Colbert Wins Emmy for Canceled Late Show, Pleads for Crew

Stephen Colbert won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series for the final season of his canceled CBS late-night program, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The award was presented at the ceremony on Monday, September 14, 2026. During his acceptance speech, Colbert urged the Hollywood industry to hire his now-unemployed crew members, stating they would make any show better. The win marked the show's second consecutive victory in the category, following its first-ever Emmy win in 2025. CBS canceled The Late Show in 2025 for financial reasons, with the final episodes airing in May 2026. All of the show's Emmy wins occurred after the cancellation was announced. In his speech, Colbert thanked his audience and his wife, Evelyn McGee Colbert, calling her his favorite guest. He noted that his writing team, which won an Emmy for variety series writing the previous weekend, had written his jokes for the ceremony. Colbert emphasized the role of late-night shows as incubators for young talent and pleaded for his former colleagues to be hired.