Stephen Colbert has been enjoying a well-deserved break over the summer.
It has been two months since the veteran comedian said goodbye to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, after CBS, under new leadership by David Ellison, opted to get out of the late night scene.
The former talk show host has laid low since, but broke his two-month social media hiatus for a very special reason.
© InstagramOver the weekend, Stephen took to Instagram for the first time since May 22, to wish his and his wife Evie McGee's beloved dog Benny a very happy birthday.
The doting dog dad shared a photo of the adorable chocolate brown Boykin Spaniel laying down on the couch, giving his dad puppy dog eyes, and wrote over it: "Happy 7th Birthday, Benny."
Fans were then quick to take to the comments section under the post and extend the birthday messages — and express how much they miss seeing Stephen on their TVs.
© Instagram"Happy happy birthday, Benny! Hope you and Dad and Mom are having lots of summer adventures but we all sure do miss you!" one wrote, as others followed suit with: "Awww, sweet Benny!! Happy 7th Birthday! And tell your dad that we miss him terribly!!! And his beautiful Evie too," and: "Happiest of birthdays!!! Miss you so much Stephen," as well as: "Happy Birthday Benny!! I remember when your dad first got you!! Miss your dad and mom!! Give them lots of licks from all of us here!!"
Benny in fact played a role in Stephen's final Late Show episode on May 21, which featured appearances from Paul McCartney, Ryan Reynolds, Bryan Cranston, and more.
Towards the end of the show, which aired from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater for nearly 33 years, Stephen and the famed Beatle pulled down on a giant light switch that made the Times Square building shrink into a snow globe.
© Getty ImagesThe camera then took fans outside of the building, where Benny himself walked the street over to the snow globe and sniffed it while the show's theme song played in the background, a "Come on, Benny. Let's go," from Stephen becoming the last lines of the show.
© Getty ImagesCBS canceled the Late Show in July 2025, days after Stephen criticized the network's parent company Paramount for settling a $16 million lawsuit from Donald Trump, who sued CBS 60 Minutes for allegedly editing an interview with former Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
The Late Show premiered on CBS in 1993 and only ever had two hosts, Stephen, and its inaugural host David Letterman, who was also part of those who helped the former bid farewell to it.
