Stephen Colbert Drops The Date For Barack Obama’s Late Show Sit-Down

Alright, if you thought the run-up to the end of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' was going to be quiet, think again. Colbert just pulled off the kind of booking that makes even jaded late-night watchers sit up: Barack Obama is coming back for what sounds like one final, high-profile chat.

Obama + Colbert: The Rematch (Again)

Here’s how it’s going down: Stephen Colbert will interview the former president on May 5. That tidbit dropped during a recent show, when Colbert teased the audience with what he called 'a quick but exciting announcement.' Next thing you know, he’s confirming Obama’s appearance—pretty much catnip for fans who love when late-night goes big.

There’s a twist: the interview isn’t just another night at the Ed Sullivan Theater. They’re actually filming it at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. For Obama, it’s the first time he’ll be interviewed in that space, which is a bit of a milestone if you’re keeping track of presidential legacies, museum openings, and TV tie-ins.

'Couch booked. Volume up. Ready to go.' (That’s from the official Obama Foundation on IG. Even the socks-and-sandals nonprofit folks seem pumped about this one.)

A Long (and Occasionally Funny) History

If this feels like déjà vu, well, it kind of is. Colbert and Obama have a bit of a shared late-night past. Colbert has interviewed him multiple times, starting back on Comedy Central, and then bringing him onto CBS both in 2016 and 2020. Their best bits usually mix actual jokes with actual policy talk, so if tradition holds, expect something smarter than the average plug-fest.

Timing Is Everything

Now, why now? The Obama Presidential Center has been under construction since 2021, but it’s finally about to open to the public in June. This interview basically doubles as a walk-up event: a first look at the space, straight from Obama himself, weeks before folks can actually go visit. Expect at least one sweeping drone shot.

What’s Happening to Colbert?

Here’s where things get a little weird. The Late Show as we know it is packing up for good, with Colbert’s final episode scheduled for May 21, 2026 (yes, you read that right—it’s a two-year goodbye lap). Why such a long wind-down? It’s part of a much bigger shakeup at CBS where, thanks to the network’s latest round of budget cuts and late-night belt-tightening, Colbert’s show is bowing out. After it wraps, CBS is plugging the gap with 'Comics Unleashed.' Pretty clear change of style if you ask me.

What You Need to Know

• Barack Obama will be interviewed by Stephen Colbert on May 5, 2024
• The interview takes place at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago
• First time Obama is being interviewed from inside the Center, which officially opens in June
• Colbert and Obama have done this dance before, but this one comes just before the show signs off
• Colbert’s last episode airs May 21, 2026, as CBS shifts away from traditional late-night

So if you’re a fan of legacy moments, presidential museums, or just want to see Colbert and Obama together one last time, mark your calendar for May 5. It’s a sendoff with the kind of guest spot that’s actually worth making an event out of—before late-night TV transforms into whatever comes next.