Colbert’s penultimate – Stephen Colbert’s second-to-last “Late Show” aired Wednesday, May 20, with more than 10 major celebrities stopping by in a rapid-fire question segment, as Colbert’s final week heads toward the May 21 series finale.
Stephen Colbert didn’t wait for the last day to start counting down.
On Wednesday, May 20—his penultimate “The Late Show”—more than 10 major stars streamed onto the set one after another, each landing on a guest chair to ask Colbert a single question during his “Colbert Questionert” segment.
The setup was simple and almost ceremonial: the celebrities came in, fired off one question, and then handed the stage to the next person. The man introducing them was John Dickerson, a former anchor of “CBS Evening News,” who introduced the lineup as the show moved forward one cameo at a time.
Billy Crystal kicked things off with a joke about searching the stage—“I’m looking for something to take”—and “Weird Al” Yankovic. Josh Brolin. Martha Stewart. Mark Hamill. Jim Gaffigan. Jeff Daniels. Tiffany Haddish. Amy Sedaris. Ben Stiller. Aubrey Plaza. James Taylor and Robert De Niro all followed.
Many of the brief visits stayed light, but a few carried a sharper note as Colbert’s departure neared. Plaza, cradling her pregnant belly, quipped, “My water broke backstage. They said it was going to take a couple of hours. so I could still do this.” Stewart delivered sadness wrapped in humor. saying she was “sad because maybe I won’t be here again. ” before Colbert responded. deadpan. “You will not.”.
Brolin also brought a gift—a ship in a bottle—with a message that read, “May you always glide through life’s sometimes tumultuous waters.”
As the questions kept coming, Colbert answered with a mix of off-the-cuff preferences and more reflective thoughts. Asked in response to his own prompts. he said the best sandwich is pastrami on rye for most of the year. but a tomato sandwich on white bread during the summer. He named “Raiders of the Lost Ark” as his favorite action movie.
Then came a more personal line on what follows death. Colbert said, “I think there is some continuance of some kind, but it’s a dispersion of the self into some other greater being.”
Between the stars, his wife, Evelyn McGee, stepped onto the stage to ask him about his favorite smell. Colbert’s answer wasn’t abstract—it was McGee herself, specifically the rose-scented lotion she uses while they’re getting ready to go out.
The final question in the cameo sequence was administered by Dickerson: Colbert was asked to describe the rest of his life in five words. “My family, my friends, fun,” he said.
Music, and a blunt joke about the moment, landed late in the episode as well. The May 20 “Late Show” featured a performance by Bruce Springsteen. who said he was “here in support tonight for Stephen because you’re the first guy in America who lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke.”.
The series finale of “The Late Show” is scheduled for May 21. The episode is expected to include more A-list stars, though no guests have been officially announced.
Stephen Colbert The Late Show Late Show John Dickerson Colbert Questionert Billy Crystal Weird Al Yankovic Josh Brolin Martha Stewart Mark Hamill Robert De Niro Bruce Springsteen May 21 finale late night
This is gonna be sad… like why are all the best shows ending lately?
I saw the headline and assumed it was like a roast or something. But they’re just bringing on celebs to ask him questions?? Kinda weird to me lol. Still, De Niro being there is wild.
Wait so is it really his last week or did they already cancel it? Half the stuff I read says different things. Also Martha Stewart said she’s sad like… is she sick?? I’m confused. Glad Colbert said “you will not” though.
“Colbert Questionert” sounds like a made up theme but honestly I love it. The pregnancy joke had me like ok girl 😳 and a ship in a bottle??? that’s some theater kid energy. Also Billy Crystal searching the stage?? I think that was about the set not him?? idk I didn’t watch the whole thing, just saw clips.