Colbert Cancellation Blasted By The Usual Suspects

• On Thursday, CBS and Paramount executives announced that the network plans to end Colbert’s late-night talk show and “retire” the ‘The Late Show’ franchise in May 2026.
• The network executives said the cancellation was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and added, “It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.”
• Colbert addressed the cancellation in a monologue just before the show began on Thursday night, expressing his gratitude to the audience, the network, and the show’s 200 staffers.
• The announcement of the cancellations drew boos from the audience, prompting Colbert to say: “Yeah, I share your feelings.”
• The comedian said being the host of “The Late Show” was a “fantastic job” and he wished “somebody else was getting it.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., posted on X: “Three days after Stephen Colbert criticized Paramount’s $16M settlement with Trump, CBS canceled his show. This looks like bribery. Was The Late Show axed for political reasons? America deserves answers.” 

In May, Warren launched a bribery probe into Paramount’s settlement, investigating if it was a quid pro quo to secure Trump’s approval for their Skydance merger. 

Sen. Adam Schiff, a guest on Colbert’s show Thursday, tweeted: “Just taped with Stephen Colbert, who said his show was canceled. If CBS and Paramount shut down The Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves transparency.” 

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., stated: “Colbert’s show was canceled days after he called out Paramount’s $16M payout to Trump for a lawsuit they admitted had no merit. Is this a politically driven attack on free speech? The public deserves to know.” 

Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Trump critic, urged fans to cancel Paramount Plus subscriptions. 

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who has clashed with Trump, posted on Instagram Stories: “Love you, Stephen. Screw CBS and all their Sheldons.”

What Happened in Colbert’s Segment? 

Forbes reports that in his first monologue after a break, Colbert slammed Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for settling with Trump despite court filings calling the lawsuit “completely without merit.” He quipped: “This kind of financial deal with a government official has a legal term: a big fat bribe.” 

He also noted Paramount’s push for Trump administration approval of their Skydance merger, joking that the new owner’s desire to appease Trump could threaten his show.