Stephen Colbert’s last show on Thursday night featured a star-studded lineup to send him off, less than a year after CBS announced the stunning cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He had already welcomed a cavalcade of big names in his final weeks, including hosting his fellow late-night hosts from other networks as well as close friend Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen and David Byrne.
The interview lineup for Thursday’s final episode had been a closely guarded secret, though, and it didn’t disappoint.
His intro showed snippets of monologues from just about every late night host to ever do it, from his predecessor, David Letterman, to the late, great Johnny Carson to Arsenio Hall to Joan Rivers. While they were not, perhaps, special guests, they did add to the gravitas of the final show and allowed Colbert, a man with great respect for history, to give a nod to the past.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 1: Bryan Cranston
The Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad star interrupted Colbert’s monologue (wearing a Late Show hat) to ask him if he had any surprise celebrity cameos lined up (“No, Bryan, those always feel kinda forced,” responded Colbert).
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 2: Paul Rudd
Rudd, too, called out to Colbert from the audience during his monologue. He said he had written a poem and offered the host a gift of bananas.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 3: Tim Meadows
From the seat in front of Rudd, Meadows told the Clueless star to listen to Colbert before mentioning their longtime friendship that went back to performing at Second City together. Alas, the ex-Saturday Night Live player also stormed out after being told he was not one of the planned guests.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 4: Tig Notaro
Notaro was another “member of the audience.” “I just like to be at historic events. I was at the Obama inauguration, the moon landing, and whatever this is,” she said, feigning ignorance that it was Colbert’s last show.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 5: Ryan Reynolds
Colbert moved from Notaro to another faux audience member, Reynolds. He said he was happy to pay his respects to one of the world’s greatest entertainers on his last night at the Ed Sullivan Theater—then claimed he was talking about Colbert’s keyboardist, Corey Bernhard, whom he hugged (and presented with Paul Rudd’s bananas).
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 6: Pope Leo XIV
Colbert, who is famously straightforward about his Catholic faith, claimed the pope was waiting in the green room but that he didn’t approve of the “Chicago-style” hot dogs he’d been served and refused to come out. Of course, he wasn’t really there, but it was a cute bit considering Colbert’s religion.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 7: Paul McCartney
Fresh off his appearance on Saturday Night Live, the former Beatle received a standing ovation when he rushed out of the wings to beg to be Colbert’s last guest, following Pope Leo’s “cancellation.” It was a fitting appearance, since the Beatles made their American debut in the Ed Sullivan Theater (where Colbert films) some 62 years before. McCartney presented Colbert with a framed photo of that moment. It was perfect symmetry, as was McCartney’s performance of “Hello, Goodbye.”
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 8: Neil DeGrasse Tyson
The famed scientist showed up to explain the wormhole that had appeared backstage … and Colbert tossed him into the hole after his explanation displeased him.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 9: Jon Stewart
You knew he would be back, right? Stewart was the final guest, reading what he purported was a statement from Paramount, which owns CBS as well as Comedy Central, which broadcasts Stewart’s The Daily Show.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 10: Andy Cohen
The wormhole at him up quickly.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guests 11, 12, 13 and 14: John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon
The wormhole, which had been established as a metaphor for changing late night, showed up to guide Colbert to go toward the proverbial light. It was a nice full-circle touch.
Stephen Colbert Final Show Special Guest 15: Elijah Wood
He appeared for a blink-and-you-missed it Lord of the Rings joke.
