Hours after leaving CBS, Stephen Colbert returns to television in a surprise Michigan show | Today’s news
Stephen Colbert wasted no time getting back in front of the cameras after ending his 11-year run on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, making a surprise appearance on local Michigan public access program Only in Monroe just one day after his CBS farewell.
Stephen Colbert is back on TV 23 hours after leaving CBS
Aired from Monroe, Michigan, the unexpected broadcast featured a distinctly low-budget but deliberately playful format that echoed traditional late-night television while incorporating the idiosyncrasies of community broadcasting. Colbert was joined during the program by Jack White, who served as the show’s “volunteer musical director”.
The appearance immediately attracted attention online due to its timing. Colbert had just signed off from The Late Show, which ended after CBS and parent company Paramount decided to cancel the program following years of declining late-night TV revenue and broader restructuring within the media industry.
Colbert opened the Michigan broadcast with characteristic sarcasm, joking, “It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV,” adding that he’s grateful to appear at Monroe Community Media “before Paramount gets them too.”
The program featured appearances by several notables, including Jeff Daniels, Steve Buscemi and Eminem, along with a virtual appearance by Byron Allen, whose comedy program is slated to replace Colbert’s CBS timeslot. Much of the humor drew heavily on local Michigan culture, complete with jokes about regional food, discussions of local events, and improv comedy sketches.
For longtime followers of Colbert’s career, the look had symbolic meaning. In 2015, shortly before taking over The Late Show from David Letterman, Colbert also hosted Only in Monroe as an experimental warm-up for his CBS debut.
Broadcasting from Michigan also became a savvy means for Colbert to address the controversy surrounding the cancellation of his late-night show. While Paramount has publicly called the decision a financial one, speculation has persisted in parts of the entertainment industry that political tensions may have played a role, particularly after Colbert’s repeated criticism of former US President Donald Trump and Paramount’s reported settlement in connection with the Trump lawsuits.
