The final episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Thursday night took a surreal turn as the show ended with an interdimensional portal and a rousing sing-along. Throughout the broadcast, bizarre "technical difficulties" plagued the program, much to Colbert's frustration. Eventually, the host ventured backstage to discover the cause: an interdimensional portal destined to consume him at the show's conclusion.
Special Guests Explain the Portal
Several notable figures appeared to explain the portal, including Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and fellow late-night hosts John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon. Stewart offered Colbert a choice: "You can't ignore it. The only choice you have now is how you choose to walk through it. You can go kicking and screaming," he said. Colbert pointed, replying, "That one." Stewart continued, "Or you can do what you've done for the past 30 years when faced with something dark. You stare it down, and you can laugh."
Musical Performances and Final Moments
Returning to the stage, Colbert found the portal now on the ceiling of the Ed Sullivan Theater. It sucked him and the studio audience into what was implied to be late-night purgatory. The show concluded with two musical performances: first, Elvis Costello sang "Jump Up" with current and former "Late Show" bandleaders Louis Cato and Jon Batiste, joined by the Great Big Joy Machine. The finale featured Paul McCartney performing The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye." Colbert's wife, producer Evelyn McGee-Colbert, and the show's staff joined in the sing-along. The final shot showed the portal in the sky above the theater, sucking it up and releasing a snow globe containing the building, playing the "Late Show" theme music.
