As Stephen Colbert prepares to close the curtain on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this spring, the host is turning the show’s final weeks into a meaningful fundraising opportunity. Fans will have the chance to bring home a few select pieces of late-night TV history while helping a worthy cause along the way.
During Monday night’s episode, Colbert shared an update on the show’s ongoing charity campaign benefiting World Central Kitchen, the international nonprofit that provides meals in disaster zones and crisis areas. The initiative centers around a limited-edition T-shirt commemorating the end of The Late Show, which is set to air its final episode on May 21.
The front of the shirt reads, “The Last Show with Stephen Colbert,” while the back delivers a tongue-in-cheek jab at late-night TV viewership: “Thanks for watching. Unless you watched on YouTube, the network couldn’t monetize that.”
Colbert revealed that in just a week and a half since launching the shirts, sales have been strong. “We have sold … a lot of them,” he said, emphasizing the enthusiastic response from fans eager to both commemorate the show and support a good cause.
The fundraising effort doesn’t stop at clothing, either. Colbert also announced that the show has expanded into auctioning off memorabilia, giving viewers a chance to own some Late Show history while contributing to the cause. Among the latest items up for grabs are some of the show’s more absurd props, including a “cursed monkey’s paw” used in multiple segments.
Colbert also revealed that two items from the very first episode of The Late Show are also being auctioned off. They include a “cursed amulet” mounted on a decorative goat skull. "Not cursed unless you were that goat,” he joked. The amulet appeared during a bit in the inaugural episode where Colbert gave fans a tour of the revamped Ed Sullivan Theater.
The "Last Show" T-shirts are available online through a special Late Show eBay channel. Fans can grab one for $40 before trying their luck on the auction items.
Five different neckties worn by Colbert on air are currently taking bids. Each one is over $400 at this point, with the most expensive being the one Colbert wore during a June 2018 episode.
Meanwhile, the "cursed amulet" and goat skull prop will cost fans at least $2,400 at this point. The monkey paw is at just over $1,600, with the auction for both items set to end in six days. Both items come with a signed certificate of authenticity from Stephen Colbert.
Fans looking to participate can purchase shirts or bid on memorabilia through the official fundraising site, with all proceeds supporting the World Central Kitchen organization’s ongoing relief efforts.