A West Hollywood restaurant owner is giving a massive sign from Stephen Colbert’s old “Late Show” a new home.
Jeff Douek — the owner of WeHo Bistro — purchased the sign at auction for a reported $102,100 last month after Colbert included the piece in his “Everything Must Go!” clearance sale, with the proceeds going to celebrity chef José Andrés’ charity World Central Kitchen.
The “iconic” 12-foot, colorful sign — which previously lit up the “Late Show” set at the Ed Sullivan Theater — was initially installed on WeHo Bistro’s rooftop last month before it was moved to an exterior wall of the building on July 15, according to the restaurant.
“We’re incredibly honored to welcome this special piece of late-night television history to WeHo Bistro,” the restaurant wrote in a post to Instagram.
“Thank you, Stephen Colbert, for the laughter, intelligence, kindness, and magic you’ve shared with all of us over the years.”
In an interview with CBS Los Angeles, Douek revealed that he was a fan of Colbert, noting that he regularly watched “The Late Show” and “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart before going to bed.
“They digested the crazy world around us, and it made me sleep better because instead of listening to the news, I could laugh about it,” he said.
“And so he changed my life.”
In addition to the sign, the restaurant has also put up posters listing some of the hundreds of famous faces who dropped by “The Late Show” before CBS cancelled it this year.
Douek told the CBS affiliate it was a challenge to get the sign to the West Coast as it was “too big for most trucks,” leading him to make special arrangements for the piece to make the over 2,700-mile trek out west.
Douek said he felt motivated to share the sign — and the “magic” of all the people interviewed under it — with his guests, his team and the community.