The final days of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert took a chaotic turn when David Letterman returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater for a farewell visit that ended with furniture flying off the roof onto a giant CBS logo. The May 14 episode turned into a symbolic act of rebellion against the network that decided to end the show’s 33-year run.
The Late Show officially ends on May 21, and Colbert has been using his final week to bring back legendary guests. But no appearance carried more weight than Letterman, the man who started it all back in 1993. The 79-year-old comedian walked out to a long standing ovation with the band playing “Seven Nation Army,” and he did not hold back.
Letterman Jokes CBS Fired Him Again During His Return
Letterman wasted no time going after the network that canceled Colbert’s show. He claimed someone from CBS tried to fire him backstage before the episode even started.
“Well, you know what happened backstage? I’m standing backstage, a guy comes over, he says he’s from CBS and he fires me. What is going on over there?!” Letterman joked.
The veteran host then got serious for a moment. He reminded everyone in the theater that without him, the show would not exist.
“I have every right to be pissed off, so I’ll be pissed off here a little bit,” Letterman told the audience. “This theater, you folks wouldn’t be in this theater if it weren’t for me, and Stephen wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. We rebuilt this theater, and then Stephen came in, and look at this? It’s like the Bellagio. You can take a man’s show, you can’t take a man’s voice.”
The crowd erupted in applause as Letterman made his feelings clear. He later aimed his frustration at the uncertain future of late-night television, specifically worrying about fellow hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.
“What I’m really worried about is: What will become of the Jimmys? Are they going to be alright?” Letterman asked.
Colbert fired back with a quick joke: “We’ve got a plan to put them in a captive breeding program.”
The Rooftop Destruction That Shocked Fans
The most talked-about moment came later when Letterman asked a simple question about the furniture on stage. He wanted to know who owned the chairs and couches that had been used for interviews for decades.
“Who owns it?” Letterman asked.
“CBS owns everything,” Colbert replied.
That answer led to a series of events no one saw coming. Stagehands started carrying couches and chairs up to the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater. Colbert and Letterman followed, standing above a giant CBS eye logo painted on the street below.
“I thought maybe tonight’s occasion would be a little sad, being the end of your run here, but this brings true joy to my heart,” Letterman said. “We are up here for the wanton destruction of CBS property.”
The two hosts then watched as couches, desk chairs, watermelons, and even a wedding cake crashed onto the CBS logo. The cake had “The Late Show 1993–2026” written on it, marking the show’s entire run.
Colbert described the scene as “wanton destruction of CBS property” while both men smiled and laughed from the rooftop.
When the destruction was over, Colbert turned to Letterman and thanked him for creating The Late Show 33 years ago. “It’s been a pleasure having you back to destroy some stuff,” Colbert said.
“The pleasure is all mine. I enjoy destroying stuff. It’s great, great fun,” Letterman replied. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for our country.”
Letterman then delivered his final message directly to CBS. Quoting journalist Ed Murrow before adding his own touch, he said, “Good night and good luck, motherf—–!” The line was censored on broadcast, but the message came through loud and clear.
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Behind CBS’ Decision to End The Late Show
CBS announced in July 2025 that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end after the 2026 broadcast season. The network released a statement calling Colbert “irreplaceable” and saying they would retire The Late Show franchise entirely.
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time,” CBS said in a statement.
The network claimed the show had been losing around $40 million every year. But many people in the television industry have questioned that number, including Jimmy Kimmel. The timing of the cancellation also raised eyebrows because it came right before the Ellison family finalized its takeover of CBS parent company Paramount through Skydance Media.
Letterman has been openly angry about how the network handled everything. In an earlier interview with The New York Times in May, he called CBS executives “lying weasels.”
“He was dumped because the people selling the network to Skydance said, ‘Oh no, there’s not going to be any trouble with that guy. We’re going to take care of the show. We’re just going to throw that into the deal,’” Letterman claimed. “I’m just going to go on record as saying: They’re lying. They’re lying weasels.”
Former President Donald Trump also celebrated Colbert’s departure on social media, mocking the host’s ratings and other late-night personalities.
What Fans Are Saying About The Final Episodes
Viewers have been watching closely as Colbert wraps up his 11-year run. The final week has brought an impressive list of guests, including Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and all the major late-night hosts.
One fan on Reddit expressed sadness about the show ending: “So sad that his show is ending, I really thought he ended up being the most sincere of all of them in late night and at many points the funniest. I hope that he has something else in the works because the world needs more Stephen Colbert, not less.”
Other fans online praised the rooftop stunt as both hilarious and meaningful. Many saw it as Colbert and Letterman’s playful but pointed final jab at the network that decided to shut down the show.
Jimmy Kimmel is planning to take his show off the air on the night of Colbert’s finale, just like he did when Letterman retired from The Late Show in 2015.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will air its final episode on May 21. CBS has said it will retire The Late Show franchise completely, meaning there are no plans to replace Colbert with a new host. The network’s late-night lineup will look very different moving forward.
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Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on late-night television changes and the final farewell to one of TV’s most successful talk shows.
