‘I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD END LIKE THIS… BUT I’M GRATEFUL FOR EVERY SECOND.’” — Stephen Colbert Late-night television is bracing for an emotional final chapter as Stephen Colbert prepares to deliver his final episode of The Late Show on May 21, bringing one of television’s most influential eras to a heartbreaking close. What began as a simple farewell has now turned into a massive industry-wide moment, with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel reportedly taking their own shows dark in a powerful sign of support during Colbert’s final broadcast. Fans across social media are calling it more than the ending of a talk show — they’re calling it the quiet collapse of an entire generation of late-night television. And as the countdown begins, the emotion surrounding Colbert’s goodbye is already becoming one of the most unforgettable moments TV has seen in years.
The TV hosts’ decision shows support for Colbert ahead of his last episode on May 21.
Stephen Colbert’s late-night comrades are clearing the way for his goodbye.
On Tuesday, People reported that “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will skip a new episode on May 21 — the same night “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” airs its finale. Instead, Fallon’s show will air a rerun in solidarity.
The move follows news that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will also forgo a new episode that night, opting for a repeat in honor of Colbert’s final farewell on late-night television.
Kimmel made the same gesture back in 2015, when he chose not to air a new episode as Colbert’s predecessor on “The Late Show,” David Letterman, retired from the CBS program. Letterman is also scheduled to appear as a guest on Colbert’s show this coming Thursday.
Since CBS unexpectedly canceled Colbert’s program last summer, Kimmel, Fallon, plus fellow late-night hosts Seth Meyers and John Oliver have fiercely rallied behind him.
The group — who teamed up for the “Strike Force Five” podcast during the 2023 Hollywood strikes — reunited on Colbert’s show on Monday to tease a special “emergency” episode, set to be released on Wednesday, May 13.
The final episode of “The Late Show” is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, at 11:35 p.m. ET. Moving forward, the late-night slot will be replaced by Byron Allen’s comedy show, “Comics Unleashed.”
Editor’s note: BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti announced Monday evening that Allen Family Digital, led by Byron Allen, is acquiring a majority stake in BuzzFeed, HuffPost’s parent company.
