CBS is set to cancel The Late Show With Stephen Colbert next May, marking the end of a long-standing television institution and removing one of late-night’s most prominent political voices.
A Surprising Announcement
Stephen Colbert delivered the unexpected news to his live audience at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater. He stated that “next year will be our last season. … It’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”
The audience’s boos and groans reflected the shock shared by many viewers, a sentiment Colbert acknowledged he shared. This announcement brought a surprising end to a show that has been a staple of late-night television for a decade under Colbert.
Top executives from Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, issued a statement praising the show as “a staple of the nation’s zeitgeist.” They insisted the cancellation was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and unrelated to content or other Paramount matters.
The Trump Settlement Controversy
Just days before the cancellation announcement, Colbert had publicly criticized a $16 million settlement between Paramount and former President Donald Trump. The settlement was over a 60 Minutes story concerning Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Critics suggest the company settled to smooth the path for its pending sale to Skydance Media, which requires Trump administration approval. Colbert told his audience he was “offended” by the deal, sarcastically calling it a “big fat bribe.”
Trump, a frequent target of Colbert’s humor, quickly responded on Truth Social, expressing delight that Colbert was “fired.” He also took the opportunity to criticize other late-night hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.
Colbert’s Impact and Legacy
Stephen Colbert took over The Late Show in 2015, following a highly successful career building his name in political satire on Comedy Central. He was well-known for his work with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show and his own hit, The Colbert Report.
From his very first show, which featured George Clooney and then-presidential candidate Jeb Bush, Colbert deepened the show’s engagement with politics. He frequently welcomed politicians alongside entertainers, making his show a unique platform.
Despite the cancellation, The Late Show has consistently performed well in ratings, often leading its timeslot among broadcasters. Nielsen data shows Colbert gaining viewers this year, with approximately 2.417 million across his new episodes.
The show also received its sixth Emmy nomination for outstanding talk show recently and won a Peabody Award in 2021, highlighting its consistent critical acclaim.
Reactions from the Late-Night World
The news quickly prompted reactions from across the media landscape. Senator Adam Schiff and Senator Elizabeth Warren publicly questioned whether political motivations were behind the cancellation, especially given Colbert’s recent criticism of Paramount.
Fellow late-night hosts expressed their dismay. ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel posted “Love you Stephen” on social media, while NBC’s Jimmy Fallon called Colbert “one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it.”
Actor Jamie Lee Curtis, a vocal critic of Trump, stated, “They’re trying to silence people, but that won’t work. We will just get louder.” Industry insiders like Bill Carter, author of “The Late Shift,” and Andy Cohen, host of “Watch What Happens Live,” also voiced skepticism.
Broader Challenges for Late Night
The late-night television landscape has faced increasing economic pressures for years. Declining ratings and ad revenue, coupled with younger viewers preferring online highlights, have made monetization challenging for networks.
CBS recently canceled another late-night show, After Midnight, which aired after The Late Show. While other networks have made cuts, like NBC eliminating Seth Meyers’ band, The Late Show had not shown visible signs of such scaling back.
- CBS stated the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is for financial reasons.
- The announcement came days after Colbert criticized Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump.
- The show had strong ratings and received critical acclaim, including Emmy nominations and a Peabody Award.
- The cancellation has sparked public debate and questions from politicians and industry figures about its true motivations.
The decision marks a significant shift in the late-night television landscape, leaving many to wonder about the future of traditional talk shows in a rapidly evolving media world.
