The Late Show's Final Episode Features Sir Paul McCartney
Stephen Colbert concluded the final episode of The Late Show with a special appearance by Sir Paul McCartney, marking the end of the programme's historic 33-year run.
On Thursday night, Sir Paul and Colbert reflected on The Beatles' past performances at New York's Ed Sullivan Theater and shared memories of the band's tours across the United States.
The duo closed the show with a rendition of "Hello, Goodbye," as The Late Show's crew and staff joined them on stage to take their final bows.
Cancellation Announcement and Colbert's Tenure
CBS announced the unexpected cancellation of The Late Show in July of the previous year. Colbert had hosted 11 seasons after succeeding David Letterman, who had led the late-night comedy show since its inception in 1993.
Colbert's Farewell Episode and Guest Speculations
Colbert began the final episode with his customary monologue, informing the audience that it would be business as usual rather than a "special" farewell edition.
Throughout the show, speculation grew regarding who would be Colbert's final guest.
Actors Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, and Ryan Reynolds made cameo appearances, each hoping to be the last guest, but were ultimately informed they did not make the final cut.
The Pope Leo XIV Sketch
A devout Catholic, Colbert had expressed a desire to interview Pope Leo XIV for his final segment.
As he began introducing his last guest as someone from "the Vatican," a staff member interrupted, explaining that Pope Leo was refusing to leave his dressing room.
"We didn't read his whole rider, and we didn't get him his snacks," the staffer said.
The audience only saw an arm extend from behind a dressing room door labeled "Pope Leo XIV," which then discarded a hot dog.
"The Pope, who was definitely my guest tonight, has cancelled. We already sent the other stars away. This is terrible," Colbert said. "Who's going to be my last guest now?"
Sir Paul McCartney Joins as Final Guest
It was revealed that Sir Paul McCartney happened to be "in the area" and joined Colbert to discuss returning to the Ed Sullivan Theater and his initial impressions of touring the US with The Beatles.
"The US was where all the music we loved came from, all the rock 'n' roll, the blues and the whole thing...America was just the land of the free, the greatest democracy," Sir Paul said.
"Yes, that was what it was. That's what it still is, hopefully," he added.
Following their spirited performance of "Hello, Goodbye," the show’s final moments featured Colbert and Sir Paul backstage, turning off the lights of The Late Show for the last time.
Fans Gather Outside the Ed Sullivan Theater
Outside the Ed Sullivan Theater, fans assembled beneath The Late Show's illuminated marquee one last time, holding signs reading "Thank You Stephen" and "Colbert for President."
"We're just very sad that Stephen's leaving, and it's just going to leave a big hole in America," Sarah Thompson told the BBC. "Because you need to laugh at the end of the day."
Wendy Sloan, who was in Amsterdam on Thursday morning, booked an eight-hour flight to New York, enduring zero sleep to attend Colbert's final show.
"I would have really done anything to be here today," she said.
Tributes from Celebrities and Colleagues
In the days leading up to the final taping, numerous star guests paid tribute to Colbert's more than a decade-long leadership of the show.
David Letterman, a vocal critic of CBS's cancellation decision, returned last week as one of Colbert's final guests.
The two reprised a popular segment from Letterman's tenure, throwing furniture and watermelons off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater onto a CBS logo.
Other notable guests included Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, and Colbert's late-night peers Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver, all of whom showed their support.
Fallon and Kimmel announced last week that they would not air new episodes of their shows on the night of Colbert's finale as a mark of respect.
Speculation on Cancellation Reasons
Colbert had become one of US President Donald Trump's most vocal critics on late-night television, leading some to speculate that political pressure influenced the decision to end his show.
However, CBS stated last year that the cancellation was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night [television]" and "is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters."
