The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Best of March 2021

It was another successful month for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. And with the CBS late night show taking this week off, it’s a good time to look back at March’s highlights.

Since 2021 began, The Late Show has remained on top of late night TV. The competition behind Stephen Colbert may flip from week to week or month to month, but nobody has been able to catch Colbert in the ratings. Any concern that Colbert would struggle in a post-Trump world has been dismissed.

That being said, the former president popped up plenty of times during Colbert’s monologues in March. The Late Show did its best to minimize coverage of Donald Trump but it’s impossible to ignore him or his influence on the Republican Party for long.

March also featured some big-name guests as Colbert continued to conduct interviews via Zoom. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Lupita Nyong’o, Jared Leto, and Ringo Starr were some of the names featured on The Late Show this month.

Here are the best moments on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from March 2021. Be sure to let us know which one was your favorite.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert best of March 2021: Best monologue

Stephen Colbert’s best monologue from March had nothing to do with Donald Trump, the Republican Party, or the pandemic. Instead, it was the Late Show‘s reaction to Oprah’s interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry that got the most attention.

It was probably a welcome change of pace for Colbert who has made it clear he wants to move on from all things Trump. Oprah’s interview gave him that chance and Colbert ran with it to open the show on March 9.

Colbert called the interview “shocking” and “heartbreaking,” echoing the sentiments shared by many of the millions who watched. The monologue stood out for Colbert’s staunch support of Markle while condemning the racism and bullying she faced from the Royal Family and British tabloids.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert best of March 2021: Best Quarantinewhile

The Late Show has successfully rolled with times during the pandemic, adapting as necessary while still producing late night TV’s best show. One example is how the “Meanwhile” segment has evolved into “Quarantinewhile” and in the process, become more popular than ever.

“Quarantinewhile” was at its best in March when Stephen Colbert shared his thoughts a report that Japanese scientists were experimenting on century-old bacteria from the sea floor. Colbert questions the timing of messing around with a potential ancient pathogen, wondering if scientists are just bored of the pandemic.

Other topics covered included the Naked Cowboy panhandling in Florida, Netflix for monkeys, and Disney censoring content from children. But all of that pales in comparison to the real-life horror movie Colbert described as scientists reviving primordial bacteria.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert best of March 2021: Best interview

It was a reunion the March 23 episode as Stephen Colbert interviewed his old boss Dana Carvey. Colbert was a cast member on the shortlived The Dana Carvey Show in 1996. The two swapped some stories about the era during the interview, including advice that the more established Carvey provided Colbert.

But the highlight of the interview was Carvey showing off his latest impressions. The former Saturday Night Live cast member gave us a taste of his Dr. Anthony Fauci impression before going into a Joe Biden impression that could be on SNL right now.

Carvey’s appearance was widely praised and clips of his impressions quickly made the rounds on social media. It was nice to see an interview all about the art of comedy come in as The Late Show‘s best this month.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert best of March 2021: Best musical performance

For the best musical performance of the month, we’re going to keep it in house. The Late Show‘s own Jon Batiste delivered an incredible rendition of his song “I Need You” from his new album We Are.

It capped off a fantastic stretch for Batiste’s career. In February, he won Best Original Score for Soul at the Golden Globe Awards. After that, he picked up the same award at the Critics’ Choice Awards. Batiste will try to make it three-for-three after he was nominated for an Academy Award.

Batiste got to show off more of his talent on March 2. Playing multiple instruments, Batiste’s energy and passion came through even without a live audience there to cheer him on. The Late Show , and the world, is lucky to have Jon Batiste.

What was your favorite moment from The Late Show in March? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.