Stephen Colbert hosts final Late Show episode with fellow late-night hosts as guest stars
Stephen Colbert invited fellow late-night hosts John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon to appear on his final episode of The Late Show, airing May 21, 2025. The five hosts revived their 'Strike Force Five' podcast collaboration from the 2023 strikes. Jimmy Kimmel announced he would air a rerun on May 21 out of deference to Colbert's sendoff, continuing a tradition of late-night hosts honoring departing colleagues.
42
Divergence score
This event sits in the top 6% of divergence this week. 9 outlets covered it, splitting into 7 framing camps across 3 bias groups.
7 camps
3 bias groups
The spectrum · how 9 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
NPR
Daily Wire
Breitbart
Washington Examiner
The Hill
NY Post
CNN
Washington Post
Reuters
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
NPR
Stephen Colbert and late night hosts strike again as his show nears finale
financial cancellation with political subtext · neutral
Daily Wire
TV's Most Humorless Late-Night Hosts Gather To Obsess Over Trump
Trump obsession, late-night as monolithic political bloc · negative
First to report
- Washington Examinerfirst
- The Hill+4.4 h
- NPR+16.1 h
- Daily Wire+20.1 h
- Breitbart+23.4 h
- NY Post+46.7 h
- CNN+202.6 h
- Washington Post+219.9 h
- Reuters+255.4 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Coverage now splits between farewell celebration (NY Post, CNN focus on what's next) and cancellation debate (political/ratings camps). NY Post and CNN treat the ending as a natural transition rather than a contested event.
How each outlet covered it
Two readings of the same facts
The left and the right lead with different language. The loaded words each chose are highlighted.
42DIVERGENCE
THE RIGHT
“Video: Stephen Colbert Hosts His Own 'Late Show' Funeral with Kimmel, Fallon, Meyers, and John Oliver”B Breitbart RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“Jimmy Kimmel will air rerun opposite Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' finale” · The Hill
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 9 outlets put it
LEFT3
NPRNPR Stephen Colbert and late night hosts strike again as his show nears finale 122d ago CNNCNN What’s next for Stephen Colbert after ‘The Late Show’? 115d ago WPWashington Post Paul McCartney helps Stephen Colbert say goodbye to 'The Late Show' in ambitious final show 114d ago CENTER2
HThe Hill Jimmy Kimmel will air rerun opposite Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' finale 123d ago RReuters Trump says more late night talk show hosts to depart after Colbert exit 112d ago RIGHT4
DWDaily Wire TV's Most Humorless Late-Night Hosts Gather To Obsess Over Trump 122d ago BBreitbart Video: Stephen Colbert Hosts His Own 'Late Show' Funeral with Kimmel, Fallon, Meyers, and John Oliver 122d ago WEWashington Examiner Kimmel to air rerun on night of Colbert's final late-night broadcast 123d ago NYPNY Post Late-night hosts crash ‘Colbert,’ he reveals which A-list actress he was ‘wildly attracted’ to 121d ago 9 tracked claims across 9 outlets
Fact ledger
All9Claimed3Corroborated6
3/9
Claimed
Many fans believe Colbert was cancelled for political reasons due to Trump criticism
Source ·NPR notes 'many fans think the reason is political'; Daily Wire and Breitbart assert Trump obsession as the focus of the show
Corroborated
Disputed
8 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger