Jimmy Kimmel helps Emmy winner Stephen Colbert make good on his promise to his wife

It’s not every day you see a television legend trade his new look for beard trimmers live on stage, but that’s exactly what went down on September 15, 2026. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stephen Colbert, fresh off his big wins at the 2026 Emmys, stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a hilarious and wide-ranging conversation. The biggest takeaway from the night was Colbert finally making good on a promise he made to his wife, Evie.

The former Late Show host, who looked notably relaxed, revealed that his wife has been less than thrilled with his recent facial hair. Colbert shared that Evie hates the beard and even warned him that his kiss count would plummet if he kept it. He had promised her that if he won an Emmy, he would shave it off.

Since The Late Show took home seven awards for its final season, the pressure was on. Kimmel, always the instigator, saw his chance and pushed his friend to follow through on the bet. Colbert agreed, noting it was fairly scandalous, and proceeded to clear his face of the scruff right there on the show.

It was refreshing to see Colbert appearing as a guest

When Kimmel asked if he missed the daily grind of hosting, Colbert was quick to shut that down with a definitive, “Nope!” According to Variety, he explained that he’s really enjoying the freedom of not having to think about the news every single day. Colbert compared his old job to being lowered into a radioactive pool like a carbon rod, only to pull himself out and radiate that energy back at an audience. It’s no wonder he’s looking so much happier and healthier these days.

The two friends then spent plenty of time chatting about the Emmys. They even joked about a secret beard-on-beard smooch they shared at the ceremony that the cameras completely missed. They recalled the moment a photographer caught them together with Jon Stewart and John Oliver, labeling their group ‘the endangered table’.

It’s a sad but funny look at the current state of the industry, especially considering the speculation surrounding the future of late night shows and the fact that The Late Show was cancelled by CBS earlier this year.

Colbert was tight-lipped about any network drama, though. When Kimmel asked if anyone from CBS reached out to congratulate him on his seven Emmy wins, Colbert joked that he wasn’t familiar with that organization.

He did share an update on his massive collection of suits, noting that he has 40 of them in storage after the network let him keep them. The former host is currently looking for anyone fresh out of law school who might be in need of a wardrobe upgrade, and he told viewers to contact Kimmel if they want to get in touch.

The conversation eventually shifted to his upcoming Lord of the Rings project

Colbert has been spending time in New Zealand working on the Lord of the Rings movie, and he shared a funny anecdote about running into Steven Spielberg. Apparently, the legendary director tried to grill him for details on the movie.

However, Colbert was so terrified of breaking his nondisclosure agreements that he fed Spielberg a ridiculous story about Frodo teaming up with a time-traveling dinosaur. He later regretted not playing along, especially after his writing partner, Philippa Boyens, pointed out that Spielberg might have actually had a good idea to share.

Before the interview wrapped up, Colbert had one more surprise for his host. He decided to gift Kimmel his replica of Captain America’s shield, which he had received years ago for being a patriot. The shield had been a staple on The Colbert Report and The Late Show, but now it has a new home. A clearly touched Kimmel mounted the shield on the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live! so he can see it during his monologues for as long as his show continues to run.

It’s clear that Colbert is in a good place. Even though he’s moved on from his time at CBS, he remains a huge fan of the genre. He recently told reporters that he believes late night is still a vital part of the television landscape and that he loves watching his peers continue the work. For now, he’s enjoying the break from the daily news cycle, his new clean-shaven look, and the excitement of working on his film project.