Fri. Feb 14th, 2025

Colbert Reveals Why He Almost Turned Down ‘Late Show’<!-- wp:html --><p>Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images</p> <p>Historically, <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/keyword/late-night">late-night</a> succession sagas tend to be grueling, competitive, and even prone to <a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1994/02/02/leno-hid-in-closet-to-learn-whod-be-offered-tonight/">light espionage</a>. But when former <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/keyword/cbs/">CBS</a> chairman Les Moonves first tapped <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/keyword/stephen-colbert/">Stephen Colbert</a> to take the <em>Late Show </em>reins after <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/keyword/david-letterman">David Letterman</a>, Colbert did the unthinkable and said “no.” Well—at least initially.</p> <p>On Friday, Colbert and fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and Jimmy Fallon shared another episode of their podcast, <a href="https://strikeforcefive.com/2023/09/ep-9-david-letterman-makes-it-six/">Strike Force Five</a><em>. </em>With Letterman in the guest’s chair this week, Colbert took the opportunity to fact-check something Moonves allegedly told him back when he first courted the then-<em><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/stephen-colbert-i-could-never-play-colbert-report-character-under-trump">Colbert Report</a> </em>host for the role.</p> <p>“I’d never thought I would host a talk show because I was an actor,” Colbert said. “<em>Colbert Report</em> was an act—it was basically a 10-year-long sketch.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/stephen-colbert-reveals-why-he-almost-turned-down-late-show">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p><!-- /wp:html -->

Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images

Historically, late-night succession sagas tend to be grueling, competitive, and even prone to light espionage. But when former CBS chairman Les Moonves first tapped Stephen Colbert to take the Late Show reins after David Letterman, Colbert did the unthinkable and said “no.” Well—at least initially.

On Friday, Colbert and fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and Jimmy Fallon shared another episode of their podcast, Strike Force Five. With Letterman in the guest’s chair this week, Colbert took the opportunity to fact-check something Moonves allegedly told him back when he first courted the then-Colbert Report host for the role.

“I’d never thought I would host a talk show because I was an actor,” Colbert said. “Colbert Report was an act—it was basically a 10-year-long sketch.”

Read more at The Daily Beast.

By