David Letterman takes subtle aim at CBS amid Colbert 'Late Show' cancellation

USA Today

22-07-2025

David Letterman hasn't spoken out specifically about CBS' cancellation of the late night talk show just yet, but he's dropping hints about where he stands.
Letterman hosted "The Late Show" for more than 20 years before being succeeded by Stephen Colbert in 2015. On July 17, Colbert announced that the network was canceling the series for good. Seemingly in response, Letterman's official YouTube channel has uploaded a 20-minute compilation of the comedian roasting CBS during his tenure on the show over the years.
While the clips are old, the video was added to YouTube on Monday, July 21, as CBS faces criticism for canceling "The Late Show."
"You can't spell CBS without BS," the description of the video read.
The video includes moments of Letterman, 78, slamming the "bumbling executives" at CBS and complaining that the network doesn't care about his show. USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Letterman for further comment.
The timing of the upload didn't go unnoticed by fans. "Thanks, Letterman people, for still taking potshots at the network," one YouTube comment read.
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The compilation video wasn't the only pointed upload on Letterman's YouTube channel since the news about the "Late Show" broke. On July 18, the channel also uploaded a 2006 "Late Show" interview with Colbert, then the host of "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central, who discussed mocking President George W. Bush at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. "This channel's reaction time remains undefeated. Whoever makes the decision to post timely clips: thank you," one YouTube commenter wrote.
Colbert, 61, made the shocking announcement that CBS has canceled the "Late Show" on Thursday, July 17. The network has opted to end the show entirely in May 2026, rather than replace Colbert as host.
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The decision has sparked a wave of support for Colbert and criticism of CBS. Some have accused the network's parent company, Paramount, of canceling the show to appease President Donald Trump amid a pending merger with Skydance Media that requires federal approval. Colbert is an outspoken critic of Trump and regularly mocks the president on his show.
The cancellation news also came just days after Colbert criticized Paramount for a controversial $16 million settlement with Trump, who sued over a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris that he claimed was deceptively edited. Colbert slammed the settlement as a "big fat bribe" on July 14.
But Paramount has maintained that canceling "The Late Show" was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."
Letterman served as host of "The Late Show" from 1993 to 2015, after previously hosting "Late Night" on NBC from 1982 to 1993. Since retiring from late-night, Letterman has occasionally hosted a talk show on Netflix, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction."
Contributing: Bryan Alexander; Reuters