Stephen Colbert Of NJ Wins Emmy Award After ‘Late Night Show’ Cancellation

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Just a few months after his show was canceled, New Jersey resident Stephen Colbert has scored a bittersweet going-away victory: an Emmy Award.

“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” captured an Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series at Sunday’s award ceremony, beating out “The Daily Show” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

“I have never loved my country more desperately,” the Montclair resident said during his acceptance speech on Sunday.

“God bless America,” Colbert said, thanking his family and the crew of the show. “Stay strong, be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor!”

The 2025 ceremony was broadcast live from Los Angeles by CBS – the media company that recently decided to cancel “The Late Show.” The final episode will air in May 2026.

“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” George Cheeks, the president of CBS and co-chief executive of Paramount – CBS’s parent company – told The New York Times.

The announcement came two days after Colbert spoke out against Paramount Global settling with President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” story, calling it a “big fat bribe.”

• See Related: CBS Cancels ‘Late Show’ Days After Colbert Joked About 'Bribe' To Trump
• See Related: 'Late Show' Cancellation 'Didn't Seem To Make A Lot Of Sense,' Professor Says

Colbert, a Montclair resident, also appeared on stage to present the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series earlier in the night.

He mentioned the upcoming cancellation, joking: “Is anyone hiring? Because I’ve got 200 very qualified candidates here tonight who will be available in June.”

Colbert and his wife, Evelyn McGee-Colbert, have been major boosters for the arts community in North Jersey. The comedian has recruited some major star power in support of the annual Montclair Film Festival, including Meryl Streep, John Oliver, Jon Bon Jovi, Paul Giamatti and Jim Gaffigan.

• See Related: Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart Donate To Fund Hosted In Princeton
• See Related: Historic Movie Theater In NJ Is Reopening Soon: 'The Bellevue Is Back'

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