There were smiles, belly laughs, hugs and tears in New York City on Thursday night as Stephen Colbert bid farewell to “The Late Show” after 11 years.
And while celebrities and superfans were packed into the historic Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City for the final taping, Louisiana native Jon Batiste and music icon Paul McCartney gave Colbert a New Orleans-style send-off that had everyone on their feet.
In a behind-the scenes moment caught on camera by media recruiter Rob Barnett, Batiste and McCartney lead Colbert and the crowd in a jazzy rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
Barnett’s video gave a glimpse of the party beyond what viewers saw on TV Thursday night. It has so far been viewed 70,000 times.
“Nobody wanted to leave the stage or the theater and here’s legendary proof,” Barnett said.
Colbert picked Batiste (and his band, Stay Human) as his band leader when “The Late Show” was preparing for its 2015 premiere. It was a successful pairing, but Batiste left the show seven years later, in 2022.
“The Late Show” was canceled by CBS in July 2025, with the media conglomerate citing financial difficulties as the reason why. CBS’ decision to cancel, which came at a time when President Donald Trump was targeting late-night hosts in Truth Social rants, was met with backlash and protest.
Other celebrities who joined the host for the show’s finale include Bryan Cranston, Elvis Costello, Tig Notaro and Andy Cohen.
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