Stephen Colbert returned as host of The Late Show on Monday after an unexpected absence due to his appendix bursting — and then him ignoring it for a while — which required emergency surgery.
And along with his harrowing tale told as only Colbert can, the other late-night shows were full of big moments too with A-list talent like George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Dua Lipa sitting in the guest chairs (and cold tubs).
So here’s a look at the biggest moments from a big evening in late night.
Colbert returns – his appendix did not
Not long after Colbert sat down with his predecessor, David Letterman, on the Monday before Thanksgiving, he went home feeling a little under the weather. He said when he woke up the next day he was in agony, and that never went away.
But he decided to do the show anyway, in large part because of how much time his staff has already missed this year due to the writers’ strikes and then Colbert getting COVID shortly after everyone was back to work.
After what sounded like a rather painful show — one that included an interview with Bradley Cooper and a cooking segment-turned-impromptu-dance-moment with chef José Andrés — Colbert ended up going to the hospital afterward where he learned that his appendix had already burst.
That of course required emergency surgery, which required recovery time, which is why Colbert is just now returning.
“I am your host Stephen Colbert,” he said to open the show. “Although for a little while there, I almost wasn’t.”
Colbert ended his story by thanking a whole bunch of people, including his doctors and nurses and his Late Show staff. But most importantly he thanked his family who, “filled the hole where my appendix used to be with love.”
He also thanked his actual appendix for helping him lose 14 pounds during the whole process.
“You heard it here first, appendicitis is the new Ozempic,” Colbert joked in reference to the popular weight loss drug.
Getting funky in the cold tub
Mark Wahlberg stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he covered topics like moving his family to Las Vegas, his new movie The Family Plan and inserting his entire body into ice cold water for its health benefits.
The latter came up when Fallon pointed out that he’s been checking out Wahlberg’s social media pages and noticed that the actor and producer likes to do cold plunges. He even bragged about taking all the ice from the machines in hotels so he can fill up his tub for a dip.
“You will be able to achieve whatever your fitness goals are if you start doing that,” Wahlberg told Fallon.
The host said he’s never done a cold plunge, using a lack of ice in his apartment as an excuse, but luckily Wahlberg arranged for Fallon to take his very first dip right then and there. And while Fallon didn’t strip down his underoos to show off his abs like Wahlberg does, he did get in — and with his dress suit fully on, before eventually being joined by a fully clothed Wahlberg as well.
George Clooney’s Batman brat
On Jimmy Kimmel Live, the host and his lead guest George Clooney enjoyed some conversation about their kids, with Clooney admitting that his youngsters can now speak two languages that he can’t — French and Italian.
He also took issue with his six-year-old son’s latest obsession: Batman.
“My son’s in love with Batman. That’s all he talks about is Batman. And I’m like, ‘you know I was Batman.’ And he’s like, ‘yeah not anymore,’” Clooney said. “He has no idea how right he is.”
Clooney starred as the titular character in 1997’s Batman & Robin, replacing Val Kilmer from the previous film, who replaced Michael Keaton from the two films before that.
And even though his particular Batman film is known for plenty of things — like Arnold Schwarzenegger as the villain and a plethora of cheesy moments — there is one topic in particular relating his version of Batman that Clooney has trouble discussing with his young son.
“How do you tell your six-year-old son that Batman had nipples?” Clooney wondered.
Day drinking with Dua Lipa
It’s called Late Night with Seth Meyers for obvious reasons, but even a graveyard shift gab-show host likes a little daylight and fresh air now and then, and thus his segment “Day Drinking with Seth & [insert guest name].” This time, Meyers’ drinking buddy was none other than British pop singing sensation Dua Lipa. And did they ever live up to the sketch title.
Joining Meyers at an East Village bar, sober Dua started out rather quiet and reserved, but after several drinking games and an untold number of shots and mixed drinks later, hammered Dua got quite chatty. One of the highlights occurred when they played a “Truth or Drink” variation on “Truth or Dare” in which the pair alternated reading the other an awkward question that they had to either answer or take a shot. Dua’s question to Meyers right out of the gate: “You have 3 children. Rank ‘em. Favorite to least favorite.” Well aware his kids might one day watch the segment, Meyers wisely opted to drink.
One of Meyers’ dares to Dua: Sing “Happy Birthday” in your best Cockney accent.” It was one of the rare instances she didn’t drink, and it was quite charming to hear the singer belt it out like a drunken sailor, which by now she most definitely was.
Shortly thereafter, Dua’s team said she needed a few minutes break, which became a few more and a few more after that and, well, she never returned.
Though by cutting back to tonight’s episode with Meyers in studio now several days later it’s obvious he survived, viewers were left to draw their own conclusions about the condition of Ms. Lipa.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers air on NBC; Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on ABC; The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs on CBS.
