MBC’ S LATE SHOW EXHIBIT
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he Late Show with Stephen Colbert signed off for good on May 22, 2026. When the show was canceled, it was still the top-rated late-night show on television. The cancellation was blamed on the cost of putting a show like this on the air every night. Whether you believe that public reason or not, it’ s not crazy to see it as a sign. It might very well be the beginning of the end of the entire late-night genre.
It’ s one reason it feels so appropriate that the show is now part of a museum- at least in part. They currently reside in Chicago at the Museum of Broadcast Communications as part of the Evolution of Late Night Television exhibit. Last month ' s ribbon-cutting drew a star-studded crowd of Chicago media and celebrities, along with a few key behind-the-scenes staffers from the show.
Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Co-Executive Producer of The Late Show, and Jim
Rick Kaempfer on Late Show set
Fenhagen, Principal Set Designer, were both on hand. Together, they have earned nearly 30 Emmy Awards. Bracco spent 10 years as line producer and supervising producer / executive, overseeing production for The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. She moved to CBS with Colbert in 2015 and was elevated to Co-Executive Producer in 2020.
Fenhagen is a veteran set designer with an incredible pedigree. When Colbert asked him to design the set for The Late Show in the old Ed Sullivan Theater, Fenhagen and Colbert collaborated to give it a larger-than-life feel.
On the night of the ribbon-cutting, Fenhagen was clearly moved to see his work on display. To the assembled crowd, he said,“ Most of the work I’ ve done simply disappears forever once it’ s not being used anymore. Not this time.” The museum has been working on acquiring it for a while.“ We were already working with CBS when we launched our Evolution of Late Night Television exhibit a little less than a year ago,” museum chairman Dave Plier explains.“ I think there was also an awareness of what can happen to these sets when a show ends. When Late Show with David Letterman ended its run, Dave’ s desk, backdrop, guest chairs, and Paul Shaffer’ s music area went to Ball State University, but much of the remaining set was ultimately discarded. So when The Late Show with Stephen Colbert came to an end, finding the right home for the set was important.”
But why Chicago? And why the Museum of Broadcast Communications?“ Chicago made sense for a number of reasons,” Plier said.“ CBS and Stephen knew about our Evolution of Late Night Television exhibit and what we were doing at the museum. And, of course, Stephen has deep ties to Chicago. He attended Northwestern University, developed his comedy chops here, performed at The Second City, and today serves as
By Rick Kaempfer
chairman of its board. Stephen wanted the set here, and we were incredibly honored that CBS and Stephen entrusted it to us. CBS, along with the other networks producing late-night talk shows, was very aware of what we were building here in Chicago and our commitment to preserving this important part of television history. In fact, during Stephen’ s recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he talked about the set coming to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago and said,‘ It was a great feeling.’”
Colbert’ s exhibit now joins the Johnny Carson Centennial Celebration and the other displays highlighting late-night shows. Like the Johnny Carson portion of the exhibit, which lets visitors walk through Carson’ s famous multi-colored curtains, this one is interactive.“ You’ ll be able to sit
behind Stephen Colbert’ s desk,” Plier explains,“ and in the guest chairs from the show. On the final broadcast, Paul McCartney sat in the chair closest to Stephen’ s desk. CBS and Stephen wanted visitors to be able to experience the set rather than simply look at it from behind a rope.”
And it’ s not just the desk and chairs.“ The exhibit includes the illuminated credenza behind the desk,” Plier points out,“ the lighting elements above it, the columns, and other pieces are all from the original set at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York. We also recreated a smaller version of Stephen’ s monologue stage. Beyond the set itself, we have Stephen’ s suit from his very first Late Show in 2015, one of his Emmy Awards, and additional artifacts from the show. It really gives visitors the opportunity to step into The Late Show and experience a piece of television history.”
The night of the ribbon cutting, even prominent members of Chicago’ s media world got a kick out of sitting at Stephen’ s desk. Truth be told, so did Illinois Entertainer’ s media columnist. In addition to the Evolution of Late Night Television, the museum still features the National Radio Hall of Fame, a tribute to WGN classics like Bozo and Garfield Goose, an exhibit about TV shows like Svengoolie and I Dream of Jeannie, an exhibit honoring the classic radio station, The Loop, and lots more. It’ s becoming a must-see attraction in Chicago.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications is located at 440 W. Randolph, just steps away from the Ogilvie Train Station. It’ s open Wednesdays and Thursdays( Noon to 6 p. m.), Fridays and Saturdays( 10 a. m.-6 p. m.), and Sundays( Noon to 6 p. m.) november 2026 illinoisentertainer. com 19