Stephen Colbert had an enormous 2025 — and he’s obtained one massive lesson to share after getting by means of it.
Whereas talking to Andy Cohen, 57, and Anderson Cooper, 58, throughout their New Year’s Eve coverage on CNN, Colbert was requested to mirror on the previous 12 months.
“A lot has occurred within the final yr of your life, I’m curious what you left final yr, having realized? What was the foremost lesson that you just realized?” Cohen requested.
In response, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert host, 61, quipped, “What did I be taught? Don’t belief billionaires!”
Colbert teamed up with The Traitors host Alan Cumming in April 2025 to carry out a parody music “Billionaires Are Truly Good” on an episode of The Late Present.
“All these billionaires are having an outsized affect on our politics lately,” Colbert stated on the present whereas introducing the music. He added, “So your authorities understands what you’re going by means of, people. They’ve to purchase eggs too. Fabergé eggs. However nonetheless.”
The late-night host then questioned, “Why do in addition they want political energy and rocket launches and everybody to see them in magazines trying all jacked-up and sexy?”
Colbert went on to counsel the rich have been making an attempt to fill an “emotional void” and that the existence of the music may assist. The music’s lyric overtly mocked the super-rich’s pursuits.
“Some individuals say we must always eat the wealthy/ I don’t blame them, they give the impression of being delish,” the pair sang. “Shut up purchase their self-driving automobiles/ And if you happen to’re fortunate you’ll be their slave on Mars.”
Two months later, Colbert introduced that CBS had axed The Late Show, with the ultimate episode wrapping after the 2025/2026 season after a decade on air.
Stephen Colbert. (Photograph by Michael Buckner/Selection through Getty Photographs)
“Earlier than we begin the present I need to let one thing that I came upon simply final night time. Subsequent yr will likely be our final season, the community [CBS] will likely be ending The Late Present in Could,” Colbert stated earlier than the taping of the July 17 episode of the present.
Because the viewers booed, he continued: “I share your emotions. It’s not simply the top of our present nevertheless it’s the top of The Late Present on CBS. I’m not being changed. That is all simply going away. I do need to say that the oldsters at CBS have been nice companions … And I’m grateful to the viewers, you, who’ve joined us each night time, in right here, on the market, and all around the globe.”
Co-CEO of Paramount World and President and Chief Govt Officer of CBS George Cheeks, President of CBS Leisure Amy Reisenbach and President of CBS Studios David Staph addressed the cancellations in an announcement on the time.
“The Late Present with Stephen Colbert will finish its historic run in Could 2026 on the finish of the printed season. We think about Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and can retire The Late Present franchise at the moment,” the assertion learn. “We’re proud that Stephen referred to as CBS residence. He and the printed will likely be remembered within the pantheon of greats that graced late night time tv.”
CBS got here beneath hearth after canceling Stephen Colbert‘s The Late Present — however when does the final episode air? Colbert, 61, took over internet hosting the Late Present franchise following David Letterman’s step again in 2015 and celebrated almost a decade on the air earlier than surprising viewers with the cancellation information. “Earlier than we begin the present […]
Colbert spoke additional in regards to the finish of his Late Present stint during an interview with GQ magazine in November 2025.
“Pay attention, each present’s obtained to finish at a while,” Colbert informed GQ. “And I’ve been on a bunch of reveals which have ended generally by our lights and generally by the choice of different individuals. And that’s simply the character of present enterprise. You may’t fear about that. You bought to be an enormous boy about that. However I feel we’re the primary primary present to ever get canceled.”
That being stated, Colbert admitted that he beloved doing the present however may even really feel a “sense of aid” that it’s ending.
“I like what we do and I like the grind,” he stated. “You may solely do considered one of these reveals, do the jokes each night time, yr after yr for 20 years, if you happen to give a rattling in any respect about what you’re speaking about. And I do. However there’s a sense of aid that I may not should placed on the snorkel and get into the sewer daily.”
