Colbert invites 'Late Night' hosts Kimmel, Fallon, Meyers, and Oliver
What's the story
Stephen Colbert recently welcomed Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver as guests on The Late Show. This reunion is a nod to their previous collaboration on the Strike Force Five podcast during the 2023 WGA strike. The group celebrated Colbert's final weeks at the Ed Sullivan Theater ahead of his show's last episode on May 21. Meanwhile, this episode will air on Wednesday, May 13.
Show defense
'You don't hear Ryan Seacrest get asked that question'
During their appearance, Colbert asked his guests to defend the relevance of late-night shows. Kimmel argued that their combined viewership would surpass that of Johnny Carson's audience. He questioned why such a defense was even necessary, saying, "You don't hear like Ryan Seacrest get asked that question about the Wheel of Fortune." Oliver jokingly added, "I would actually like to hear Ryan Seacrest defend Wheel of Fortune."
Show finale
'It's like when your young wife dies...'
The conversation took a humorous turn when Colbert pointed out that his show is ending before the others, despite starting later. Kimmel joked, "It's like when your young wife dies." The hosts also invited Colbert to guest on their shows after his final episode. Notably, former Late Show host David Letterman will be a guest on the Thursday episode.
Show conclusion
CBS pulled the plug on Colbert's show
Colbert, who took over from Letterman in 2015, announced the end of his talk show on July 17, 2025. CBS described it as "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night." This came days after Colbert criticized the network's parent company, Paramount, for its $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over an alleged deceptive edit of an interview with Kamala Harris on CBS News's 60 Minutes.
Future projects
Meanwhile, Colbert is working on a 'LOTR' movie
Despite his show ending, Colbert is not stepping away from the limelight. In March, he announced his next project: a new Lord of the Rings film. He will be writing it with his son Peter Colbert and LOTR veteran Philippa Boyens. "All you can do as, I'll use a loaded term here, an artist is follow your heart," he told The Hollywood Reporter.