As 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' ends, revisit these 10 memorable moments

In July of past year, CBS announced that “The Late Show” would beryllium ending aft much than 30 years connected air. It was an unexpected determination that continues to rise questions astir the motivations for the cancellation — CBS maintains it was a purely fiscal decision. Regardless, the amusement and big Stephen Colbert, who has been astatine the helm since 2015, are astatine the opening of the extremity with the bid slated to extremity Thursday.

Colbert has had a parade of bold look names look successful the last weeks, including erstwhile President Barack Obama; Strike Force Five a.k.a. the different late-night hosts, including Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver; Jon Stewart; Sally Field; Julia Louis-Dreyfus and, of course, erstwhile “Late Show” big David Letterman (while the interrogation is worthy watching, the wanton demolition of CBS spot mightiness beryllium the highlight).

It has been a memorable tally of shows, but determination were countless interviews and monologues implicit the years that made Colbert and “The Late Show” a must-watch. Here, our writers stock their favourite moments.

Emotional conversations astir grief and faith

Nick Cave, Aug. 13, 2024

Whatever gods of promotion and programming brought Colbert unneurotic with the Australian instrumentalist Nick Cave, it was indeed, successful the host’s ain words, “extraordinary.” Cave and his set the Bad Seeds had performed connected “The Late Show” successful 2017, but with an medium (“Wild God”) astir to merchandise and a publication of interviews (“Faith, Hope, and Carnage”), helium was present this clip to talk. The decease of 2 of his sons successful erstwhile years formed the background, but Cave’s themes are hopefulness and the joyousness that lives astatine the acold broadside of grief. He’s eloquent, and goes deep, and their speech has a late-night intimacy; it’s not successful immoderate consciousness entertainment. Colbert, for his part, is astatine his astir authentic; he’s not pushing for laughs, present and determination gathering connected thing Cave says, oregon quoting a verse of Leonard Cohen astir Jesus and drowning men, asking existent questions but mostly staying retired of the way. He’s visibly moved astatine the end, announcing to the viewers astatine location that they’ve seen lone a “scrap” of their talk, and the full happening volition beryllium online arsenic soon arsenic possible. (It inactive is.) — Robert Lloyd

Andrew Garfield, Nov. 22, 2021

When Andrew Garfield stopped by “The Late Show” during its seventh play to beforehand the Netflix philharmonic “Tick, Tick … Boom!,” helium offered the accustomed speech amusement impermanent talking points — discussing his mentation for the relation (in this case, the musicality required to play the precocious composer and playwright Jonathan Larson), told a comic communicative (about manager Lin-Manuel Miranda) and engaged with the assemblage (by singing arsenic they clapped along). Then things took an affectional crook arsenic Colbert, successful touching connected Larson’s death, asked Garfield astir his acquisition with grief with the caller passing of his parent and the healing quality of creation successful navigating it. The actor, his dependable somewhat shaky, gave a moving statement of grief arsenic “unexpressed love” that rapidly activated teardrop ducts. It was a sweet, tender and beauteous reminder of a cosmopolitan feeling. And it was impervious that precocious nighttime shows don’t ever person to marque you laughter — they tin assistance you consciousness too. — Yvonne Villarreal

Keanu Reeves, May 10, 2019

“I cognize that the ones who emotion america volition miss us.” That was histrion Keanu Reeves’ reply to Colbert’s astir innocuous question: “What bash you deliberation happens to america erstwhile we die, Keanu Reeves?” It was arsenic poignant and heart-wrenching arsenic thing helium said successful the full interrogation astir “John Wick 3,” the movie helium was determination to promote. Said astatine the extremity of the interrogation with nary a smirk, with thought down it and oculus interaction with Colbert that seemed to connotate much than conscionable a “here’s my answer” response, the big could lone grin a knowing grin and shingle Reeves’ manus arsenic the assemblage reacted with an “awww” that rang done the net with infinite memes and re-posts. — Jevon Phillips

Dua Lipa, Feb. 3, 2022

Colbert proved conscionable however malleable helium tin marque the late-night format during an interrogation with Dua Lipa. The popular star, coming disconnected the monolithic occurrence of her “Future Nostalgia” album, made an quality to ostensibly plug her tour, manner newsletter and publication podcast, but viewers were treated to thing much philosophical instead. The big gave her a level to talk thoughtfully astir the effects of the pandemic, her narration to books and, astatine 1 point, allowed her to inquire him immoderate she liked. She asked if his drama ever overlaps with his faith, thing Colbert has been unfastened about. “Does 1 ever triumph out?” she asked.

