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Today, Explained

Late night’s long goodbye

Today, Explained

Vox

Politics, Daily News, News

4.310.3K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2026

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The end of Colbert is just the beginning. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Tonight!

0:02.0

Like Steve Allen, Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, Jay Leno, David Letterman,

0:05.3

Arsenio Hall, Whoopi Goldberg, Dennis Miller, Connor O'Brien, Craig Kilbourne, Craig Ferguson, Keeney Wainess Sykes, Carson Daily, Chelsea Handler, George Lopez, James Corden, Larry Wilmore, Samantha B, Trevor Noah, Amber Ruffin, and many more before him, Stephen Colbert will say goodbye to late night television. He's going out with a little help from his friends, Amy Sedaris, Billy Crystal, Weird Al,

0:21.8

Mark, Hamilton, Tiffany Haddish, Amy Sedaris, Billy Crystal,

0:21.4

Weird Al, Mark, Hamill, Tiffany Haddish, Jeff Daniels, Martha Stewart, Ben Stiller, Josh Brolin, James Taylor, Aubie Plaza, and Robert De Niro, and that was just last night. None of them spoke about the highly unusual circumstances in which Stephen's leaving CBS, but last night's musical guests took a swing at it. I'm here in support tonight for Stephen because you're the first guy in America who's lost

0:41.6

his show because we got a president who can't take a joke.

0:44.5

We're going to say goodbye to Stephen and Late Night TV on Today Explained from Vox.

0:48.9

Anyway, Stephen, he's a small-minded people.

0:51.0

They've got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about.

0:56.3

This is for you.

0:59.8

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1:06.8

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1:18.6

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1:24.0

control. To put AI to work for people, visit servicenow.com.

1:28.5

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1:34.4

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1:40.0

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1:49.0

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1:50.2

And the best part, O-DU replaces multiple expensive platforms for a fraction of the cost.

1:55.9

That's why over thousands of businesses have made the switch.

1:59.2

So why not you?

...

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