Stephen Colbert’s Transition from ‘The Late Show’ to a Local Cable Appearance

Stephen Colbert recently attended The Hollywood Reporter’s The Most Powerful People in New York Media celebration in New York. Following his departure from his role as host of The Late Show, Colbert took up hosting a local cable access show in Monroe, Michigan.

CBS and Paramount initially tried to limit the distribution of Colbert’s spoof as host of a Michigan public access show titled “Only In Monroe.” The hour-long satire surfaced the day after Colbert ended his nearly 11-year tenure on The Late Show.

“It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV,” Colbert quipped during the parody. “So I am grateful to be here on Monroe Community Media, before they also get acquired by Paramount.”

The episode featured musician Jack White as Colbert’s sidekick. It quickly gained popularity on social media platforms, prompting CBS to send out copyright notices. Media reporter Matthew Keys commented on X about Paramount’s efforts to suppress unauthorized views of the show on social media.

CBS addressed the situation, explaining that the “Only In Monroe” episode was produced and funded by CBS Studios, with approval for distribution on specific YouTube channels. CBS stated that they usually issue copyright notices for unauthorized postings but chose to pause further enforcement for this episode.

In July 2025, CBS canceled Colbert’s successful late-night show, citing financial reasons. The cancellation occurred amid Paramount Global’s efforts to gain approval for an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Known for criticizing President Trump, Colbert ended his time on The Late Show with a star-studded finale featuring Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney.

The humor in Colbert’s “Only In Monroe” appearance derived from the transition from a major television role to a modest local show. Discussions in the show included topics like Michigan’s bigfoot sightings, with actor Jeff Daniels joining to make sandwiches and present a community calendar. Colbert also called Byron Allen, the new host in the time slot vacated by The Late Show. Allen praised Colbert as an “American treasure” and expressed intent to keep his program away from political comedy prevalent during Colbert’s tenure.

“Not everybody’s gonna love me,” Allen remarked. “But there is that one or two percent that would be like ‘hell yeah, I’m rolling with you,’ and I learned that at an early age, and by the way, that simple lesson made me a billionaire.”