Stephen Colbert did not shy away from joking about CBS during his new hosting gig. He made a surprise appearance at the Michigan Public Access Show and said that he is glad to be here before it gets acquired by Paramount, too. This comes after the host bid goodbye to The Late Show, where he was a constant for nearly 11 years. 

And for his return on a public access station in Monroe, Michigan, the host brought the same Late Show style humor that he is known for, and some surprising celebrity guest appearances, including Eminem.

Before joining The Late Show, Stephen Colbert made an appearance on the public-access station show Only in Monroe in 2015. So, it was a full-circle moment when the host recently returned as a guest host on the program. And amid several quips and discussions about local topics, Colbert also took a moment for CBS.

“We don't have any sponsors? And we actually lost a lot of money making the show tonight? Now I know how CBS felt,” he joked.

“Viewers outside the greater Monroe area are able to view Monroe Community Media thanks to something known as streaming, which I promised not to learn about while I was on CBS. And evidently CBS also decided not to learn about it,” he later added.

Along with the usual jokes, the host also spoke about grief counseling, thyroid cancer, and much more with the regular Only in Monroe hosts Michelle Bowman and Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson. Later, he brought special guests Jack White, Jeff Daniels, and Steve Buscemi onto the show. At the end of the episode, Colbert was supposed to set fire to certain items from the set, but first, he needed permission from the marshal. That was when Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, appeared in a video message to give his approval. 

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Now, while Colbert made several jokes about CBS during the appearance, the previous night’s final episode of The Late Show was entirely a heartfelt tribute to the crew and the audience who supported the show throughout its run.

Stephen Colbert’s final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was a star-studded affair. But before that, Colbert opened the episode by addressing the crew, in-studio crowd, and viewers watching from home. He also spoke about the connection he has had with the crew as well as the show audience. 

“Now, on night one of The Colbert Report, back in the day, I said, ‘Anyone can read the news to you. I promised to feel the news at you,’ and I realized pretty soon in this job that our job over here was different. We were here to feel the news with you, and I don’t know about you, but I sure have felt it,” he said. 

While expressing his gratitude to everyone who supported the show over the years, Colbert also described The Late Show as a “joy machine.” He explained that the love and support the cast and crew received made every moment of creating it enjoyable. And perhaps that same joy was also felt by the audience watching at home. After the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the host's special appearance on Only in Monroe turned out to be a sweet surprise for longtime fans.

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Have you watched Only in Monroe? Let us know in the comments.