Stephen Colbert recently attended The Hollywood Reporter’s celebration in New York for The Most Powerful People in New York Media. Following his departure from “The Late Show,” Colbert made headlines by hosting a show on Monroe, Michigan’s local cable access, called “Only In Monroe.” The parody aired a day after his exit from the long-running hit.
Colbert’s mock performance gained rapid attention online, including appearances with rockstar Jack White, and quickly went viral. CBS and Paramount initially issued copyright notices to restrict unauthorized reposts of the show. However, CBS later decided to hold off on further enforcement of these restrictions, although they stated the episode was produced and approved for specific YouTube channels only.
Colbert’s exit from “The Late Show” came as CBS canceled the program, referring to it as a financial choice amid Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media. The show had an illustrious finale featuring stars like Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney.
The transition to “Only In Monroe” highlighted humor in Colbert’s move from a prestigious television role to a humble local broadcast. The show featured segments like discussions on Bigfoot sightings and an appearance by actor Jeff Daniels. Colbert even reached out to Byron Allen, now hosting “Comics Unleashed” in Colbert’s former time slot, who praised Colbert’s talents.
In an interview with NPR, Allen shared his admiration for Colbert, labeling him “an American treasure.” He emphasized that his own show would distance itself from political humor, which had been a staple during Colbert’s “Late Show” tenure. Allen acknowledged that while not everyone would enjoy his style, he appreciated the loyal fans who have supported his journey to success.