Stephen Colbert And His Staff Celebrate A Return To The Ed Sullivan Theater

By Andrew Sanford | TV | September 28, 2023 |

By Andrew Sanford | TV | September 28, 2023 |

My first job in NYC was as a bartender at The Broadway Theater on 53rd Street. That’s when I started smoking cigarettes (I don’t anymore). The other bartenders and I would venture outside and around the corner (so no one saw us smoking in our uniforms) and smoke while staring at two buildings. One was 1700 Broadway, home, at the time, to DC Comics. The other was The Ed Sullivan Theater.

David Letterman was still slinging jokes in the building at the time. It was filled with history, and more was being made in front of my eyes. One day, between shifts at work, I stepped outside to find a crowd forming. Everyone was waiting for a performance, so I waited, too. Because I did, I saw Paul McCartney perform on the marquee. The place is magic.

The theater is even more magic now that it is back to doing what it was built for. After five long months of the AMPTP pretending they didn’t have the money to pay people fairly (spoiler alert, they did), late-night shows will return within days. It is a momentous occasion and a reason for celebration. That’s exactly what Stephen Colbert (the current occupant) and his staff did.

So great to be back at The Ed Sullivan Theater with my Late Show staff and writers. Can’t wait to see you on Monday! pic.twitter.com/tAuCOEPQMs

— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) September 27, 2023

What you are witnessing there is an explosion of joy. These people’s lives were hanging in the balance as they fought for fair treatment. There were long, painful days and months of struggling and trying to stay positive. Now, it’s time for them to return to making memories for young city-goers looking for inspiration. It’s a good day.