I have been an episodic viewer of “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert. After all, it *is* LATE. However, when his program was cancelled by CBS, I began recording his remaining shows. At the least, (I told myself!) it was a minimal show of solidarity, when I didn’t know how else to express my great dismay.
CBS cancelled The Late Show in July 2025, days after Colbert publicly criticized Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for making a $16 million settlement with the Trump administration. Colbert described it as “a big, fat bribe.” CBS has said its cancellation of The Late Show was motivated “purely” by financial reasons.
As I watched some of Colbert’s last episodes, I saw him make the best of the time he had left, to say as much of what he really wanted to say as possible. That struck me as an important life lesson.
And he did it with panache!!! “The Late Show” signs off highlighted two powerful back-to-back musical performances, beginning with the quartet of Stephen Colbert, Louis Cato, Jon Batiste and Elvis Costello performing Costello’s 1977 tune, “Jump Up.” I didn’t catch all the words, and being verbally inclined, looked them up.
See: Elvis Costello: Jump Up Lyrics
As that song ends, the foursome are joined by Paul McCartney and The Great Big Joy Machine for a spectacular rendition of The Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye,” which ends with a giant singalong featuring the entire staff of “The Late Show.”
In an era where truth, dissent, and satire, are treated as threats by those in power, this ending did not feel like the end of anything. It was less a cancellation of a popular comedy show, and more a joyous affirmation of life. I hear McCartney’s “old” song in new ways:
“Hello, hello. I don’t know why you say goodbye. I say hello.”
That sounds to me like what Pope Francis often referred to as creating a “culture of encounter”.
Veronica Dunne is a Sister of our Lady of the Missions (RNDM), who has primarily worked as an educator and counsellor in institutional and community based settings in Canada. She has also served with the RNDMs outside of Canada in Senegal, Peru, and Aotearoa New Zealand.
A 2002 Doctor of Ministry graduate from the University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto, she subsequently served as director of the Doctor of Ministry program at St. Stephen’s College at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Her current research interests are in eco-theology and cosmology, and their intersections with indigenous cosmologies and spiritualties.
She presently serves on the RNDM leadership team in Canada.
