The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Work in TV & Film
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has come up in 4 episodes across 4 podcasts in TMT, including Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, The Megyn Kelly Show, Strike Force Five. 3 people have made recorded remarks about it.
What people said
Stephen ColbertAmerican comedian and host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Colbert said the show consumes most of his mental energy, so he has no firm plans until it ends.
“This show takes all of my mind. Like, 95% of my mind every day to do this show”
Strike Force Five: Ep 13: Strike Force Five Returns to Celebrate Stephen Colbert (May 13, 2026) · Listen from 6:12
Colbert recounted performing two shows on the night his appendix burst, with producers shielding him from the audience during breaks.
“My appendix burst and I did two shows, actually. It was a two-show night”
Strike Force Five: Ep 13: Strike Force Five Returns to Celebrate Stephen Colbert (May 13, 2026) · Listen from 3:44
Colbert said he came on SmartLess because early episodes sounded like enormous fun and he admires what the hosts built.
“every one of these I heard, I thought, that sounds like enormous fun to go on. And I underplayed how fun it is to talk to you guys. I admire what you guys have built”
SmartLess: "Stephen Colbert" (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:01:05
Colbert said he remains happy and grateful for eleven years of the show and is already missing his colleagues.
“Still very happy and grateful to have done the show for 11 years. Of course. And pre-missing everyone”
SmartLess: "Stephen Colbert" (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 30:06
Glenn GreenwaldAmerican journalist
Greenwald argues Colbert's show failed because it only appealed to viewers who shared his anti-Trump politics.
“You would never go to see Stephen Colbert if you weren't sharing his anti-Trump politics. And this is why the show failed”
The Megyn Kelly Show: Colbert's Hissy Fit Farewell Tour, Xi's Ominous Comment, and Murdaugh's New Trial, with Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 1318 (May 15, 2026) · Listen from 13:00
Greenwald suggests CBS canceled Colbert partly to avoid liberal programming while it needed things from the Trump administration, though the show also lost money.
“part of why they fired Colbert is because they didn't want very liberal programming on”
The Megyn Kelly Show: Colbert's Hissy Fit Farewell Tour, Xi's Ominous Comment, and Murdaugh's New Trial, with Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 1318 (May 15, 2026) · Listen from 5:12
Megyn KellyConservative broadcaster and podcaster
Kelly says Colbert's show was losing about $40 million a year, making its continuation professional malpractice.
“they were losing 40 million dollars a year. I mean, 40 million”
The Megyn Kelly Show: Colbert's Hissy Fit Farewell Tour, Xi's Ominous Comment, and Murdaugh's New Trial, with Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 1318 (May 15, 2026) · Listen from 7:53
Coverage over time
Podcasts
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! · 1 episode
- The Megyn Kelly Show · 1 episode
- Strike Force Five · 1 episode
- SmartLess · 1 episode
Episodes
Brandi Carlile helps us say goodbye to Bill Kurtis!Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! · May 23, 2026 · 47 min
Peter Sagal and panelists Negin Farsad, Luke Burbank, and Paula Poundstone play news games with guest Brandi Carlile as Bill Kurtis ends his 12-year run.
Colbert's Hissy Fit Farewell Tour, Xi's Ominous Comment, and Murdaugh's New Trial, with Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 1318The Megyn Kelly Show · May 15, 2026 · 1 h 43 min
Megyn Kelly and Glenn Greenwald discuss Stephen Colbert's farewell, fame, Kamala Harris, Trump's China summit and Iran war, the Murdaugh retrial, and 'pretendians.'
Ep 13: Strike Force Five Returns to Celebrate Stephen ColbertStrike Force Five · May 13, 2026 · 48 min
Late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver reunite to celebrate Stephen Colbert during the final week of The Late Show.
"Stephen Colbert"SmartLess · Apr 6, 2026 · 1 h 5 min
Stephen Colbert joins the SmartLess hosts for their 300th episode to discuss sketch-comedy beginnings, the end of his Late Show, and Lord of the Rings fandom.