Stephen Colbert Asks “Is Anyone Hiring?” While Presenting at the Emmys

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Sep 14

Stephen Colbert holding up his old headshot at the 2025 Emmys. **Kevin Winter/Getty Images**

The outgoing Late Show host kicked off the Emmys with a pointed jab — and his resumé.

Stephen Colbert wasted no time addressing the elephant in the Peacock Theater.

While presenting the first award of the night at the 77th Emmy Awards, the longtime Late Show host opened with a wink and a sharp-edged punchline: “Is anyone hiring?”

The joke landed with added weight given the recent news that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end after the 2025–2026 season — a move CBS called a “purely financial decision” as it shutters the legendary late-night franchise that began with David Letterman in 1993. Colbert, who’s hosted the program since 2015, didn’t stop there.

“I’ve got about 200 very qualified people with me tonight,” he added, referring to his team, many of whom now face job uncertainty. And just in case, Colbert said, he came prepared: he slipped his resumé — along with a vintage black-and-white headshot — to presenter Harrison Ford, asking if he could “pass it on to Spielberg.”

The bit drew laughs, but the subtext was unmistakable: Colbert, a titan of late night, is facing the same corporate upheaval plaguing the rest of the entertainment industry. CBS’s decision to end The Late Show came weeks before the closure of Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media — a larger consolidation effort that has already led to budget cuts, executive exits, and franchise retooling across the board.

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The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is nominated for Best Talk Series at this year’s Emmys, alongside Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Daily Show. Whether Colbert leaves with a trophy or just the night’s best one-liner remains to be seen — but his Emmy night reminder was clear: even legends aren’t safe in today’s Hollywood.

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards aired live on CBS and Paramount+ from Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, hosted by Nate Bargatze.