In a recent social media announcement on Monday, Stephen Colbert shared the unfortunate news that he had to cancel this week’s episodes of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” due to a burst appendix. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Colbert maintained his trademark humor, addressing his fans with a witty remark about potential reasons for the last-minute cancellation.
In his Monday afternoon post, Colbert quipped, “I’m sure you’re thinking, ‘Turkey overdose, Steve? Gravy boat capsize?’ Actually, I’m recovering from surgery for a ruptured appendix.” The Mayo Clinic highlights that a burst appendix can be a life-threatening condition, spreading infection throughout the abdomen and necessitating immediate surgical intervention to remove the organ.
Stephen Colbert (Credits: Decider)
Although Colbert did not have a new episode scheduled for Monday, he had lined up interviews with notable guests for the rest of the week, including actress Jennifer Garner, director Baz Luhrmann, guitarist John Scofield, actor Patrick Stewart, singer-songwriter Jon Batiste, singer Barbra Streisand, and actor Kelsey Grammer.
This health setback comes after a period of disruption for late-night shows, as Colbert and others went off the air from May to October during the Writers Guild of America strike. Additionally, in October, “The Late Show” had to cancel several episodes as Colbert recovered from a bout with COVID-19.
Colbert, who has been hosting “The Late Show” since 2015, expressed gratitude to his medical team and family before signing off. He humorously revealed that, due to his new appendix-less existence, all emails meant for his appendix would now be handled by his pancreas. This unexpected turn not only led to the cancellation of this week’s shows but also hinted at potential effects on day-to-day operations in the future.
