Stephen Colbert Begs Hollywood to Hire Late Night Staff After Emmys

Emmys 2026: Mariska Hargitay Perfectly Roasts Dick Wolf, Nicole Kidman and Jalen Brunson

It's never too late for Stephen Colbert to steal the show.

And the comedian did just that when accepting The Late Show's big win at the Emmy Awards 2026 for Outstanding Variety Series, marking the program's third and final trophy during Colbert's run as host, after being cancelled by CBS following 33 years on the air. (See all the winners from the ceremony here.)

"Thank you so much on behalf of the over 200 people who threw themselves at this show for 11 years to try to do the best show they possibly could for you," Colbert said at the Sept. 14 ceremony hosted by Mariska Hargitay, noting that late night television is a "fantastic incubator for young people to come in to learn to work professionally," and calling his young staffers "the future of our business that we have to look after."

 He added that thanks to The Late Show—which was nominated alongside The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and Saturday Night Live—he was able to interview many stars in the Peacock Theater that night.

"Over the last 21 years, I've interviewed at least 1000 of you," Colbert continued. "Thank you for coming on to talk to this idiot. I want you to know that you were the perfect guest."

He also thanked his "one favorite guest," wife Evelyn McGee, before signing off, "We'll catch you all on the flip."

The honor comes after the series' May 21 finale, when the 62-year-old shared his first emotional goodbye to the audience who watched him helm the iconic hosting gig for 11 seasons.

"This show has been a joy for us to do for you," the Daily Show alum said on the final episode. "We call it ‘The Joy Machine,’ because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn't hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears."

Aside from being joined by fellow Strike Force Five members Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver for the last hoorah, Colbert went out with a star-studded bang, interviewing legends like Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Rudd and Tim Meadows.

Amid all the fanfare, the late-night host took time to soak up his last minutes on set when he and McCartney were joined by former band leader Jon Batiste and Elvis Costello for a rousing sing-along of The Beatles’ “Hello, Goodbye.”

Photo by: Randy Shropshire/NBC via Getty Images

Colbert, who followed David Letterman's 22-year stint behind the desk starting in 1993, first announced the show's end in July 2025 after being informed by CBS. Three days earlier, the I Am America (And So Can You!) author had called a $16 million legal settlement between the network and Donald Trump regarding CBS' 2024 election coverage "a big fat bribe." 

Without The Late Show on the air, Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed will take over the coveted early morning timeslot, followed by Funny You Should Ask, a game show produced by the 65-year-old.  

Read on for more of the Emmys 2026's biggest wins.

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