The announcement of The Late Show’s cancellation at CBS sparked discussions in various circles. Not only have entertainment industry analysts been sharing their takes, but celebrities like Bowen Yang, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers have expressed their disapproval of the move as well. For his part, Colbert hasn’t shied away from addressing the situation. During a show last week, Colbert didn’t hold back while discussing the cancellation and criticizing his employers, who reportedly have strong feelings about his sentiments.
On the Monday, July 21 broadcast of The Late Show, Stephen Colbertdiscussed the fact that CBS is “killing off [their] show.” He then mused, however, that the network “made one mistake,” which he says was the fact that they “left [him] alive.” Colbert eventually went on to poke fun at the claims that his talk show was canceled for “financial” reasons as officially noted.Insider and substack owner Rob Shuter has since heard from alleged network execs, who reportedly held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, and one said this about Colbert:
He’s daring us to fire him. And honestly? We’re close to doing it.
A significant part of this ongoing discussion revolves around the timing of the cancellation, which coincided with the since-FCC-approved merger between Paramount Global (CBS’ parent company) and Skydance. Just recently, Paramount also settled a $16 million lawsuit with Donald Trump, which involved 60 Minutes, and that suit was viewed as the final issue that needed to be resolved before the FCC would OK the merger. Amid the legal proceedings, Stephen Colbert vocally chastised his bosses for settling the suit.
The former Colbert Report host discussed POTUS – who celebrated The Late Show’s cancellation – even more during his Monday show. He dropped an F-bomb at the president’s expense and referred to himself as a “martyr.” Another purported exec who spoke to Rob Shuter claimed that Colbert’s “scorched-earth monologue” (which seemingly broke with broadcast standards for content) is not going over well with the network’s leadership team:
He’s been warned. What he said was unacceptable. There are real consequences this time.
Stephen Colbert began hosting The Late Show in September 2015 following the retirement of longtime host David Letterman. Earlier this month, he formally addressed his show’s cancellation while on air. Audience members expressed surprise over the comments shared by Colbert, who’s emerged as one of the most popular late-night TV hosts. The show is currently slated to conclude in May 2026, though another source alleges that the timetable could be moved up due to a key concern about Colbert:
He’s off the leash and out for blood. And we’re scared. He knows the secrets. He knows where the bodies are buried. If we push him too hard, he could take us all down with him.
As of late, it’s been alleged that behind the scenes, The Late Show’s crew is not happy with the show being axed. Simultaneously, notable celebrities continue to weigh in on the cancellation, with one of the show’s former producers and even David Letterman himself weighing in with less-than-positive thoughts on the axing. When it comes to Stephen Colbert, the public can only wait and see how he continues to address the demise of his talk show.
