Stephen Colbert and David Letterman threw furniture, watermelons, and a cake off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater on May 15, 2026.
The stunt serves as a defiant send-off for Colbert, whose 11-year tenure as host of "The Late Show" is coming to an end [1]. The public nature of the protest highlights the tension between the network and its departing star.
The pair gathered at the rooftop of the building located at 1697 Broadway in New York City. They targeted a giant CBS bullseye placed on the ground below, hurling various items from the heights of the theater. The items included pieces of furniture and fruit, turning the corporate headquarters into a scene of chaotic debris.
This rooftop event was framed as a revenge skit following the network's announcement that Colbert would leave the program. The stunt occurred just days before Colbert's final broadcast, which is scheduled for May 21, 2026 [1].
"I'm pissed off about the axing," Letterman said.
The collaboration between the two hosts marks a rare moment of shared defiance against the network that employed both men for decades. While the act was staged for entertainment, the choice of materials — specifically office furniture — signaled a rejection of the corporate environment.
Colbert described the event as a way to exit the network with a sense of humor. "This is how we say goodbye – just having a little fun on the roof," Colbert said.
“"I'm pissed off about the axing."”
The collaboration between Colbert and Letterman transforms a standard corporate departure into a public spectacle of professional grievance. By using the Ed Sullivan Theater — a landmark of late-night television — as a stage for 'revenge,' the hosts are leveraging their personal brands to critique the network's decision-making process regarding the end of Colbert's run.
