Stephen Colbert returns to TV on local Michigan station

Stephen Colbert’s final appearance on “The Late Show” on Thursday marked the end of his 11-year run in his staple late night television slot. But one day later, he found a way back on TV: a Michigan public access station.

Colbert was a surprise guest host Friday evening on Monroe Community Media’s “Only in Monroe.” The station services Monroe, Michigan — a town south of Detroit, near the state’s border with Ohio — and the surrounding county of the same name.

At 11:35 p.m. local time, viewers of the channel saw Colbert appear on their screens.

“It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV, so I am grateful to be able to be here on Monroe Community Media before they also get acquired by Paramount,” he said at the start of the broadcast.

The announcement ending Colbert’s show in July was not without controversy. Some observers speculated it was to win the favor of President Donald Trump’s administration as the company was seeking to win regulatory approval to merge with Skydance. On his show, Colbert often poked fun at Trump. 

Regulators approved Paramount and Skydance’s merger later the same month. 

Paramount at the time said there was no reason involved in the decision to cancel Colbert’s run beyond financial factors, where late night has struggled to keep up with changing media consumption habits amid the rise of streaming. 

It’s a point that Colbert joked about to the Michigan audience.

“Viewers outside the greater Monroe area are able to view Monroe Community Media thanks to something known as streaming, which I promised not to learn about while I was on CBS,” he quipped. “And evidently, CBS also decided not to learn about it.”

Colbert’s appearance Friday night wasn’t his first on “Only in Monroe.” He reminded the audience at the start of the program that he was a guest host back in July 2015. 

Colbert’s guests on the program included musician Jack White and actor Jeff Daniels. Both were raised in Michigan. Actor Steve Buscemi also made an appearance through a commercial for a pizza restaurant that shares his last name. 

Colbert even facetimed Byron Allen during the program, the comic who is set to now get his timeslot at CBS.

Colbert didn’t give any indication of what he might do next after his guest host stint, but instead asked to be invited back to the local program in the future. 

“Thank you for letting me host your show every 11 years,” he said. directed to the two co-hosts of the program. “See you ladies again in 2037.”