Stephen Colbert’s final “Late Show” taping at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater on Thursday, May 21, drew a packed lineup of celebrities—from Paul McCartney and Ryan Reynolds to Jon Stewart and the “Strike Force Five.” The finale became a mix of comedy interrupti
The moment Paul McCartney sat down on Stephen Colbert’s couch, the farewell stopped feeling like a schedule and started feeling like a culmination.
It was Thursday, May 21, and the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York filled up for Colbert’s final taping of “The Late Show.” From McCartney to Ryan Reynolds and Paul Rudd, the guests arrived like they were trying to make sure the show didn’t just end—it landed.
The evening opened with Bryan Cranston. who interrupted Colbert during his monologue and. as part of the bit. eventually tossed his “Last Show” hat onto the stage in disgust. Not long after, Paul Rudd cut in from the audience. “I’m just curious when my interview starts. ” Rudd said—only for the joke to land in the wrong place for him. since he’d learned he wasn’t Colbert’s last guest.
In the front row, Tim Meadows watched that exchange and thought he, too, was the final-guest target.
Ryan Reynolds expected to be last—and did not get it. He was shocked when he realized he hadn’t claimed the final spot, saying “Ouchie.”
Tig Notaro was also in the theater crowd, explaining, “I just like to be at historic events.”
Then came the real final guest: Paul McCartney.
“I was just in the area, doing some errands,” McCartney said after taking his seat, before he and Colbert settled into a long interview.
McCartney looked back at why the Ed Sullivan Theater mattered to him, saying, “I just remember the girls in the balcony.” As some women yelled from the crowd, McCartney pointed in their direction and added, “Not you.”
He also said he wasn’t good with life changes, and he revealed that he hates having to update his iPhone.
Backstage, the tone shifted from remembrance to chaos.
Colbert ran into physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson after being summoned “for an emergency.” Colbert greeted him with, “Thank God, you’re here,” and Tyson answered, “Actually, thank science I’m here.”
Tyson then delivered the sci-fi explanation that the backstage space had a green portal, functioning as an interdimensional wormhole, and that it was threatening all of late-night TV.
Tyson framed the threat in theatrical terms, saying, “Your cancellation has created a rift in the comedy-variety-talk continuum!”
Jon Stewart—another Comedy Central partner—also stepped in, arriving to read a statement from Paramount that the company “strongly believes in covering both sides” of the black hole.
The set then pulled in “Strike Force Five,” with Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon reassembled to investigate the green portal serving as a metaphor for the end of “The Late Show,” and to offer advice to Colbert.
Meyers joked, “Without you, where will Americans turn to see a middle-aged white man make jokes about the news?” Kimmel quipped that a portal opened at his show last year, but it “went away after about three days,” pointing to his September suspension.
When Oliver made a slight about “more ‘Lord of the Rings’ crap” from Colbert, the camera moved to show mustached Elijah Wood backstage, who pretended to be insulted by the dig.
Andy Cohen also appeared, and was sucked into the wormhole at the end of the segment.
The finale moved back into music with an acoustic sequence: Colbert played with Elvis Costello, Jon Batiste, and current band leader Louis Cato.
After their song, McCartney took the stage to conclude the night with a performance of The Beatles’ hit “Hello, Goodbye.” Colbert, Batiste, Costello, and Cato all added vocals.
The weeks leading up to Colbert’s final taping had already turned into a parade of famous faces. Former President Barack Obama was the sole guest on May 5, with another segment from the interview airing on May 13. The “Strike Force Five” podcast reunion with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver landed on May 11.
On May 14. original “Late Show” host David Letterman returned for the entire show and threw CBS property off the Ed Sullivan Theater roof. On May 19, longtime friend and former Comedy Central colleague Jon Stewart and director Steven Spielberg appeared. On May 20, Bruce Springsteen was the star musical guest.
A host of celebrities also participated in “Colbert Questionert. ” each sitting in Colbert’s host chair. asking a single question before handing things off to the next person. The guests included Billy Crystal. “Weird Al” Yankovic. Josh Brolin. Martha Stewart. Mark Hamill. Jim Gaffigan. Jeff Daniels. Tiffany Haddish. Amy Sedaris. Ben Stiller. Aubrey Plaza. James Taylor. Robert De Niro. and “CBS Evening News” anchor John Dickerson.
The last “Late Show” didn’t just close a chapter. It packed the theater with interruptions, sci-fi threats, and familiar voices, then ended on a Beatles song—because for Colbert’s final night, the farewell wanted to sound like a singalong.
Stephen Colbert The Late Show Paul McCartney Ed Sullivan Theater Ryan Reynolds Paul Rudd Neil deGrasse Tyson Jon Stewart Strike Force Five Seth Meyers John Oliver Jimmy Kimmel Jimmy Fallon