Stephen Colbert may be the wildly successful host of a popular late night talk show on a major television network, but that doesn’t change who he really is: a huge nerd. Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson said of Colbert, “I have never met a bigger Tolkien geek in my life.” The Late Show host appeared in The Desolation of Smaug and hosted a Hobbit panel at Comic-Con. But his geek cred is not limited to Middle Earth. Last night, Colbert delivered an impassioned prediction of how Star Wars: The Force Awakens will end, and the funniest thing is, he wasn’t joking.
The reviews for Stephen Colbert’s debut as the new Late Show host were mostly positive. Our own Matt Singer said the show got off to a “solid start” as Colbert took over for David Letterman, but the show almost didn’t get off to a start at all. On his second show, Colbert revealed that because of editing and technical glitches, his first episode almost didn’t make it on air.
However notably edited in certain spots, the Late Show With Stephen Colbert premiere garnered near-universal praise, and ratings some 172% above The Late Show one year prior (for now). The broadcast naturally ran along (hence some of the more obvious edits), but CBS has released a much fuller bout of unused material, including that of presidential candidate Jeb Bush.
We’re closer than ever to Stephen Colbert’s Late Show debut on September 8, and while George Clooney’s guest appearance gave a marquee head start, the full guest list for Colbert’s full week offers a much clearer view of the new series. Everyone from Jeb Bush to Elon Musk and Amy Schumer will fill out the ranks, with musical guests on deck as well.
No one doubted that Stephen Colbert would put in an appearance on his former Daily Show host’s final hour, but thankfully the future Late Show leader didn’t party too hard afterward. Early Friday, Colbert announced his first Late Show guest for September, none other than the handsomest of handsome, George Clooney.
The September 8 premiere of Stephen Colbert’s new Late Show tenure draws ever closer, and with Jon Stewart finally stepped away from the spotlight, Colbert has taken every opportunity to redefine his post-Comedy Central career. Straight out of TCA, we now know what familiar musical guest will join George Clooney for the premiere, amid a host of other new details.
Jon Stewart said goodbye to The Daily Show last night in equal parts star-studded and quiet, personal fashion as former correspondents like Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and Olivia Munn returned to pay their respects, while Bruce Springsteen closed out the slow with a performance — at Stewart’s request — of his 1999 song “The Land of Hopes and Dreams” and, for his fellow New Jerseyan, “Born to Run”.
We’re still feeling out a world post-Late Show With David Letterman, but Stephen Colbert is already gearing up and shaving down for his big debut. The former Colbert Report host finally ditches his Colbeard in prep for the September debut, and you may never look at hot dogs the same way again.
‘The Colbert Report’ has already said its goodbyes, while David Letterman will hang onto the ‘Late Show’ until May, so when does Stephen Colbert finally take the desk, and begin our new era of ‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert?’ Find out, as CBS has released the official start date, and teased some specials from Letterman himself!