As the 78th Emmy Awards were revealed on September 14, the former host of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” quickly took to the stage. The CBS show may be cancelled, but it went on to win an award for Outstanding Variety Series. As Colbert took to the stage, he dedicated the Emmy win to his writing staff.
The much-loved comedian went on to speak of his love for the show’s writers, saying, “If you like the comedy tonight, my old writers wrote it.” He continued explaining that late-night talk shows are a “fantastic incubator for young people to come in” while they learn how to work on a deadline.
“That is the future of our business that we have to look after,” he said, while announcing that he has “great news for the industry” as his writers are now available to work. “Hire them. They will make your show better, and they will make your day easier.”
Stephen Colbert Thanks His Favorite Guest
GettyColbert continued by thanking everyone in the room who he has interviewed on the “Late Show,” but mentioned one special person. He said his favorite guest is his wife, Evelyn McGee Colbert, adding that she is the “only audience I really care about.”
He recalled the days of the COVID-19 pandemic when his “only audience” while taping the show at home was Evelyn herself. Stephen added, “Yours is the laugh that I want for the rest of my life,” adding, “I love you.”
To end his speech, the late-night comedian thanked his many viewers, saying, “Thank you so much for watching. We hope you enjoyed the show. We had a great time doing it for you. That’s it. Thank you. We’ll catch you all on the flip.”
‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Canceled by CBS
GettyThe Emmy win was a fitting farewell for Colbert and his “The Late Show” writers and crew. The hugely popular show ended its 11-year run at the famed Ed Sullivan Theater in New York in May, after CBS announced its cancellation in July 2025.
While the cancellation featured a particular political flashpoint, CBS insisted its decision was related to financing. However, it came amid scrutiny over the parent company Paramount’s relationship with President Donald Trump. It had agreed to a multi-million settlement over a CBS interview on “60 Minutes” with Kamala Harris, a deal that Colbert slammed as a “big fat bribe.”
Award Nominations For ‘The Late Show’
Despite the background of the cancellation, Colbert kept politics out of his Emmy acceptance speech, while ignoring the president. The latest award is his second consecutive Emmy win for “The Late Show.” On accepting his 2025 award, Stephen thanked CBS for “giving us the privilege to be part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues long after we’re no longer doing this show.”
In total, Colbert and “The Late Show” received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations, 52 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and won 14 awards for Colbert’s work on “The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report,” “The Late Show”, and a Peabody Award at the 71st Annual Peabody Awards.
