Colbert's Final Countdown: Laughter, Tears, and a Farewell That Feels Like a Wake
Updated: May 20, 2026 / 1:35 AM ET By: Eric Deggans The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ends its run Thursday night, but the real goodbye has already begun. The final episodes are airing this week, and our critic-at-large, Eric Deggans, is tracking every moment of catharsis, chaos, and quiet reflection. Tuesday, May 19, 2026 — The Night the Past Came Home If you were watching Tuesday night , you weren't just watching a show. You were watching a wake — but the fun kind. The kind where old friends show up, roast each other, and then burst into song. Stephen Colbert welcomed Jon Stewart , his former boss and lifelong anchor. But this wasn't a standard reunion. It was a mirror. "We first worked together nearly 30 years ago," Colbert noted, referencing his time as a correspondent on The Daily Show . But Stewart, always the sharpest knife in the drawer, cut deeper: The two men realized they share a bizarre, bittersweet bond. They've both been canceled by Paramount. ...