In a world of late-night television where big personalities once invited all of America to laugh together, Stephen Colbert waved a lonely goodbye. Once occupying the very stage legends like Johnny Carson made famous, Colbert’s tenure ended not with a bang, but more of a whimper. Irony abounds when one remembers the man was handed a legacy crafted for everyone to enjoy but then tailored it into a sprawling platform for left-wing activism. Unsurprisingly, his final show struggled to collect a mere three million viewers, a far cry from the 15 million that idols like Carson could claim—a stark contrast if ever there was one.
The critics noted, not even the most devout liberals were tuning in. And yet, Colbert receives eulogies reserved for the dearly departed, a sentiment so syrupy sweet it risks giving some viewers cavities just watching. Nostalgic clips of him once interviewing then-candidate Donald Trump have resurfaced. There, in a bygone moment, Colbert appeared genuinely entertained by Trump, admiring the man’s portrayal as a bold disruptor of the status quo. Now, watching this once impartial host transform into the torch-bearer for partisan commentaries stands as a strange theater of the absurd.
Adding to the spectacle, while Colbert bids adieu, former President Trump is on a roll online, having recently posted a meme that broke the internet in its viral frenzy. The comedic timing: the meme features Trump dancing jubilantly while Colbert is metaphorically tossed away like yesterday’s news. The punchline? Five million folks have seen it. That meme alone reached more eyeballs than Colbert’s entire finale. If there ever was an instance of art imitating life, it’s a parody film covering Colbert’s exit.
Meanwhile, the contrast in success couldn’t be more telling. While many late-night hosts cried their woes about CBS and their sniffling treatment, Greg Gutfeld dominates the ratings. Not by clinging to one political side like a lifeboat, but by appealing broadly. His numbers reflect a nation hungry for an escape from the political cage-match Colbert all but sprinted into. Trump himself couldn’t resist adding salt to the wound, labeling Colbert’s show as a charity he bankrolled with losses for CBS. The comedic irony, however, is that maybe, just maybe, if Colbert hadn’t built a fortress of one-sided punditry, the story of his final curtain might have been a triumph instead of a footnote.
What one must ponder is how a show with hundreds of staff, countless writers, still could not escape a fate sealed by those ever-elusive ratings. Showcasing the same predictable monologues only churned further audience apathy. On offer was a platform, and instead of uniting audiences, it neglected half the nation’s voices. As the curtains closed on Stephen Colbert’s chapter, America did what they always do in such moments: they tuned out. Colbert’s finale represents not just the end of a particular era, but a reminder; it is not enough to just show up, especially in late-night’s competitive arena. It takes more to bring everyone to the party, something he seems to have forgotten.
