Drew Barrymore just gave late-night TV the send-off it didn’t know it needed.
On last night’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the acting legend Drew Barrymore closed out her interview by recreating a moment in time—a viral flashback to her infamous desk-top dance for David Letterman in the ’90s, when she went topless mid-interview and left the host speechless. This time, Drew kept her shirt on, but the energy? Still wild. Still hers.
She climbed up on Colbert’s desk, mugs flying, shirt bedazzled with “WE ❤️ STEPHEN” across the back, and gave us a reimagined version of the chaos that made her a pop culture fixture. Colbert tried to play it cool, but the moment cracked through the polish. It was messy, nostalgic, and deeply human.
The original wild child of the ’80s and ’90s is still there—just a bit less risqué, a bit more reflective. But the spark? Untouched.
And the timing? Bittersweet. CBS recently announced that The Late Show will end in May 2026, not because of ratings or relevance, but due to financial restructuring and a shifting late-night landscape. Colbert’s contract expires, and with ad revenue for network late-night shows cut nearly in half over the past seven years, CBS is pulling the plug on one of its most successful franchises. No replacement. No reboot. Just lights out.
As Colbert’s tenure winds down, Drew’s tribute felt like a beautiful way to close out the end of an era. A nod to spontaneity, to late-night’s unruly charm, and to the kind of TV moment we rarely get anymore.
From Letterman to Colbert, Barrymore’s still got it. And she knows exactly how to honor the past—by dancing on the desk one last time.
