Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show has claimed another major television honor despite CBS’ decision to cancel the late-night program. Accepting the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series, Colbert used the moment to thank the people who helped make the show a success — and delivered a passionate message to television executives looking for their next great team.
The award came during the final season of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, which ended in May. In a remarkable turn of events, all nine of the program’s Emmy victories came after CBS announced its cancellation, even though the show was the leading late-night talk program at the time.
Colbert began his acceptance speech by acknowledging the many people in the room he had interviewed throughout his career.
“I want to thank so many people in this room,” he said. “Over the last 21 years, I’ve interviewed at least a thousand of you. Thank you for coming on to talk to this idiot.”
He joked that his guests had all been perfect, even when he had forgotten to play their video clips, before naming his personal favorite: his wife, Evie McGee.
“Of course, there can only be one favorite guest, and that is my wife, Evie McGee. Thank you, darling.”
The host also expressed gratitude to viewers who had welcomed the program into their homes.
“I want to say to the audience thank you so much for watching. We hope you enjoyed the show. We had a great time doing it for you,” he said. “That’s it. Thank you. We’ll catch you all on the flip.”
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Colbert Makes an Urgent Plea to Hire His Staff
While the win was a celebration of the show’s achievements, Colbert also used the spotlight to draw attention to the talented professionals facing an uncertain future after the program’s cancellation.
He revealed that his writing team, which had won the show’s first Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series the previous weekend, had been responsible for writing the jokes for Monday night’s ceremony.
Colbert then highlighted the important role late-night television plays in developing the next generation of entertainment professionals.
“The thing about these late shows is that, besides bringing a really good, steady job, is that they require so many people that they’re a fantastic incubator for young people to come in to learn to work professionally on a deadline in cooperation in collaboration,” he explained.
He stressed that these opportunities help prepare young talent for the future of the television industry, arguing that the people behind the scenes deserve support as they move on to their next jobs.
“I want you to know I got some great news: They are all tech avail. Hire them; they will make your show better, and they will make your day easier.”
The message was one of the most pointed moments of his acceptance speech. Rather than focusing solely on his own achievement, Colbert urged the industry to recognize the experience and skills of the people who had helped build The Late Show.
A New Emmy Category With an Unusual Voting System
The Late Show prevailed in a newly restructured Outstanding Variety Series category that brought together programs previously competing in separate Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Scripted Variety categories.
Its competitors included The Daily Show on Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver on HBO Max and Saturday Night Live on NBC.
However, the category’s new rules made the outcome different from a conventional Emmy contest.
The Television Academy designated Outstanding Variety Series an “area” award. Under this system, nominees do not simply compete against one another for the highest number of votes. Instead, each program is independently assessed by Emmy voters, who are asked whether it merits an award.
A nominee must receive a “yes” vote from at least 90% of voters to win. In theory, that means several shows — potentially all five nominees — could receive Emmys in the same category.
The ceremony’s producers had prepared for that possibility. Speaking during the Emmys’ press day on Thursday, executive producer Jesse Collins acknowledged that multiple winners could have created a lengthy broadcast.
“Local news is going to be late,” Collins joked. “That’s what’s going to happen. If multiple people win, each would get up to give their speech and it’ll be a TV moment.”
The 90% threshold, however, was a demanding one. If no nominee reached it, the rules provided for the show with the highest “yes” vote to become the sole winner.
Ultimately, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert emerged as the category’s only recipient, suggesting that none of its competitors met the threshold required for multiple winners.
Nine Emmy Wins — All After the Cancellation Announcement
The Outstanding Variety Series victory added to an impressive run of awards for The Late Show during its final season.
At the first weekend of the Emmys, the program had already collected honors for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series, Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series, and Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment).
Across its run, the show has won nine Emmys. Last year, it collected its first two victories, winning Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series.
Those achievements took on added significance after CBS announced that the program would be canceled, despite its position as the leading late-night talk show at the time.
The latest win therefore represented more than another trophy for Colbert and his team. It underscored the program’s continued recognition even as its final season came to an end.
And with his appeal for other television shows to hire his colleagues, Colbert made clear that the legacy of The Late Show should extend beyond its awards: the people who created it have the experience, talent and professionalism to help shape what comes next.