Jon Stewart made a surprise appearance during Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' debut

'Play ball'

Jon Stewart kicks off 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.' (CBS)

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert kicked off with a familiar face on Tuesday night.

During the premiere, host Stephen Colbert sang the "Star-Spangled Banner" along with friends across the country including places like New York's Central Park and Washington DC's National Mall.

When the song was finished, longtime Daily Show host Jon Stewart ushered Colbert, his former understudy, into his debut with CBS. Stewart revealed himself by taking off his umpire's mask and yelling out, "Play ball."

The rest of the show included an interview with actor George Clooney, Republican Jeb Bush and a performance by the show's jazz band Stay Human. Jon Batiste and his crew performed Sly & the Family Stone’s “Everyday People” to end the show's first taping.