On May 21, 2026, The Late Show came to an end after over three decades of broadcasting. I do not claim any special insight into the combination of politics and economics that brought about the show’s end. (Though as a Christian having an openly Roman Catholic late night host created an interesting dynamic–Colbert himself has commented regularly on his faith.)
I do claim, however, that you should watch the final episode (available on Youtube for free) to see an example of an exit with dignity, decency, and class.
Colbert could have been petty. He could have railed against CBS, Trump, Paramount, or any other of his opponents. He could have created a show entirely dedicated to mocking those he dislikes. Instead, he took the high road, gave us a show on the model of what he has been doing since he took over, had on guests appropriate to the occasion, and was gracious and grateful to his fans.
In other words, this is the very picture of how a Christian should behave when treated poorly. And hey, I get that there are people out there who think he deserved to be fired and his show canceled. I hope that these folks can understand that he doesn’t think that, and see something of his grace and decency in how he responds to what he thinks is an injustice.
In other words, this is a model for all of us, and one that is very much worth watching.
Dr. Coyle Neal co-hosts the City of Man Podcast, blogs here on Schaeffer’s Ghost, and is an Amazon Associate (which is linked in this blog). He teaches Political Science, Philosophy, and History in Southwest Missouri.
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