Stephen Colbert Returns to Monroe Public Access TV
Stephen Colbert made a surprise TV stop in Monroe County, Michigan on Friday night, appearing on the local public-access programme Only in Monroe just one day after his final broadcast of CBS’ The Late Show. The guest-host spot doubled as a full-circle moment for Colbert, who previously popped up on the same community channel in 2015, before his network late-night run began.
The Detroit News reported that Colbert opened by quipping, “It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV,” before adding he was grateful to be there “before they also get acquired by Paramount.”
The broadcast leaned into both corporate and local humour, with Colbert taking more jabs at Paramount and CBS while also promoting Monroe Community Media segments, including coverage of a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a local dance studio and footage of a man processing a deer. At one point, Colbert said that because the set was no longer in use, it would “actually be helpful” for him to destroy it, adding that he wanted “to break something.”
Several high-profile cameos were woven into the hour-long episode. Jack White played the show’s deadpan DJ, actor Steve Buscemi appeared in a spoof “public service announcement” for Buscemi’s Pizza, and actor Jeff Daniels made Colbert his “famous sandwich.” Rapper Eminem turned up as a “fire marshal” who approved the cast igniting the remains of the set after it was demolished, following Colbert’s televised farewell that included Paul McCartney helping Colbert end his CBS run.
Colbert also appeared alongside the programme’s regular hosts, Ms. Michelle Baumann and Ms. Kaye Lani Rafko-Wilson, sharing shots of River Raisin Distillery spirits “to Michigan and all of its lakes and tributaries.” Later, the group discussed Baumann’s experience with cancer on air, with Baumann saying she is now in remission.
