After Stephen Colbert’s final “Late Show,” the iconic marquee sign that once hung outside the Ed Sullivan Theater has a new, unexpected home—on the rooftop of WeHo Bistro in West Hollywood—after an auction purchase intended to support World Central Kitchen.
The moment the “Late Show” sign disappeared from its place outside the Ed Sullivan Theater, fans could feel the era slipping away. Now, that same towering illuminated marquee is back in view—just not in New York.
On Monday. June 29. WeHo Bistro in West Hollywood announced on Instagram that it had acquired the massive sign at auction and placed it atop the restaurant. The restaurant said it wanted the piece of television history to stay in public view after learning that the auction proceeds would benefit humanitarian nonprofit World Central Kitchen.
The sign had spent nearly 11 years greeting viewers outside the Ed Sullivan Theater during Stephen Colbert’s run as host of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” This time, the familiar glow belongs to the restaurant’s rooftop, at least for a while.
WeHo Bistro said the marquee would remain on its rooftop for about two weeks before moving indoors to a permanent spot on one of the dining room walls, where visitors will be able to view it year-round.
“For more than a decade. millions of people welcomed Stephen Colbert into their evenings through The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. ” the restaurant wrote in its post. “When we learned the sign was being auctioned to benefit World Central Kitchen. we knew it should remain somewhere it could continue to be seen. appreciated. and shared with everyone.”.
A crowded auction that kept the sign in the conversation
The auction earlier this year drew intense attention, with 170 bids before the winning purchase was secured. Afterward, the restaurant said it wanted to preserve the sign in a place where fans could continue to enjoy it.
“Beginning today. the sign will spend approximately two weeks on our rooftop before moving to its permanent home on the wall of WeHo Bistro. where everyone will be able to enjoy it for years to come. ” the restaurant said. “Once it’s in place, stop by, take a photo, and share a little of that late-night magic with us.”.
The sign first went up for sale during an April “Late Show Home Shopping” comedy segment featuring Colbert and fellow late-night host Jon Stewart. While presenting the sign to viewers. Colbert joked. “Buy this. and. like me. you can have ‘The Late Show’ hanging over your head for the rest of your life.”.
The end of Colbert’s run—and the kind of farewell that lingered
The sign’s new home arrives weeks after “The Late Show” aired its final episode, bringing Colbert’s nearly 11-year tenure to a close and ending a franchise that began with David Letterman in 1993.
During the emotional finale. Colbert was joined by a celebrity lineup that included Ryan Reynolds. Paul Rudd. Elvis Costello. former bandleader Jon Batiste and surprise final guest Paul McCartney. The show concluded with Colbert and McCartney performing the Beatles’ “Hello, Goodbye” on the Ed Sullivan Theater stage.
Fans who attended the taping described the atmosphere as both celebratory and emotional. Audience member Ray Lingenfelter of Eugene, Oregon previously said, “There was a lot of emotion,” adding that it was “a very sentimental show” filled with surprise cameos and heartfelt tributes.
Even after the broadcast ended, Colbert kept showing up in unexpected places. One day after the finale. he surprised viewers by appearing on a Michigan public-access television program—a lighthearted cameo that longtime fans said reinforced the feeling that while the late-night institution had closed. Colbert himself wasn’t disappearing from the spotlight anytime soon.
With the sign now perched on a West Hollywood rooftop, the franchise’s look has found a new address—one that keeps the glow visible to the public even as the show itself has moved on.
Stephen Colbert Late Show sign WeHo Bistro Ed Sullivan Theater World Central Kitchen late-night television marquee sign auction