Colbert responded with a gag earlier expounding connected the ideas of emotion and sacrifice, however they subordinate to fearfulness and however drama is utilized arsenic an antidote. “If there’s immoderate narration betwixt my religion and my comedy, it’s that nary substance what happens you are ne'er defeated. You indispensable recognize and spot this successful the airy of eternity and find immoderate mode to emotion and laughter with each other,” helium told Lipa. It’s a thoughtful speech that could not beryllium connected different precocious nighttime programme — oregon with immoderate different TV personality, for that matter. — David Viramontes

Musicians and musicals

Bruce Springsteen, Oct. 25, 2021

Colbert had a lukewarm and respectful transportation with the musician, who appeared connected the amusement respective times. When the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer came connected successful 2021 to beforehand the unrecorded medium and movie merchandise of “The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts,” the big switched it up and grilled him with the Colbert Questionert, a bid of offbeat questions that produced astonishing and humorous responses. These included his favourite sandwich (“Peanut food and jelly, 3 a.m. with a large solid of milk”), favourite enactment movie (“Vanishing Point”), the opus helium would prime if helium lone had 1 opus to perceive to for the remainder of his beingness (“Summer Wind” by Frank Sinatra) and describing the remainder of his beingness successful 5 words (“Damn, what a f—ing ride!”). — Greg Braxton

A motion to ‘Fiddler connected the Roof,’ March 1, 2016

During the show’s monologue, Colbert was riffing connected Starbucks opening successful Italy erstwhile a mates and their lad sitting successful the assemblage interrupted him. “When does the singing start?” asked the father. The “Kansas family” (wink wink) thought they were going to spot the Broadway revival of “Fiddler connected the Roof.” Colbert quipped that the beloved philharmonic classical was playing crossed the thoroughfare from the Ed Sullivan Theater. Guests often got successful the incorrect line, helium said. As a consolation, Colbert offered to sing. While stumbling implicit the lyrics to “Matchmaker,” “Fiddler” formed members abruptly appeared connected stage, performing the opus with him; they closed down the fig with a rousing rendition of the amusement stopper “Tradition.” It was the benignant of unexpected spot that viewers tuned into “The Late Show” for — it was delightful and joyful. And Colbert got to amusement disconnected his philharmonic chops. — Stacy Perman

Nicki Minaj, Aug. 13, 2018

Nicki Minaj has ever been hailed arsenic 1 of the champion rappers of her clip (male oregon female), and though she’s precocious swerved into MAGA roadways, she visited “The Late Show” a mates of times. In astir apt 1 of the most-watched improvised rap segments ever connected a late-night TV show, Minaj raps astir however she would code radical successful nationalist oregon connected a opus if she and Colbert were to person a relationship. Colbert was flustered, to accidental the least, during the interrogation afterward. She returned to the amusement successful 2023 to conflict rap, and again, did a spot astir a imaginable narration — but Colbert made definite to notation his wife, Evie, successful his verse. — J.P.

Discussions astir America and politics

Ocean Vuong, July 28, 2025

Authors often radiance connected the leafage but tin beryllium lackluster connected camera. Then there’s writer and novelist Ocean Vuong, whose quality connected the amusement successful 2025 was similar a supernova. The MacArthur “genius grant” victor sparkled with sartorial borderline arsenic helium strutted crossed the signifier successful a achromatic tuxedo garment to sermon his publication “Emperor of Gladness.” His tiny achromatic braid bounced and his singular golden earring gleamed erstwhile Vuong delivered a hopeful soliloquy: “I’m not funny successful the American imagination arsenic we cognize it truthful overmuch arsenic I americium successful Americans who dream.” Colbert often emits sarcasm but successful this moment, helium fto Vuong’s earnestness instrumentality the spotlight. Vuong shared a representation astir watching speech shows portion moving astatine his mom’s nail salon. He delighted successful seeing his migrant parent and her co-workers, who sometimes worked 12 hr days, larn astir civilization and books from shows similar Colbert’s. “You bring civilization to moving people,” helium announced. And Colbert glowed, too. — Sophia Kercher

James Talarico, Feb. 16, 2026

Over the years, Colbert hosted a fig of politicians and planetary leaders, including presidents and archetypal ladies (Obama was the latest, successful aboriginal May). But it was an up-and-coming person who astir precocious made a large splash: James Talarico, the Texas State House typical who is present the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. However, this peculiar interrogation ne'er made it to broadcast due to the fact that Colbert said that CBS (read: its lawyers) told him the FCC’s adjacent clip regularisation meant it couldn’t air. Traditionally, speech shows person been exempt from specified rules, but that’s seemingly changed with the 2nd Trump medication and the FCC led by Brendan Carr. That didn’t halt Colbert and “The Late Show” from posting it connected YouTube, wherever the video has garnered much than 9 cardinal views to date. The brace discussed Talarico’s grassroots campaign, the contention involving erstwhile U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and confronting Christian nationalism. — Maira Garcia

The ‘big abdominous bribe’ monologue, July 14, 2025

We would beryllium remiss successful not mentioning the monologue that arguably led america to this moment. After taking immoderate clip disconnected for vacation, Colbert returned to the amusement with a recently acquired mustache grown during a abrogation successful Turkey. The spot astir the ‘stache goes on, garnering laughs from the audience, but past helium begins to code existent events, including Paramount’s colony with Trump, implicit a “60 Minutes” interview, to the tune of $16 million, which the big calls it a “big abdominous bribe.” While CBS maintains that Colbert’s amusement was yet canceled for fiscal reasons, it has been hard not to make a transportation betwixt the timing of this joke, Trump’s feelings astir the big and Skydance’s tendency to get regulatory support to get Paramount, the network’s genitor institution — which it yet got. — M.G.