Stephen Colbert ended his run as host of CBS' The Late Show on Thursday with a star-studded finale that featured Paul McCartney and an elaborate black hole storyline. The hour-long episode ran 17 minutes over its usual time and included tributes from past late-night hosts.
Colbert opened the show by addressing viewers directly and reflecting on 11 years of the program. He praised his staff and revisited the mission from his earlier Comedy Central series, The Colbert Report, which debuted in 2005. The host described the show as a shared experience with the audience rather than something performed only for them.
