Studying Time: 3 minutes
As you’ll have heard by now, CBS made the gorgeous resolution late final week to cancel The Late Present with Stephen Colbert.
Right here’s the factor, nonetheless:
This system won’t go off the air till Could 2026.
Which means the outspoken and hilarious host now has 10 months with nothing to lose; 10 months’ value of recent episodes throughout which he can blast the corporate that made this resolution, together with the particular person many consider is actually accountable for it:
President Donald Trump.
Stephen Colbert attends ‘An Evening With Stephen Colbert And Tony Gilroy: Andor Season 2’ at The Paley Museum on Could 13, 2025 in New York Metropolis. (Photograph by Rob Kim/Getty Photos)
It’s a protracted, winding, difficult and disturbing story, however: CBS is owned by Paramount, which wants the Trump-controlled Federal Communications Fee to approve its $8 billion sale to Skydance.
Earlier this summer time, Paramount agreed to pay the President $16 million to settle a ridiculous lawsuit during which he accused 60 Minutes of election interference in 2024 because of the means it edited an interview with Kamala Harris.
Some people on the market consider Trump additionally pressured Paramount to fireplace Colbert as a part of this deal… as a result of Colbert simply referred final week to this settlement as a “big fat bribe” and has brazenly been VERY important of the two-time Commander-in-Chief.
There. So now you’re caught up.
This brings us to Monday’s episode of The Late Present.
(CBS)
First, throughout his monologue, Colbert accused CBS of leaking monetary figures to the press, alleging his present was dropping upward of $40 million a yr as a justification for ending the franchise.
Colbert quipped $40 million “is a big number” after which added:
“I could see us losing $24 million. But where could Paramount possibly have spent the other $16 million … oh wait.”
Colbert additionally famous how Trump celebrated his cancellation in a Reality Social publish, with the President writing he “loves” the very fact the host his nemesis acquired axed and saying he has no expertise.
“How dare you, sir,” Colbert replied on air. “Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism: ‘Go f‑ck yourself.’”
Critically, people. Buckle up. We will solely think about what the subsequent 10 months will carry us from Stephen Colbert, who stated yesterday that the “gloves are off” at this level.
Throughout his monologue following the cancelation information, Stephen Colbert delivered his most expletive-laden message on the “Eloquence Cam.” (CBS)
A number of days in the past, Colbert was the primary particular person to handle the way forward for his speak present.
“Before we start the show I want to let you know something that I found out just last night,” he stated on the time. “Subsequent yr will likely be our final season, the community [CBS] will likely be ending The Late Present in Could…
“I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away. I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners … And I’m grateful to the audience, you, who have joined us every night, in here, out there, and all around the world.”
In a gesture of solidarity on Monday evening, in the meantime Colbert’s fellow late evening present hosts — Final Week Tonight’s John Oliver, Late Night time’s Seth Meyers and the Day by day Present’s Jon Stewart — all confirmed up for a joke in Monday evening’s episode.
They have been joined by different entertainers and journalists together with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bizarre Al Yankovic, Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper, Adam Sandler and Christopher McDonald.