Colbert’s Finale: Paul McCartney Turns Off Lights

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- Stephen Colbert hosted the final episode of "The Late Show" and invited Paul McCartney as a surprise guest.
- Paul McCartney performed the Beatles' "Hello Goodbye" with Colbert, Elvis Costello, and Jon Batiste, and ceremonially turned off the lights in the Ed Sullivan Theater.
- Neil deGrasse Tyson introduced a green interdimensional portal concept earlier in the show, which was visually referenced when McCartney flipped the theater's main power switch.
- Elvis Costello performed his previously unreleased 1970s song "Jump Up" alongside Jon Batiste during the finale.
- Jon Batiste joined Costello and Colbert for the "Jump Up" performance and contributed to the New Orleans‑style coda of "Hello Goodbye."
Why it matters: Paul McCartney’s surprise performance may lift first‑week sales of his May 29 album "The Boys of Dungeon Lane", while CBS loses its long‑running late‑night anchor, forcing the network to fill the slot and potentially reshaping its primetime lineup.




