Stephen Colbert assembles some of the best talk show hosts in response toThe Late Show’s surprise cancellation. The television industry is still reeling from the shocking announcement thatThe Late Show with Stephen Colbertwill end in May 2026. CBS is also retiring theLate Showfranchise after Colbert’s run ends.
The timing of the cancellation has faced scrutiny. It comes as Paramount, the owner of CBS, is attempting tomerge with Skydance. It has been argued that the cancellation of Colbert, who is a vocal critic of the Trump administration, is a way to curry favor and ensure the merger gets the green light. CBS executives have denied any outside influence.
Colbert came out swinging in his monologue, nonetheless. But, as shown in a video fromThe Late Show’s official YouTube channel, one of the more unexpected moments of the episode came whenWeird Al and Lin-Manuel Miranda showed up with the Coldplay song “Viva La Vida” to cheer up Colbert.
Playing on therecent viral clip at a Coldplay concert, late-nighthosts like Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers were all seenin the crowd as a show of solidarity with Colbert. Check it out below:
What This Means For Colbert
It Could Be Like This Until May
One of the immediate comparisons that people made once learning of the announcement was to compare Colbert’s situation to Conan O’Brien. After hostingThe Tonight Showfor only a short time, Conan learned that NBC was phasing him out of the role before removing him entirely. In the months before making his exit, Conan took the gloves off.
Colbert had his own version of this on Monday’s show. He took aim at Trump and CBS, poking holes in their reasoning for cancellingLate Nightat this particular moment. The heat may die down, with the focus turning to a celebration of late night’s legacy in the coming months, but his monologue indicates otherwise.
Our Take On What’s Next For Colbert
He’ll Have A Great Next Chapter
Another comparison to Conan is that the beloved comedian is still as popular as ever, away from the late-night space. That will likely hold true for Colbert, as well, regardless of what he chooses to do onceThe Late Showwraps.
That said, the swift way that his fellow late-night hosts backed him up proves just how loved he is.Colbert can do so many things afterThe Late Showends. He can start a new show or a podcast. Whatever it is, it’s safe to say that he will continue to enjoy the support of his peers and fans.
