old friend Tim Meadows, who was just yelling at him for not being his final guest.

Oh, and what a final guest Colbert had. After teasing the audience with a Pope who I’m pretty sure was just Brian Stack with some hot dogs, the now-former host was joined by Paul McCartney. It was very fitting, given the history he made there 62 years ago. Even with the stakes of the final show, Stephen is dialed in, trying to have a lovely conversation with a music legend, but also getting him to open up for the audience. Not that Paul McCartney is a shy person, but Colbert doesn’t rest on his laurels. This is an interview (albeit a friendlier, late-night one).

Stephen also can’t help but wear his nerdy nature on his sleeve. There were teases throughout the night with some odd, green energy accompanied by a static interrupting the evening. It all eventually led to a pre-taped segment that featured a bevy of guest stars and an Einstein-Rosen Bridge that begins demolishing the Ed Sullivan Theater. The whole thing was really impressive and felt like a perfect summation of Colbert’s sensibilities. I’d love to see his team do some kind of sci-fi sketch show.

But he wasn’t done, either. After being sucked into the glowing portal, Stephen found himself in a dark room with his band leader, Louis Cato, Elvis Costello, and his former band leader, John Batiste, who got applause in the theater and in my home. They sang Costello’s song Jump Up, and I don’t know if I’ve seen Colbert happier. That is, until he and the other three men were back in the studio singing Hello, Goodbye with Paul McCartney. It was glorious.

Stephen Colbert is a wonderful, hilarious, passionate, kind, and emotional performer. He’s lived such a life and earned such a career that the outpouring of love and support following the news of his cancellation was immense, and has only increased in the months since. He deserves it. We’re lucky to have gotten to witness him excel the way he did, and while I’m certain that he will find other ways to perform and entertain, it’s a damn shame that we won’t see him behind that late-night desk anymore.

Thank you, Stephen.