To say that Stephen Colbert is having an interesting year is to say that outer space sure is dark. The late night staple was thrown for a loop when CBS axed The Late Show ahead of its impending 11th season,

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."

Batiste joined The Late Show family in 2015 when Colbert took over for the series’ former host, David Letterman. He acted as the show’s bandleader and musical director until he left in 2022 to further pursue his personal music career. Louis Cato took over Batiste’s role later that year and continues to serve as The Late Show ‘s bandleader.