Stephen Colbert made an unexpected television comeback amid Donald Trump’s viral AI-generated video mocking the former late-night host following the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. According to a May 23 report by Sky News, Trump posted an AI-generated clip showing himself grabbing Colbert by the shoulder and throwing him into a large green dumpster.
The video, which was shared on both X and Truth Social, also showed Trump dancing to YMCA by the Village People. It was posted without a caption, but when the official White House account re-shared the video, they captioned it:
“Bye-bye.”
Despite Trump’s viral AI-generated clip, Stephen Colbert returned to television less than 24 hours after filming his emotional farewell episode on CBS. The comedian appeared Friday night as a surprise guest host on Only in Monroe, a local public-access show based in Monroe.
The appearance revived a comedic bit Colbert first performed in 2015 before officially taking over “The Late Show.” Opening the broadcast, Colbert referenced both his departure from CBS and his quick return to television.
“Since I was last here in Monroe, Michigan, I spent 11 years as the primary host of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ on CBS, which came to an end last night,” Colbert said at the start of the program (as per USA Today)
He then joked about how difficult it had been stepping away from television, adding:
“It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV.”
The appearance also paid off a joke Colbert made during his farewell monologue the previous night, when he reminded viewers that his first unofficial “Late Show” broadcast in 2015 had actually been filmed for a small public-access audience in Monroe.
“Show business being what it is these days, that’s probably where you’ll see me next,” Colbert had joked during the finale ( as per USA Today).
Donald Trump calls Stephen Colbert a ‘jerk’ following the final episode of ‘The Late Show’
Donald Trump reacted to the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by mocking longtime host Stephen Colbert in a post shared on his Truth Social account.
Donald Trump posted his reaction in the early hours of May 22, shortly after Colbert’s final episode aired on CBS following the show’s 33-year run, which began with David Letterman in 1993.
“Colbert is finally finished at CBS,” Donald Trump wrote.
Donald Trump went on to criticize Colbert’s performance as host, claiming the comedian lacked both talent and ratings success.
“Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk,” Donald Trump added.
He concluded the post by celebrating the show’s ending, writing:
“Thank goodness he’s finally gone!”
Trump’s post about Stephen Colbert on Truth Social (Image via Truth Social/@DonaldJTrump)
Stephen Colbert’s final episode featured several celebrity appearances at the Ed Sullivan Theater, including performances alongside Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and Jon Batiste during a sing-along of Hello, Goodbye.
Days before the finale, Colbert addressed Trump’s ongoing criticism in an interview with People published on May 19, arguing that the president should not concern himself with comments made by comedians.
“The ending of the show aside, which people can speculate about all they want, and I can’t argue with their speculations, but we’re clowns,” Colbert said, before questioning how much attention political leaders should pay to entertainers.
The cancellation of “The Late Show” was first announced in 2025, shortly after Colbert criticized Paramount over a reported $16 million settlement involving Trump and a 60 Minutes interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris.
At the time, Colbert had described the agreement as a “big, fat bribe,” while CBS later stated the decision not to renew the show was based on financial reasons.
CBS officially concluded The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on May 21, 2026, as Colbert wrapped up the program’s 11-season run. Following the show’s conclusion, Colbert’s primary focus has reportedly shifted to co-writing a new The Lord of the Rings film, tentatively titled Shadow of the Past, alongside director Peter Jackson.
Edited by Shayari Roy
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