From the lights of the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York to the intimate setting of community access TV in Michigan, Stephen Colbert made an unexpected return. Just a day after wrapping up his final episode of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS, Colbert surprisingly hosted ‘Only in Monroe,’ a community access program in southeast Michigan along Lake Erie.
Jack White, a Michigan native from Detroit, joined Colbert as a ‘volunteer music director.’ Colbert humorously hinted at listening to White’s music, saying, ‘Looking forward to hearing some of your music, time permitting,’ eliciting laughter from the off-camera audience.
During the hour-long broadcast, Colbert engaged with actor Jeff Daniels in a conversation filled with Michigan-themed humor. In a pre-recorded segment, actor Steve Buscemi joked about Buscemi’s Pizza, a local spot in Monroe.
The show also featured Detroit-raised rapper Eminem in a taped appearance, playing the role of a ‘fire marshal.’ He humorously oversaw the destruction of the set by Colbert, White, and Daniels at the episode’s conclusion. Colbert took a moment to speak via FaceTime with comedian Byron Allen, set to host ‘Comics Unleashed,’ which takes over Colbert’s slot.
Michelle Baumann and former Miss America Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson, the regular hosts of ‘Only in Monroe,’ joined Colbert in a quirky segment where they inhaled helium from balloons. They discussed Baumann’s cancer battle with a cautionary note on-screen, ‘Former professional TV host, do not try this at home.’
This marked Colbert’s second time hosting the program, having first appeared in 2015 before starting at ‘Late Night’ following David Letterman’s departure. The exact timing and location of this most recent episode remain unclear, with the broadcast airing precisely 24 hours post his final episode of ‘Late Night.’ Attempts to reach the community access channel for comments went unanswered.
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