Monroe, Michigan — Just one day after signing off from CBS’ “The Late Show,” Stephen Colbert unexpectedly returned to southeast Michigan television Friday night for a special appearance on the quirky local access program Only in Monroe.
The hourlong broadcast featured Colbert stepping back into the role of community TV host nearly a decade after his first appearance on the Monroe-based show in 2015, shortly before taking over for David Letterman on late-night television.
The episode leaned heavily into Monroe-area humor, with Colbert joking about the city’s growing number of cannabis dispensaries and other uniquely local attractions and traditions. The show also featured a lineup of familiar celebrity guests with Michigan ties.
Jack White, who grew up in Detroit, appeared alongside Colbert as the show’s “volunteer music director,” while Jeff Daniels joined for an in-studio interview packed with Michigan jokes and references.
A taped segment featured Steve Buscemi joking about Buscemi’s Pizza in Monroe, while Eminem appeared in a prerecorded comedy bit as a fictional “fire marshal” overseeing the destruction of parts of Colbert’s former late-night set.
Colbert also connected via FaceTime with Byron Allen, whose show “Comics Unleashed” is reportedly set to replace Colbert’s canceled late-night program.
The local show’s regular hosts, Michelle Baumann and former Miss America winner Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson, also joined in on the fun during a comedic segment involving helium balloons and a tongue-in-cheek on-screen safety warning.
After the broadcast aired, Stream 419 spoke with individuals connected to Only in Monroe who confirmed the episode was in fact filmed in Monroe, adding to the excitement surrounding the nationally known comedian’s unexpected return to local television in southeast Michigan.
This report is part of the Stream 419 network, delivering local news, sports, radio, and media across Northwest Ohio. For more coverage, visit Stream419.com.
