Content Advisory: This article discusses political criticism, Jeffrey Epstein-related records, and late-night TV cancellation. Reader discretion is advised.
Stephen Colbert’s final week on ‘The Late Show’ brought out another major Hollywood name, and Robert De Niro used his appearance to take a sharp swipe at Donald Trump.
In recent weeks, the Ed Sullivan Theater has seen a long list of guests stop by for his final episodes, including Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, and former host David Letterman.
For his penultimate episode, Colbert brought in Aubrey Plaza, Martha Stewart, and De Niro for an unusual guest-host segment.
Robert De Niro Takes Aim At Trump
The segment flipped the usual late-night setup. Instead of Colbert interviewing guests, several celebrities briefly stepped in as guest host while Colbert sat on the sofa and answered questions.
De Niro’s question started innocently enough. “What number were you thinking of?” he asked Colbert.
Colbert explained that the correct answer was three, a number previously guessed by Meryl Streep and Ethan Hawke.
Then De Niro turned the moment political. “OK,” he replied. “Because I thought it would have been two million point five, or two and a half million.”
Then came the punchline. “That’s the number of Epstein files Trump still hasn’t released,” De Niro said. The audience erupted into cheers and applause, while Colbert laughed from the sofa.
De Niro Gives Colbert One More Trump Moment
De Niro has been one of Trump’s loudest celebrity critics for years, so the joke was not exactly surprising. Still, the timing gave it extra weight.
Colbert is ending his run at a moment when his cancellation remains controversial. CBS has said the decision was financial. However, critics have questioned the timing because Paramount was seeking approval for a major merger with Skydance while facing pressure from the Trump administration.
Colbert has spent much of his late-night career mocking Trump, and his final week has leaned into that history instead of backing away from it.
Colbert’s Final Week Brings Big Names
The penultimate episode continued a star-heavy sendoff for Colbert. Aubrey Plaza and Martha Stewart also joined the show, while other major names have appeared in recent weeks to mark the end of his CBS run.
De Niro’s Epstein joke fit the mood of the final stretch: nostalgic, political, and openly defiant.
