Colbert finale prompts CBS donation after unlicensed 'Linus and Lucy'
Stephen Colbert wrapped up The Late Show on May 21, 2026, and things got interesting when his band played Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" without a license.
Colbert joked about possible lawsuits during the show, and sure enough, CBS ended up making a donation to Chef Jose Andres's World Central Kitchen.
Colbert arranged $2.5 million gift
The rights holder said the donation was meant to highlight the importance of music licensing.
This follows a $2.5 million gift Colbert arranged for the same charity just one night earlier.
The finale also marked the end of Colbert's 11-year run. Paramount maintained the decision was purely financial, not political after he called their Trump lawsuit settlement "a big, fat bribe."
Up next: Colbert is teaming up with his son Peter on a Lord of the Rings project.