Conan O’Brien believes the future of late-night television may be uncertain, but Stephen Colbert’s career is not. While O’Brien admitted that the traditional late-night format is fading, he made it clear that Colbert’s talent and influence extend far beyond a single timeslot.

CBS announced last month that it would not just be ending Colbert's run on the network but retiring the venerable Late Show franchise as a whole after the 2025-26 broadcast season, calling the divisive decision a "purely financial" one "against a challenging backdrop in late night."