Stephen Colbert’s Surprise Appearance on Michigan Public-Access Show Erupts in Online Brouhaha
The social media-verse exploded over the weekend with rumors that Paramount is trying to “suppress” the episode of a public-access show that Stephen Colbert hosted, but the truth is something different, sources told The Hollywood Reporter.
Paramount is not actually trying to “suppress” copies of Colbert’s surprise appearance on Only in Monroe, as rumors across social media suggested over the weekend.
A day after hosting the last ever Late Show on CBS, Colbert popped up as a surprise host Michigan public access TV show based in Monroe, Michigan, at 11:30 p.m. Friday. Surprise guests included Jack White and Jeff Daniels, with other surprise appearances from Steve Buscemi, Eminem and Byron Allen (via FaceTime). The show’s regular hosts, Michelle Baumann and Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson (a former Miss America), also were on the show.
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“Stephen Colbert’s return to Monroe in the Only in Monroe episode was financed and produced by CBS Studios and was posted on Stephen Colbert’s YouTube channel in collaboration with Monroe Community Media and The Late Show’s YouTube channels,” a CBS spokesperson said. “As is our regular practice, we send copyright notices to unauthorized websites that post copyrighted content from CBS and our network/studio talent such as Stephen Colbert. However, for this episode, have decided to waive further enforcement of this standard industry practice until additional review.”
CBS announced that it was canceling Late Show in July 2025 as Paramount and Skydance were in talks to merge. The decision was attributed to financial considerations, but many have come to believe that it was made to appease President Donald Trump, who had sued Paramount over an episode of CBS News’ 60 Minutes.
Colbert explained his appearance on Only in Monroe at the start of the episode.
“Since I was last here in Monroe, Michigan, I spent 11 years as the primary host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS, which came to an end last night,” he said. “It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV, so I am grateful to be able to be here on Monroe Community Media before they also get acquired by Paramount.”
This was actually the second time Colbert has hosted Only in Monroe, following an appearance in summer 2015.
Alex Weprin contributed to this report.
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