What Happened to Stephen Colbert’s Late Show Sign After Auction Sale? It’s in the Right Place
When Stephen Colbert put the giant Late Show sign under the hammer earlier this year, plenty of fans were left wondering where such an iconic slice of late-night history would end up. The answer has finally arrived, and it’s hard to imagine a more fitting landing spot: the sign is now in the heart of West Hollywood, where the public will be able to visit it for years to come.
Colbert offered the sign up for auction back in April, in an on-air segment dubbed “Late Show Home Shopping” alongside special guest Jon Stewart. “Buy this,” he quipped, “and, like me, you can have The Late Show hanging over your head for the rest of your life.” However, joking aside, the sale was all in the name of a good cause, with money from the auction going to World Central Kitchen, the disaster-relief food charity founded by chef José Andrés. The iconic sign drew more than 170 bids before selling for a huge $102,100.
The winning bidder turned out to be Jeff Douek, owner of WeHo Bistro in West Hollywood, who shared the news last week on Instagram that the 12-feet-tall sign had been delivered and temporarily placed on the roof of his restaurant. Douek made it clear that he bought the sign to make sure it was preserved and shared with anyone who wants to go and see it – while obviously helping put WeHo Bistro on the map for a reason other than its just its food.
Douek explained that when he discovered the sign, which was seen inside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York for every show, was up for sale and that money would be going to a good cause, he had no problems in making sure he was the one to buy it. Rather than having the piece of TV history consigned to a private collection, hidden away in storage with other memorabilia, Douek said that there was a strong feeling that the sign should be somewhere everyone could appreciate it.
The Late Show Sign Will Remain on Public Display
Although it is currently places on the roof of the WeHo Bistro, Douek said that after two weeks it will be moved inside and permanently installed on the wall of the restaurant for anyone to see, take photos, and remember the show before it was unexpectedly and controversially brought to an end.
The Late Show sign greeted audiences through all 11 of Colbert’s seasons as host of the late night talk show, becoming one of the most recognizable TV props of the last decade. Alongside the exterior marquee sign – which is currently still in place outside the Ed Sullivan Theater at time of writing – the interior sign will now have a place on public display, where it can ensure the memories of the series live on for fans.
The relocation caps a bittersweet chapter for late-night television. The Late Show aired its final episode on May 21, 2026, bringing an end to a franchise that ran for over 33 years under the tenure of David Letterman and then Colbert, who took charge in 2015. CBS’s decision to retire the show became one that was highly debated thanks to the insinuation that part of its demise came down to Colbert’s unrelenting jabs at President Donald Trump and his administration. Possibly the greatest irony in that is how The Late Show sign will now live on in public view for many years to come, which is something that cannot be said of Trump’s name on the wall of the Kennedy Center.
(featured image: CBS)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
