Late-Night Hosts Rally As Colbert's 'Late Show' Nears Final Episode
Colbert reunited Strike Force Five as fellow hosts darken or rerun shows for his final episode, amid questions after his show's 2025 cancellation and a $16 million settlement.
Rolling StoneJimmy Fallon to Send Viewers to Stephen Colbert for Final 'Late Show'
The Post MillennialFallon, Kimmel late-night shows to go dark on Stephen Colbert’s last night on air
Daily BeastColbert Reveals Why One Late-Night Host Missed His Farewell Reunion
Breitbart NewsVideo: Stephen Colbert Hosts His Own ‘Late Show’ Funeral with Kimmel, Fallon, Meyers, and John Oliver
Overview
Jimmy Kimmel said his show will not air a new episode during The Late Show With Stephen Colbert's final episode, and a peer host's program will run a rerun on May 21 when Colbert's finale broadcasts.
The network that produces The Late Show announced in 2025 that the program would end after its current season, citing financial reasons, a decision many in the industry have questioned.
Stephen Colbert reunited John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon for a Strike Force Five reunion, while Jon Stewart was absent, according to the special episode.
Industry observers noted the cancellation followed the show's parent company settling a $16 million lawsuit with President Donald Trump and preceded government approval of a merger with Skydance.
Colbert announced Strike Force Five will convene again for an "emergency" video podcast on May 13, according to the show's closing segment.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as late-night hosts under political attack, using loaded verbs ("skewered," "knocked off the air") and prioritizing hosts' remarks while omitting conservative or network perspectives. Quoted jokes are source content; editorial selection and emphasis create a sympathetic, adversarial narrative positioning the hosts as defenders of comedy.