Overview
- Less than 24 hours after his Late Show finale, Stephen Colbert hosted an hour‑long Only in Monroe special that aired locally at 11:35 p.m. and was uploaded to his newly launched @Colbert YouTube channel.
- The low‑budget broadcast featured high‑profile cameos including Jack White as musical director, Jeff Daniels, Steve Buscemi, Byron Allen by FaceTime and a taped appearance from Eminem who approved a staged set burning that closed the episode.
- A CBS spokesperson said CBS Studios financed and produced the episode and that the company initially issued copyright takedown notices for unauthorized uploads before pausing further enforcement pending review.
- The simultaneous local broadcast and YouTube posting underscore a possible shift by talent toward independent and digital distribution while raising questions about rights, platform control and how legacy studios protect content.
- Colbert framed the return as a bookend to his 2015 Monroe appearance that helped launch The Late Show, and the episode will be re‑aired locally as observers watch whether Colbert’s channel becomes a long‑term home or alters his relationship with CBS.