One night after recording his final episode of “The Late Show,” Stephen Colbert appeared on Michigan’s “Only in Monroe” community access program, turning a local broadcast into a Michigan-flavored reunion with Jack White, Jeff Daniels and other guests.
Stephen Colbert didn’t just end his run from a studio stage in New York—he carried the spotlight to a community access set in southeast Michigan, right on the shores of Lake Erie.
One night after recording what he described as his final episode of “The Late Show” on CBS, Colbert surprised viewers by hosting the “Only in Monroe” program during its broadcast.
Michigan native Jack White—who grew up in Detroit about 40 miles northeast of Monroe—joined Colbert as his “volunteer music director.” White sat in on the jokes and the musical setup as Colbert told him. “Looking forward to hearing some of your music. time permitting. ” prompting laughter from a small group off camera.
During the hourlong broadcast, Colbert interviewed actor Jeff Daniels and the conversation leaned hard into Michigan references. Actor Steve Buscemi appeared in a recorded bit that joked about Buscemi’s Pizza in Monroe.
Rapper Eminem also appeared on tape. In the segment, he was cast as the “fire marshal,” approving the destruction of remnants of the set—something Colbert, White and Daniels carried out at the end of the show.
Colbert also spoke via FaceTime with comedian Byron Allen, who is scheduled to host “Comics Unleashed,” a program set to replace Colbert’s canceled “Late Show.”
The program’s normal hosts. Michelle Baumann and former Miss America Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson. were part of the central comedic moment: they sucked helium from balloons with Colbert while discussing Baumann’s battle with cancer. A warning appeared on-screen saying, “Former professional TV host, do not try this at home.”.
It was the second time Colbert has hosted “Only in Monroe.” During the surprise Friday broadcast, he said he previously hosted an episode in the summer of 2015, just before he took over “Late Night” from David Letterman.
It wasn’t clear where or when Colbert recorded the latest episode, which aired exactly 24 hours after his final “Late Night” show. Messages left Saturday seeking comment from the community access channel were not immediately returned.
Stephen Colbert Only in Monroe community access TV Michigan Jack White Jeff Daniels Eminem Byron Allen Steve Buscemi Lake Erie