The Late Show with Stephen Colbert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Late Show with Stephen Colbert |
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| Created by | David Letterman |
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| Directed by | Jim Hoskinson |
| Presented by | Stephen Colbert |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 10 |
| No. of episodes | 1,690 (list of episodes) |
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| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 40 minutes |
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| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | September 8, 2015 – present |
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The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is a popular American late-night talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert. It first aired on September 8, 2015. This show is part of the long-running Late Show series on CBS. It is filmed in New York City at the Ed Sullivan Theater, the same place where the previous Late Show with David Letterman was made. New episodes are usually shown Monday through Thursday evenings.
Stephen Colbert became the host in April 2014 after David Letterman decided to retire. Before this, Colbert hosted a show called The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. In that show, he played a funny character who made fun of news commentators. Because of his background, The Late Show often focuses on discussing and making jokes about current events, especially American politics. Many of Colbert's team from his old show joined him, and Jon Stewart, who hosted The Daily Show, became an executive producer.
The Late Show has been the most-watched late-night talk show in America for nine seasons in a row as of 2025. This is the longest time any show in the franchise has held the top spot. Since 2019, it has also attracted more viewers in important age groups than The Tonight Show.
On July 17, 2025, CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would be ending. The entire Late Show franchise, which ran for 33 years, is set to retire in May 2026. CBS explained this decision as "purely financial." However, the announcement caused some discussion because the show is very popular. Some people also wondered if it was related to the merger of Skydance and Paramount or if there were political reasons, as Colbert often criticized the Trump administration.
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The Start of Stephen Colbert's Late Show
Before Stephen Colbert took over, David Letterman hosted The Late Show for 22 years, starting in 1993. Letterman joined CBS after hosting Late Night on NBC.
Over time, the audience for Letterman's show grew older. CBS wanted a host who could attract younger viewers, like those watching The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Stephen Colbert's previous show, The Colbert Report, was very popular with college students and young adults. This made him a great choice for the new host.
On April 3, 2014, David Letterman announced he would retire. A week later, on April 10, 2014, CBS announced that Stephen Colbert would be the new host. He signed a five-year contract. Unlike his old show where he played a character, Colbert hosts The Late Show as himself. His old show, The Colbert Report, ended on December 18, 2014.
There was a discussion about moving The Late Show from the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City to Los Angeles. However, CBS decided to keep the show in New York. The city offered tax benefits and money to help renovate the theater. On June 4, 2015, Jon Batiste was announced as the bandleader, and his band Stay Human became the new house band.
Getting Ready for the Show
Before The Late Show started, a new online presence was created in June 2015. This included social media pages, a podcast, and a mobile app. They also released videos, like one where Stephen Colbert talked about the beard he grew after his old show ended. These videos were shared on the show's official YouTube channel. In July 2015, Colbert even hosted a special TV show in Monroe, Michigan, where he interviewed the famous rapper Eminem.
How The Show Is Made
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Stephen Colbert has a lot of control over his show, with little interference from CBS. He brought most of his team from The Colbert Report to The Late Show. Jon Stewart, who hosted The Daily Show, also joined as an executive producer. Colbert no longer plays a character; he hosts the show as himself.
The Ed Sullivan Theater was fully restored to look like it did in 1927. This included uncovering the theater's original ceiling and stained-glass windows. New technology allowed them to use less equipment, so the beautiful architectural details of the auditorium could be seen again.
On April 13, 2016, Chris Licht became the showrunner for The Late Show. A showrunner helps manage the daily production of a TV series. CBS wanted to improve the show's online presence. The Hollywood Reporter thought Licht's experience in news would help Colbert's focus on current events.
Colbert and CBS renewed his contract on October 17, 2019, extending it until August 2023.
Changes During the Pandemic
On March 12, 2020, the show stopped filming in the studio because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Starting March 30, 2020, the show was produced from Colbert's home. It was called A Late Show with Stephen Colbert or A Late Show with Stephen at Home. From August 10, Colbert filmed the show from a smaller set in the building's office tower, which looked like his own office, but without a studio audience.
