Stephen Colbert found New York's lost relic buried in his studio. But its 'message' left him shaken
The celebrity mentioned how it all started in 1955 and carried the very essence of America's early mindset
Not all idioms are true because, in the case of Stephen Colbert, curiosity did not kill the cat. "The Late Show" host debuted at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 8, 2015, and after more than a decade, the final episode will air on May 21, 2026. Before closing this chapter, Colbert discovered something that had been hidden in his studio for more than six decades. Colbert gave Architectural Digest a tour of the newly restored theater. A snippet of the video was shared on Threads by Christa Rose Avampato (@christarosenyc) on May 20, 2026, and has received 3,500 likes, 219 reshares, and 8 comments so far.
Been there for 11 years
Before Colbert took the reins on "The Late Show," it was hosted by David Letterman. Colbert had previously been a guest on Letterman's show at least 10 times, but could never understand the layout of the studio. Colbert explained that because of the way it was built, several sound sails and baffles were used to reduce the slapback sound on the mic. Colbert's "Late Show" set was installed 11 years ago by Jim Fenhagen, and all this time, he did not know was under the fabric, until now.
Colbert had seen the magnificent photos of the old theater dome. It had Moroccan and Moorish architectural designs. When he asked to see it, people told him that everything had been torn down during the 1950s, and the designs he saw in the photos were long gone. His curiosity got the better of him, and he had the sound sails taken down.
A piece of NYC history
Boy, was Colbert happy to see what was underneath all the heavy fabric. Everything was still intact — the Moroccan designs, a giant plasterwork chandelier, intricately designed stained windows depicting artists and musicians, and so much more history. Colbert went to CBS to reveal his discovery, and luckily, they aided him financially to restore it. Since it had been left untouched for so long, the restoration process had to be delicate. Workmen were cleaning the plasterwork chandelier using a toothbrush, and while they were working up in the dome, they found several items, including cigars, tools, and traffic tickets dating from the 1940s and 1950s.
Its crucial message
Colbert looked at the figurines in the stained glass windows and noted how they were all of musicians and other artists — not a political or religious leader in sight. This is particularly poignant since Colbert's show is ending due to a political scuffle. Praising art over divisive politics has become the living anthem for New Yorkers who didn't fail to appreciate Colbert's reference. In a truly overwhelming moment, the camera pans to each of these figures bathed in morning light, perhaps beckoning us to slow down and appreciate the finer things in life.
Ed Sullivan Theater history
Colbert briefly spoke about the history of the Ed Sullivan Theater during the Architectural Digest interview. It was built in 1927 by Arthur Hammerstein and was supposed to be a 'cathedral of culture.' Before it became David Letterman's TV studio, it had long been used as one. Ed Sullivan and Jackie Gleason used the theater to host their shows, and the American sitcom, "The Honeymooners," was shot in the same building. Fast forward almost a century, and Colbert is retiring from "The Late Show" in 2026. YouGov revealed the latest public opinion about the show and found that 82% of voters have heard of the show, 47% have a positive reaction to Colbert's show, and 22% dislike it.
Readers say they'll miss Colbert
People in the comments talked about how they were going to miss Colbert's show, and others applauded him for restoring the theater. @thompsonnoel commented, "He restored the entire theater just because? Colbert your are such a wonderful human. He also put plaques and everything to honor the history of the space. Knowing it was a WPA theater, I wish at some point in time it would go back to that. Culture is for the people." @CD-wt3rc added, "Just like the building, studio design holds historical value. This set should be preserved."
You can follow Christa Rose Avampato (@christarosenyc) on Threads for more lifestyle content.
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