Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg, and Bruce Springsteen are set to appear during Stephen Colbert’s final week on The Late Show, as CBS builds toward the talk show's finale on May 21. The lineup underscores how the farewell run is being treated like a major cultural moment, mixing comedy’s sharpest voices, blockbuster storytelling, and live music power. With his fellow talk show hosts stepping aside to divert views to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert's farewell, Colbert himself is making sure no drop of entertainment is left to dry out. 

But the carefully planned schedule reveals just how deliberately this final week has been constructed.

On Monday, CBS is airing The Worst of The Late Show, with the network clarifying it is not a simple clip montage. Instead, the special is expected to reframe past moments with a fresh perspective, leaning into the show’s long-running ability to turn even its misfires into memorable comedy. Tuesday then brings two major figures into the spotlight with Jon Stewart joining for a sit-down alongside Steven Spielberg.

Wednesday shifts into a more personal register as Colbert revisits one of his signature segments, The Colbert Questionert. The format has long allowed guests to reveal themselves through humor and unpredictability, making it a fitting centerpiece so close to the end. The same night also features a performance by Bruce Springsteen, whose body of work, including songs like 'Born to Run', aligns with the show’s emotional and narrative sensibilities.

Meanwhile, CBS has kept the series finale guest lineup under wraps, leaving May 21 as a deliberate mystery. That decision adds anticipation while preserving the sense of occasion. Altogether, the schedule suggests a closing stretch designed to celebrate impact rather than simply mark an abrupt ending.

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Yet even as the guest lineup builds momentum, the spirit of farewell has already been defined by one chaotic and symbolic on-stage moment.

David Letterman and Stephen Colbert marked one of The Late Show’s final days with a send-off that was equal parts playful and pointed. As Letterman wrapped his last appearance tied to the franchise he helped shape, he used the moment to take a jab at CBS. The tone balanced humor with a clear sense of personal investment in the show’s legacy.

The segment escalated into a physical bit that saw furniture hauled out of the Ed Sullivan Theater and tossed toward a CBS target. What could have been a simple spectacle instead felt rooted in the show’s identity. It echoed a tradition of speaking about institutions while also poking fun at them. The act of throwing chairs, melons, and even a cake, rumored to come from the network, carried a wink to the audience.

It framed the goodbye as energetic and affectionate, with just enough rebellion to feel authentic. The result was a farewell that captured the essence of late-night television. It was self-aware, unpredictable, and rooted in personality rather than polish. In that sense, it served as a fitting preview of how The Late Show intends to take its final bow.

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What do you think about Stephen Colbert’s final week lineup and the send-off moments so far? Let us know in the comments.