Seth Meyers shocked fans by revealing that Stephen Colbert once refused to invite him on The Late Show because he “wasn’t famous enough,” a rejection that sparked years of quiet rivalry between the two comedians—until Meyers turned the slight into fuel for his own success and finally exposed the truth with biting humor.

Seth Meyers just set the late-night world on fire with one jaw-dropping confession — and it involves none other than Stephen Colbert.

During a new episode of his podcast Corrections & Confessions, released this week from his studio in New York, Meyers revealed that years ago, Colbert allegedly refused to have him as a guest on The Late Show because he “wasn’t famous enough.

” What started as a lighthearted chat quickly spiraled into a candid, biting glimpse at the quiet rivalries behind the smiles of late-night TV.

According to Meyers, the moment happened shortly after Late Night with Seth Meyers launched on NBC in 2014.

At the time, Colbert had just taken over The Late Show from David Letterman and was riding a massive wave of success.

“We were both finding our footing in this post–Jon Stewart world,” Meyers recalled with a smirk.

“So naturally, I thought, hey, why not support each other?” But when his team reached out to Colbert’s producers, the answer was an unexpected — and brutal — no.

“They said Stephen thinks you’re not quite… well, there yet,” Meyers said, pausing for effect.

“Whatever that means.”

The audience burst out laughing, but Meyers wasn’t finished.

He leaned in toward the mic and added, “Apparently, being ‘there’ meant having a movie deal, a scandal, or maybe a viral meltdown — you know, real fame.

” The jab sent social media into overdrive, with fans dissecting every word for hidden tension between the two hosts.

“This isn’t just a story,” one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

“It’s a late-night cold war finally going public.”

Though Meyers delivered the anecdote with his usual dry humor, insiders say there’s more truth to the tale than he lets on.

According to one source familiar with both shows, there was indeed some quiet competitiveness between Meyers and Colbert during their early years as hosts.

“They respected each other, but they were also aware of the ratings game,” the insider said.

“Colbert had CBS behind him and wanted to keep the focus on his brand.

Inviting another network’s rising star didn’t exactly serve that.”

Colbert, for his part, has not publicly responded to Meyers’ remarks — though that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating about a brewing feud.

Some longtime viewers have pointed out that Colbert and Meyers have rarely appeared together, despite sharing overlapping circles with comedians like John Oliver and Jimmy Fallon.

“It’s funny,” one Reddit user noted.

“You see Fallon on everyone’s show, you see Kimmel popping up here and there, but Colbert and Meyers? Never.

There’s always been a weird distance.”

During the same podcast episode, Meyers also joked about how the snub “motivated” him to push harder for his own brand of comedy.

“Maybe he was right,” Meyers said with a shrug.

“Maybe I wasn’t famous enough — yet.

So I worked my ass off until I was.

” He added that, ironically, Colbert’s rejection might have been “the best thing that ever happened” to him.

“It taught me not to wait for someone else to validate you.

If Colbert didn’t want me on The Late Show, I’d just build a show he couldn’t ignore.”

The story has since sparked fierce online debate among fans and TV commentators.

Some praised Meyers for his honesty, calling it a rare moment of transparency in an industry built on PR polish.

Others accused him of stirring up unnecessary drama.

“Seth knows exactly what he’s doing,” one entertainment columnist wrote.

“He’s making late-night relevant again — by turning it into its own soap opera.”

As for whether Colbert and Meyers will ever bury the hatchet, the jury’s still out.

But with both men continuing to dominate late-night TV in their own ways — Meyers with his biting political humor, Colbert with his polished wit and celebrity appeal — the rivalry, real or imagined, only makes for better television.

And if there’s one thing both hosts can agree on, it’s this: in the world of late-night comedy, nothing drives ratings like a good feud.