Skip to main content

CBS announces guests for first week of Late Show with Stephen Colbert

late show stephen colbert guest lineup colbert2
Image used with permission by copyright holder
There are a lot of questions surrounding Stephen Colbert’s Late Show debut, not the least of which is how his real-life personality will play with fans. The funnyman made a name for himself by playing an America-worshipping, freedom-touting Conservative caricature, but that persona won’t travel with him from Comedy Central to CBS. While uncertainty still abounds, we just got our first look at the news host’s guests and musical performers for his first week on-air — and let’s just say there isn’t a small name on the list.

Early this morning, CBS announced the slate, and it should certainly make for some interesting conversations, if not a confrontation or two. Here’s the full lineup:

September 8

Guests: George Clooney, Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush

Musical performance: Jon Batiste and Stay Human

September 9

Guests: Scarlett Johansson, SpaceX and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk

Musical performance: Kendrick Lamar

September 10

Guest: Uber CEO Travis Kalanick

Musical performance: Toby Keith

September 11

Guests: Amy Schumer, Stephen King

Musical performance: Troubled Waters

While virtually every name on that list sticks out, one of the most intriguing is Jeb Bush. In the past, Colbert hasn’t hesitated to skewer the Bush family with satire, and his speech at George W. Bush’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner … well, let’s just say it got a little uncomfortable.

Looking ahead a bit further, it will be interesting to see the dynamic between the new host and Amy Schumer, who may just be the hottest name in all of comedy right now. She also has a show on the network (Comedy Central) that Colbert left for CBS and the Late Show.

If you want an idea of the new host’s sense of humor sans the political shtick, the last time we saw Colbert in host format was during his completely random takeover of Only in Monroe, a public access program for a small city that lies just south of Detroit. During the show, he interviewed the Hip-Hop Artist Eminem and drew laughs mostly from the pure surrealism and absurdity of the situation.

While he may be the king of Monroe, Michigan’s media, in the late-night world, the jury is still out on the former Colbert Report host. If you want our opinion, however, someone with his comedic chops won’t have trouble drawing audiences in, and keeping them there.

Late Show with Stephen Colbert debuts September 8, 2015.

Editors' Recommendations

Adam Poltrack
Adam is an A/V News Writer for Digital Trends, and is responsible for bringing you the latest advances in A/V…
3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Read more
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Read more
The best Netflix original series right now
Eric and Benedict Cumberbatch in Eric.

The era of Peak TV was also Peak Netflix, because the streamer seemingly had an endless supply of new original series. So far in 2024, that hasn't been the case. Whether we'll ever get the same level of content again seems unlikely for now. But even in a reduced capacity, Netflix still has a few new additions to its lineup of originals.

For the month of June, we're adding the '80s-set thriller, Eric, which stars Benedict Cumbebatch. Our other pick for the month is Supacell, which is Netflix's new British series that remixes some old superhero archetypes. That's not a very big selection for fans who always want something new, but this roundup of the best Netflix original series really does have all of the top options in one place for you. All you have to do is scroll down and make time to binge watch some shows.

Read more