Colbert’s First TV Appearance After ‘Late Show’ Is On Public Access

Stephen Colbert, hosting a special edition of “Only In Monroe”

Monroe Community Media, 2026

At the beginning of Thursday’s Late Show finale, host Stephen Colbert cryptically made these comments:

Tonight is our final broadcast from the Ed Sullivan Theater. “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.

Colbert was hinting at one came next, because the following day, he made an appearance as the host on Only in Monroe, the Monroe, Michigan public-access show that he had first appeared on back in July 2015, while he was waiting to launch The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

As was the case with his first appearance, Colbert played it relatively straight and you can imagine a world in which Colbert and Only In Monroe is the hippest and funniest public access show in America.

Colbert opened with what was essentially a sit-down opening monologue, playing to what sounds like an in-studio audience of 3 or 4. “We don’t have any sponsors? And we lost a lot of money doing this show? Now I know how CBS felt.”

After thanking his small crew, Colbert said “I would say all of you are the best in the business, but that would imply someone is paying you.” At the same time, he introduced his “volunteer musical director native Michigander and member of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Jack White.”

Colbert thanked him for being there and said, “We look forward to hearing some of your music…time permitting.”

Colbert went on to do a fun look at what has gone on in Monroe since he was last there, a segment that fans of The Late Show will find familiar and there is something hilarious about watching Colbert deliver punchline after punchline to almost no response.

The first guests for the night were the two women who normally host Only In Monroe and it began as a sweet and cute interview, but by the end, the three of them were inhaling helium while Colbert video called Byron Allen to ask if the women could co-host an episode of Comics Unleashed.

Then there was an ad for local pizza place Buscemi’s, which included actor Steve Buscemi announcing that despite the name, he had no connection with the business.

And so it went for the entire hour, a strange and quirky mix of network quality jokes done on a set that costs $500, with no live audience.

So why did Stephen Colbert do an episode of Only In Monroe again? I am guessing it was because he found it amusing and a fun way to dial down the energy following Thursday’s big CBS finale.

If you’d like to see the entire one-hour episode, you can watch it here for free.