Stephen Colbert went out on top last night.
His season finale scored 6.74 million viewers, way above his average 2.6 million.
It didn’t hurt that both Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon showed re-runs out of respect for him. They also appeared on Colbert’s show.
Other guests included Paul McCartney, Jon Batiste, Elton John and a miscellaneous group in the audience including Ryan Reynolds and Tim Meadows from “SNL.” The latter trained at Second City in Chicago with Colbert years ago.
The show was extended by a half-hour for the occasion. It wasn’t necessary. The additional time was wasted on a long, boring bit about time warps and wormholes with Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
But the two final musical numbers — one an Elvis Costello song performed by the singer, Colbert, and Jon Batiste — and Paul McCartney’s big all star finish of “Hello, Goodbye” — were poignant and moving. Even more so was McCartney turning off the lights at the Ed Sullivan Theater 62 years after the Beatles performed on its stage.
The final moment was a sweet touch. A spotlight shined on a little glass snow globe a la the ending of “St. Elsewhere,” in which autistic Tommy imagined the whole series.
Byron Allen leases the time starting next week for his “Comics Unleashed.” The ratings won’t be very high, but CBS doesn’t care. They just wanted Colbert silenced from attacking Donald Trump every night. Trump agreed, gloating today on his failing social media. No can wait until he’s gone and maybe some sense and sensibility will return.