On May 24, 2021, Colbert announced that the show would return to the theater with a fully vaccinated audience starting June 14, 2021. The Ed Sullivan Theater became the first Broadway theater to reopen to full capacity. The Late Show was also the first late-night talk show to announce a return to a full audience. With the return to the theater, the show went back to its original name, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The show's introduction originally showed New York City scenes that made the city look like a miniature model. In September 2021, The Late Show introduced a new intro. It featured a drone camera flying around the theater and backstage areas.
On February 26, 2022, Chris Licht left the show to become the new chairman and CEO of CNN. On August 11, 2022, Colbert announced that bandleader Jon Batiste would not be returning to the show. Batiste wanted to focus on his own projects. Louis Cato replaced him as the new bandleader.
On May 2, 2023, The Late Show paused production because of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Colbert supported the writers, saying he was a member of the guild and believed in collective bargaining (when workers negotiate together for better conditions). He hoped both sides would reach an agreement. Colbert continued to pay his staff during the strike.
In late 2023, The Late Show paused for a few weeks after Colbert had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix.
Full episodes of the show from about a month ago are available on Paramount+. Official clips from the show since 2015 are available on the show's YouTube channel.
Special Live Shows
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Most episodes of The Late Show are filmed before they are broadcast. However, the show sometimes airs live for important news events. These have included live shows during Election Days, presidential nominating conventions, presidential debates, and State of the Union speeches. For example, during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the show filmed a week of live episodes from the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
On January 6, 2021, the show broadcast a live episode to share Colbert's reaction to the attack on the United States Capitol that day. Besides political events, live episodes have also aired after major NFL games, including the 2024 AFC Championship Game and Super Bowls in 2016 and 2024.
How the Show Works
The show usually starts with a short funny sketch or a quick monologue (a speech by Colbert) before the main opening. After the opening, Colbert comes out and performs a stand-up monologue. This part often includes jokes about recent news, especially politics.
Like other late-night talk shows, The Late Show also features sketch comedy, interviews with guests, and musical performances. Colbert often interviews more political and government figures than other hosts. His early guests included politicians like Jeb Bush, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Donald Trump, and Ted Cruz.
Colbert does not have a regular sidekick on the show. While he interacts with his bandleader, Louis Cato, they don't have long conversations like some other hosts and their bandleaders. Sometimes, Colbert brings out producers or audience members to help with short segments.
Notable Episodes and Moments
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In the show's very first episode, Colbert welcomed actor George Clooney and politician Jeb Bush. He also thanked former host David Letterman and joined singer Mavis Staples and other musicians for a song. An early interview with Vice President Joe Biden was highly praised.
After the terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015, Colbert dedicated his entire show to the city. A special football-themed episode aired after Super Bowl 50 in 2016. It featured guests like President Barack Obama (in a recorded part), Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Will Ferrell, and Megyn Kelly.
In June 2016, The Late Show broadcast two weeks of live episodes during the Republican and Democratic conventions. These episodes were praised for bringing back the news-focused comedy style of Colbert's previous show. Jon Stewart also made appearances during these live shows.
On November 8, 2016, Colbert hosted a live election night special on CBS's sister channel, Showtime. The special featured guests like Laura Benanti (who impersonated Melania Trump), Jeff Goldblum, and Elle King.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the show was produced from Colbert's home, his wife, Evelyn "Evie" McGee-Colbert, often appeared on the show. She helped keep Colbert's energy up by reacting and laughing, just like a studio audience would.
On November 3, 2020, Colbert produced another Showtime election special. This special won an Emmy Award in 2021 for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
Where to Watch Internationally
In Canada, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs on Global. In Australia, the show airs on Network 10. In Southeast Asia, it aired on RTL CBS Entertainment. In India and Sri Lanka, the show airs on STAR World Premiere HD. In Portugal, it airs on SIC Radical. In Germany, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has aired since January 2020 on Sat.1 Emotions. In South Africa, the show airs on free-to-air e.tv. The American Forces Network broadcasts the show without commercials to United States military personnel stationed overseas.
See also
In Spanish: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert para niños
