Stephen Colbert reunited with fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver ahead of the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, creating a memorable send-off for the long-running program.
On Monday, May 11, the late night show host hosted fellow late-night stars for a joint appearance as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert nears its final episodes.
The group, previously behind the Strike Force Five podcast during the 2023 WGA strike, reunited to support Colbert ahead of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s May 21 finale and announced a special new podcast episode releasing May 13.
He later asked the hosts to defend the future of late-night TV, prompting reflections on the genre’s relevance, while Kimmel argued their combined TV and online audiences could exceed those of Johnny Carson.
"Why should you have to defend late night? I mean, why should that question even be asked?" Kimmel said.
He added, "You don't hear like Ryan Seacrest get asked that question about the Wheel of Fortune."
"I would actually like to hear Ryan Seacrest defend Wheel of Fortune," Oliver quipped.
Later, Colbert joked that his show would end before the others despite launching later than theirs.
"It's like when your young wife dies," Kimmel jumped in.
The hosts also invited Colbert to appear on their shows anytime after his ends.
Stephen Colbert will be joined by former host David Letterman on the May 14 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as he wraps up his 11-season run, which he announced will end after more than 30 years of the franchise.
