Stephen Colbert bids farewell in ‘Late Show’ finale after 11 seasons

Stephen Colberts long goodbye to late-night TV ends Thursday night when the host of The Late Show appears behind his CBS desk for the final time.

What is planned for the finale has not been revealed but the folks at The Late Show have had months to prepare for the end of the networks 33-year franchise.

Guests in the final week have included Michael Keaton, Jon Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Steven Spielberg, David Byrne and Bruce Springsteen, while there’s been a wacky version of Its Raining Men remade into Its Raining Fish.

CBS announced last summer that Colberts show would end, citing economic reasons after 11 seasons. But Colbert is the ratings leader in late-night TV. Many including Colbert have expressed skepticism that President Donald Trumps repeated criticism of the show wasn’t a factor.

The decision to shutter the show came after parent company Paramounts $16 million settlement of Trumps lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview as Paramount awaited his administration’s approval of a pending sale to Skydance Media. Colbert had called it a big fat bribe.

Dustin Kidd, a professor of sociology at Temple University, notes that Colbert leaves at the top of his game and as the ratings leader on late night. Canceling him cant be explained strictly through economics, he said.

I would argue that its answerable, frankly, through politics, Kidd said. Theres been a lot of political pressure levied against this show and a lot of political pressure at work within CBS more generally. And I think that has a lot more to offer in terms of explaining why this show, at this time.

Colberts chief rivals, ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NBCs The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, will both run reruns on Thursday night at the same time as Colbert’s goodbye.

CBS will fill The Late Show slot with Comics Unleashed, in which comedians share stories. Host Byron Allen has vowed to avoid politics.