Stephen Colbert Takes Shot at CBS in His Return to Late Night

Stephen Colbert returned to late-night on Tuesday (September 15) as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and took a swipe at his old bosses at CBS who canceled The Late Show.

Colbert appeared on the ABC late-night talk show the night after The Late Show swept up seven Emmy Awards, including for Outstanding Variety Series. The Late Show aired its final episode back in May after CBS axed the series for what it claimed were “financial reasons.”

Kimmel asked his friend if he still thinks about late-night, to which Colbert replied, “Nope! I have an opportunity to not think about the news every day, and I took it.”

Colbert compared working in late-night to drinking “a cup of poison every day,” saying that part of the job is “to be lowered like carbon rods into a radioactive pool every day and then be pulled out and put in front of a camera and irradiate it back at an audience at a non-lethal rad level.”

Later in the interview, Kimmel asked, “Did anyone from CBS call to congratulate you on your seven Emmys?”

That’s when Colbert made a dig at his former employer, quipping, “I am not familiar with that organization.”

Since signing off The Late Show for the final time, Colbert has been enjoying his time off, including growing a fetching gray beard. However, he admitted that his wife, Evelyn McGee, isn’t a fan of his facial hair. “The kiss count has gone way down,” Colbert admitted.

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“She warned me, ‘If you’re going to grow a beard, the kiss count’s going to go way down, smoochy time much shorter,'” he added. “But I said, if I win an Emmy, she has to kiss me because the camera will be on us. I also told her if I won, I would shave it off.”

Kimmel jumped on the opportunity, asking if Colbert would shave the goatee off on the show. “Can we shave you on the show?” the comedian asked as the audience cheered.

Towards the end of the interview, Kimmel pulled out a mirror and a pair of clippers and watched as Colbert shaved off his beard. When the show returned from the break, Colbert was clean-shaven and looked like a whole new man.

“Evie’s gonna be very happy,” Kimmel said. “You can finally get kissed again.”

You can watch the full interview in the video above and let us know your thoughts below.