Adam Sandler, Anderson Cooper, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, John Oliver and Andy Cohen were among those who made surprise appearances on Monday's episode after CBS announced that the late night show would be ending in May 2026.

CBS canceled Stephen Colbert's late night show last week. By not appreciating, defending and nurturing The Late Show Paramount is muzzling its best voices, and diluting its own broadcast future.

Kicking off Monday’s show with a joke about Trump wanting to change the name of the Washington Commanders NFL team (the “Washington Epsteins,” Colbert suggested), he walked into the Ed Sullivan Theater to loud cheers and said “This is going to be fun.” It certainly was.

Show' host's comments came shortly before it was announced that CBS has canceled 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.'

The cancellation from CBS comes in the aftermath of Colbert criticizing his parent company on-air for their $16 million settlement with Trump

“Given Paramount’s recent capitulation to President Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, the Writers Guild of America has significant concerns that The Late Show’s cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval,” it noted (see full statement below).

Seth Meyers also reacted among other prominent political figures and Hollywood stars sharing their disgust over the news that 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' will end its run in 2026, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus,