Stephen Colbert’s First ‘Late Show’ nearly Never Made it to Air

Colbert noted that his panic was compounded by the fact that CBS’ marketing blitz for his launch as the new “Late Show” host has left no stone unturned.

Initially, Colbert wanted to have Trump on the show for its September 11 episode, but Trump opted to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon instead.

Wearing a crisp blue suit and maroon tie, he literally danced his way into the Ed Sullivan Theater, inherited from retired inaugural “Late Show” host David Letterman but remade for the new show. “Let’s say it’s some sort of action thriller”. “It was everything we expected and more“. Clooney jokingly noted, “The whole world is on the brink of destruction, and my character is the only one who can stop it”. It’s where Colbert could brush aside the cookie crumbs and the “I don’t know you” paperweight and go toe-to-toe with the type of guest he’s clearly made a priority. Photos in the top left of the screen and shoutouts to former “Report” and current “Late Show” director Jim Hoskinson – better known as Jimmy to viewers – can still be found and show no signs of stopping.

The deeply personal interview was praised by critics and late night observers.

It deserves a mention that Colbert’s choice of song, a song that speaks to the hypocrisy of discrimination and prejudice, reflects his dedication to standing up for civil rights and equality. His quick wit, wide range of expressions and penchant for topical humor is exactly what the “Late Show” needed after the Letterman regime. Remember how twitchy and nervous Jimmy Fallon was before he became a viral lipsync sensation and found his groove? “Hi Me!” There’s nothing about Stephen that wants to pull anything over on his audience. And even though he shed his “Colbert Report” character, a lot of the show looked pretty familiar. For this late-night generation who are skeptical about manufactured personas, the real Stephen may be just who they’re looking for.