‘WAIT… CBS JUST CANCELED HIM — SO HOW IS HE ALREADY BACK ON TV?!’ — STEPHEN COLBERT SHOCKS FANS WITH SURPRISE RETURN ONLY DAYS AFTER THE LATE SHOW ENDED WITH CELEBRITY CAMEOS, CHAOTIC SET DESTRUCTION, AND AN EMOTIONAL FINAL GOODBY!

Fans thought they were witnessing the emotional end of Stephen Colbert’s late-night career — but just days after CBS pulled the plug on The Late Show, the host stunned viewers with a surprise TV comeback nobody saw coming.

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What To Know

After The Late Show With Stephen Colbert ended on May 21, Stephen Colbert made a surprise return as a TV host.
The episode featured celebrity cameos from Jack White, Steve Buscemi, Jeff Daniels, and Eminem.
Colbert and his guests concluded the show by humorously destroying the set.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert officially ended on May 21 — but Stephen Colbert has already returned to TV following the CBS show’s cancellation.

In the last episode of The Late Show, Colbert, 62, pointed out during his opening monologue, “Tonight is our final broadcast from the Ed Sullivan Theater.”

The live studio audience booed, to which he replied, “No, no, we were lucky enough to be here for the last 11 years, all right? Can’t take this for granted. Though technically our first show in July of 2015 was from a public access station in Monroe, Michigan, for an audience of 12 people. Show business being what it is these days, that’s probably where you’ll see me next.”

As it turned out, Colbert wasn’t joking. He returned to TV on Friday, May 23, to serve as the surprise guest host of Only in Monroe. He memorably took over the show in 2015 ahead of launching The Late Show. Additionally, Jack White of  The White Stripes (who is from Detroit, Michigan) helped Colbert taste-test chili dogs and served as the musical director.

Colbert also drank shots of Cane & Grain from the local River Raisin Distillery with regular Only in Monroe hosts Michelle Baumann and Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson. He even called Byron Allen, the host of Comics Unleashed (which is taking over Colbert’s time slot on CBS), to ask if the woman could guest-host his show. And Allen agreed!

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Steve Buscemi, Jeff Daniels, and Eminem made cameos on the show, too. Buscemi did a commercial for a local pizza shop. Meanwhile, Daniels (another Michigan resident) made Colbert’s favorite sandwich — salted tomatoes and mayo on thin white bread — which went viral after he revealed it while answering his Colbert Questionert. He and Colbert also delivered the late-night host’s “Community Calendar” segment.

To wrap up Colbert’s Only in Monroe episode, he, White, and Daniels destroyed the set and then lit it on fire in a dumpster with permission from Eminem.