Stephen Colbert plays 'Peanuts' on finale

Stephen Colbert used one of his last comedy beats on “The Late Show” to aim at CBS with a music joke tied to the “Peanuts” franchise. During the show’s May 21 finale, Colbert set up a segment about copyright lawsuits over Vince Guaraldi’s music, then had bandleader Louis Cato and the house band play “Linus and Lucy.” He followed it with a deadpan line: “oh no, I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money!” Billboard reported. The audience laughed and cheered, and the clip spread online by May 22. CBS News said the finale marked the end of the “Late Show” franchise after 33 years and Colbert’s nearly 11-year run as host. Colbert told viewers in his farewell that he and his staff had been “lucky enough to be here for the last 11 years,” and said he never took the job for granted. ### Why did the “Peanuts” song become the last CBS joke? (billboard.com) Billboard reported that Colbert built the joke around a news item from earlier in the week: the owner of the “Peanuts” theme and other Charlie Brown music had filed four copyright lawsuits over alleged unauthorized uses of Guaraldi’s scores. Colbert told viewers that anyone using the music illegally would “have to pay through the nose,” then stopped in mock alarm when the band began playing the tune. (cbsnews.com) Louis Cato answered Colbert on air when the host asked whether the band was really playing the same music he had just described as legally risky, Billboard reported. Colbert then looked into the camera and delivered the CBS line, turning a copyright setup into a closing network jab. (billboard.com) ### What exactly happened on the finale set? The May 21 broadcast ran 17 minutes longer than the show’s usual hour, CBS News reported. The final episode included appearances by Jon Stewart, Tig Notaro, Ryan Reynolds, Paul Rudd, Bryan Cranston, Tim Meadows, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver. (billboard.com) Paul McCartney was the show’s final guest, CBS News said. The finale also featured Elvis Costello and Jon Batiste performing “Jump Up,” with Batiste returning to the Ed Sullivan Theater after serving as the show’s bandleader and musical director from 2015 to 2022. ### Why did the audience react so strongly? The Times of India video item said the crowd erupted into laughter as Colbert turned the “Peanuts” cue into a CBS roast. (cbsnews.com) Billboard described the audience response as “wild cheers” after the line landed. The timing of the joke gave it extra weight because it arrived on Colbert’s final night behind the desk. Billboard said he used the bit as a “parting shot” at his former bosses before the show signed off. ### How did Colbert frame the end of his run? Colbert opened the finale by talking about the show’s history at the Ed Sullivan Theater and the “joy” of making it, CBS News reported. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) He said the staff called it the “joy machine” and thanked the people who worked on the program with him. CBS News said Colbert also told Jon Stewart, “I didn’t think my show would end like this, but still grateful.” That line sat alongside a finale built around surprise guests, music and one more network joke before the curtain came down. (billboard.com) ### What comes after the viral clip? Billboard published its report on May 22, a day after the finale aired, and CBS News posted its recap the morning after the broadcast. (cbsnews.com) The segment is available in clips from the May 21 finale, which closed Colbert’s run at the Ed Sullivan Theater and ended the “Late Show” franchise on CBS. (billboard.com)