By the time millions of viewers tune in to watch “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. Eastern Time, the live studio audience of 400 is long gone from Midtown Manhattan, where the show tapes daily at 5:30 p.m. at the Ed Sullivan Theater.
The tapings draw “The Late Show” fans from around the world and have been a staple of the neighborhood since 1993, when the show first began with host David Letterman. Over the years, local businesses have become accustomed to the pulse of the tapings, serving customers snacks and coffee on their way in and slinging bottles of wine on their way out.
CBS announced on Thursday evening that the show would air its last episode in May 2026, closing the chapter on 33 years of a national late-night comedy bulwark. For local businesses and fans alike, the cancellation marks the end of an era.
“When they’re filming, there’s a huge line,” said Dova Cordova, an employee at the deli next door to the Ed Sullivan, Fresh Bites and Organic Snacks. “People from all over the world come in here, get a little snack while they wait on line. I was actually wondering how it’s going to be now that the show is being canceled, because we look forward to it, of course.”
Ravi Kc works at CPS Wine & Spirits, which is accustomed to the usual post-taping rush. Kc, who frequently chats with customers who have come from across the country and world to see the show, said Thursday’s news was “depressing.” Kc has been working at the store for a few months, and though he’s not sure what the exact effects on business will be, he said the closure will certainly bring change.
“One hundred percent it’s gonna affect our business, but we are hopeful,” Kc said. “I’m sad … I was quite surprised.”
In the theater district, small businesses benefit from the foot traffic generated by show attendees and tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of live performances. With the closure of “The Late Show,” combined with the news that CBS will not be replacing Colbert and instead shuttering the production altogether, the daily rush on the block will inevitably slow down.
Across the street, the bike and coffee shop inerro is expecting the cancellation to change the neighborhood. Having just opened the shop a few months ago, manager Jose Heisler said he’s sad to see the show end its production.
“When you start to see these figures that have been stapled in the area, in the neighborhood, it’s hard to replace that. Business will slow down,” Heisler, who is a fan of the show, said. “I’m 33 now, I’ve been watching since I was 16, 15, it’s been a long time.”
Immediately after the announcement Thursday night of the show’s cancellation — which, when announced by Colbert at the theater, was met with boos from the crowd — fans from around the city came to the theater to mourn the end of “The Late Show.” On Friday, the scene at the Ed Sullivan was quieter, save for Isaac Bush, the co-executive director of the Brooklyn Art House. Bush, with his dog, held a sign reading “DON’T CANCEL COLBERT, COMEDIANS TELL THE TRUTH, SHAME ON CBS + PARAMOUNT.”
Though CBS cited financial reasons for closing the show, some are accusing the network of stifling Colbert’s political commentary, specifically his criticism of CBS parent company Paramount earlier this week for its settlement with President Donald Trump. Trump celebrated the announcement of the show’s cancellation in a post on Truth Social.
Bush said the cancellation was indicative of a broader downward spiral in media, entertainment, and political truth telling. With 10 months to go before the curtains close on Colbert, Bush hopes the theater and arts community can rally to save political comedy.
“I think that comedy as an art form has the power to be able to address the moment faster than other forms,” Bush said. “Comedians in some way are kind of like one of our last guards of being able to see something, call it our for what it is, and drag it.”
