You're sitting on the couch, the news is over, and you just want to see what Stephen Colbert has to say about the day’s absolute chaos. But then you realize you aren't sure when he's actually on. Is it 11:35? Is it 11:30? Does it change if you’re in Chicago? Finding the exact The Late Show with Stephen Colbert time is weirdly complicated because of how local affiliates work, and if you're streaming, it’s a whole different ballgame.
It’s the flagship of CBS. Since 2015, Colbert has been the guy behind that iconic desk at the Ed Sullivan Theater, following in the footsteps of David Letterman. But unlike the old days of "appointment television," the schedule is a moving target.
The Standard Broadcast Window
Basically, for the vast majority of people in the United States, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert time is 11:35 PM ET/PT. If you’re in the Central or Mountain time zones, you’re usually looking at 10:35 PM.
But wait.
Local news is the king of the schedule. If your local CBS affiliate has a particularly long-winded sports report or a breaking news event that runs over, Stephen gets bumped. I’ve seen episodes start at 11:40 or even 11:45 because a local high school football segment ran long. It's frustrating. You’re ready for the monologue, but you’re stuck watching a weather forecast for a county you don’t even live in.
Why the 11:35 Start Even Exists
Have you ever wondered why it’s not just 11:00 PM? History. It’s all about the local news. Stations found out decades ago that they could make more money by running their own news programs right after prime time. By the time they finish selling local ads and telling you about a cat stuck in a tree, it’s 11:35. Johnny Carson famously fought these shifts, but eventually, the 11:35 slot became the industry standard for the "Big Three" networks.
Colbert shares this slot with Jimmy Fallon on NBC and Jimmy Kimmel on ABC. It’s the most competitive half-hour in late-night TV.
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Streaming Changes the Math Completely
If you’ve cut the cord, you aren't tied to a clock. Paramount+ is the home for all things CBS.
Here is how that works:
If you have the "Premium" or "With SHOWTIME" tier of Paramount+, you can actually watch your local CBS station live. That means you are still beholden to the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert time of your specific city.
However, if you're just looking for the on-demand upload, you usually have to wait. Episodes typically drop on the streaming service at 3:00 AM ET (12:00 AM PT) the following morning. So, if you're a night owl on the West Coast, you can actually watch the show "on-demand" right as it's finishing its first run on the East Coast.
The YouTube Factor
Let's be real. Most people don't watch the full hour anymore.
The YouTube "time" for Colbert is almost more important than the broadcast time. The social media team at The Late Show is fast. Usually, the monologue—the meat of the show—is uploaded to YouTube by 12:30 AM ET. By the time you wake up for work at 7:00 AM, the entire show has been chopped up into digestible clips.
What Happens When Sports Get in the Way?
The biggest enemy of the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert time is the NFL and March Madness.
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When CBS has a Thursday night game or a late-running Sunday afternoon game that pushes the whole primetime schedule back, Colbert suffers. There are nights where the show doesn't start until well after midnight. During the NCAA tournament, the "Late Show" often goes on hiatus or airs special "delayed" versions.
If you see a "Special Preview" or a "Late Edition" tag on your DVR, that’s usually why. The network tries to keep the 11:35 slot consistent, but live sports is the only thing that generates more ad revenue than Colbert’s monologues, so sports always wins.
The Production Schedule vs. The Air Time
A lot of people think the show is live. It isn't. Not usually.
They tape at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, typically around 5:30 PM or 6:00 PM ET. This gives the editors a few hours to clean up the footage, add the graphics, and make sure the audio is crisp.
Sometimes, they’ll go live for huge events—like Election Night or a State of the Union address. When that happens, the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert time remains 11:35 PM, but the energy is totally different because Stephen is reacting to things that happened only minutes prior.
Dealing with Re-runs
Not every night is a "new" night. CBS usually programs new episodes Monday through Thursday. Fridays are a toss-up. Sometimes it’s a new episode, but often it’s a "best of" compilation or a repeat from earlier in the month.
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You can tell if it's a repeat by checking the "New" tag on your electronic program guide (EPG). If that tag is missing, you're likely watching a rerun of an interview with a movie star who’s already finished their press tour.
Actionable Steps to Never Miss a Monologue
If you're tired of guessing when the show starts or missing the first five minutes because the DVR cut it off, here is the move.
First, set your DVR to record "The Late Show" with an extra 15-minute buffer. This is the "pro move." Go into the recording settings and tell it to stop 15 minutes late. This covers you for those nights when the local news runs long or a football game goes into overtime.
Second, follow the show on YouTube and turn on notifications. If you only care about the political commentary, the monologue is usually live on their channel before the actual broadcast ends on the West Coast.
Third, check the CBS schedule page directly if there is a major sporting event. Don't trust the "11:35" on your physical remote if the AFC Championship game is on. The website will give you the "Estimated Start Time," which is usually accurate within a couple of minutes.
Lastly, if you're a Paramount+ subscriber, use the "My List" feature. The app will ping you when the new episode is processed and ready for on-demand viewing, which usually happens while the rest of the world is asleep. This is the cleanest way to watch without commercials, though you'll be a few hours behind the cultural conversation.
Stop relying on the old-school TV Guide. The modern broadcast schedule is fluid, but with a little bit of planning, you can make sure you’re always tuned in when the band starts playing.