Minneapolis comic Ali Sultan made his network television debut Tuesday night, closing out "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" with a set he spent years honing in clubs in the Twin Cities.
Sultan was originally booked to appear on the program in 2020, but the pandemic made stand-up appearances on late-night TV nearly impossible for roughly 15 months.
Sultan's big break may have been delayed, but in some ways, the timing was ideal. "The Late Show" is the only major late-night program presenting new episodes this week. That almost guarantees ratings will be higher than usual.
Viewers may have thought Sultan was telling jokes in front of Tuesday's crowd at New York City's Ed Sullivan Theater, but it's more likely that he recorded his set a few weeks ago. "The Late Show" is known to hold showcases where it tapes performances from several comics at once, then inserts the individual sets into episodes as needed.
Sultan declined to comment on production details.
The crowd responded well to bits about his mother's fourth marriage and what fellow Muslims are missing by not trying bacon.
"I hope this opens the door to other opportunities," Sultan said a few minutes after watching the show with his girlfriend and a buddy.
Sultan isn't the only comic with Minnesota roots enjoying the national spotlight these days. Pete Lee, who got his professional start on the Twin Cities comedy circuit, has a stand-up special premiering July 9 on Showtime.