Stephen Colbert Ends 33-Year Late Show Run With Paul McCartney Finale

Stephen Colbert hosted the final episode of The Late Show on Thursday night, closing out a 33-year run of the CBS program that began in 1993. The host opened with his usual monologue and told the audience the episode would proceed as a normal broadcast rather than a special farewell show.

Several actors appeared during the monologue as faux audience members seeking to be the final guest. Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Tig Notaro and Ryan Reynolds each interrupted with short comedic exchanges before being told they were not selected.

Colbert also staged a bit in which Pope Leo XIV was said to be waiting backstage but refused to appear after receiving an unsatisfactory hot dog.

Closes the Show Sir Paul McCartney then entered as the final guest. S. performances at the Ed Sullivan Theater and shared memories of the band's early tours.

“America was just the land of the free, the greatest democracy. Yes, that was what it was. ”

McCartney presented Colbert with a framed photograph of the Beatles' 1964 debut at the theater and joined him for a performance of Hello, Goodbye. The show's staff gathered on stage for final bows as the lights were turned off.

In the days before the finale, David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and other late-night hosts visited the program. Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel announced they would not air new episodes on the night of the finale.

" Some expressed sadness that the show would no longer provide a nightly source of humor. CBS stated last year that the cancellation was a financial decision unrelated to the show's content or performance.