Trump loves that ‘Colbert got fired,' hopes Kimmel is next
'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,' the president wrote Friday in a post on Truth Social. 'His talent was even less than his ratings.'
Trump added that he heard Kimmel 'is next' and that he 'has even less talent than Colbert!'
'Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show,' Trump said, throwing in an apparent dig at Jimmy Fallon as well.
Gutfeld's eponymous show airs on Fox an hour before most major late night shows begin.
CBS's decision to yank Colbert off the air came weeks after its parent company, Paramount Global, announced it had agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle his lawsuit alleging a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris was deceptively edited.
Colbert later referred to the settlement as a 'a big fat bribe,' given that Paramount is currently seeking government approval for an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.
'As someone who has always been a proud employee of this network, I am offended,' he said. 'And I don't know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company, but just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help.'
Colbert on Thursday then confirmed during a live taping Thursday that the 'network will be ending the show in May [2026].'
The news was met with audible boos from the crowd as well as a wave of reactions online. Many expressed their dismay over the cancellation while others voiced their support for Colbert, Kimmel among them.
'Love you, Stephen,' he wrote in an Instagram post. 'F--k you and all your Sheldons, CBS.'
His comment is an apparent reference to 'The Big Bang Theory,' which has spawned several spin-offs on CBS, including 'Young Sheldon' and 'Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage.' A third, 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,' was also announced earlier this month.
CBS in a statement defended its decision as a 'purely a financial one against a challenging backdrop in late night.'
Colbert took over hosting duties in 2015 after the retirement of David Letterman, who joined the network in 1993. The show has routinely been the highest-rated late-night program during Colbert's tenure.
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27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New committee rakes in big dollars to influence Virginia Beach election referendum
VIRGINIA BEACH — A new political group backed by local business leaders and elected officials is raking in large donations in its bid to alter Virginia Beach's election system. Every Vote Counts, a referendum committee, has raised more than $330,000 since forming June 9, according to finance reports filed with the Virginia Department of Elections. The committee is gearing up to launch a campaign to persuade Virginia Beach residents to vote 'no' to a district-only election system in November. The committee wants a City Council with seven district-based seats and three seats elected at-large along with the mayor. A referendum question on the ballot this year will ask voters whether they prefer that alignment or the current system, which has 10 single-member districts. 'More citywide representation is good,' said former council member Linwood Branch, the mouthpiece for the group. Virginia Beach's former all at-large election system was overhauled after a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional in 2021, finding it diluted the voting power of minority voters. The city then shifted to the 10-1 election system, with three majority minority districts. But the city has faced lawsuits challenging the validity of the current iteration based on the way changes were adopted. The referendum is the latest in a string of efforts to garner public feedback on how the city should elect its school board and council members. The effort already has drawn support from high-profile business leaders, pulling in a steady stream of donations — ranging from $2,500 to $25,000. The committee is an unstructured group, according to Branch. The group's treasurer is Jack Ross, former president and COO of Dominion and Landmark Media enterprises, which used to own The Virginian-Pilot. Ross collects the funds and Davis Ad Agency is running the promotional campaign. However, multiple business leaders and current and former elected officials are also using their connections to support the effort. Among them are former Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, developer Bruce Thompson and councilmen Stacy Cummings and Cash Green. 'It's been largely word-of-mouth,' Ross said. Earlier this month, Bob Taylor and his brother, Joe, owners of Taylor's Do-It Centers, each made $10,000 donations to Every Vote Counts in support of an election system with some at-large representation. 'I think it's a much better blend than what we have now,' said Bob Taylor. Sessoms, his longtime friend, approached him about the committee and a donation, he said. Sessoms did not respond to a request for comment. Thompson, who declined to comment, is among 'many prominent supporters,' Branch said. The Pilot also reached out to several donors who did not respond, including Virginia Beach Development Authority member and developer Taylor Franklin, CEO of Franklin Group Companies LLC., which made a $20,000 donation on June 17. Donna Whitaker, a principal broker for Venture Realty Group, the firm behind the Atlantic Park project, contributed $10,000 on June 24. She confirmed the donation but didn't respond as to why she supported the committee. Cummings contributed $10,000 to Every Vote Counts on July 7. He believes the current 10-1 system divides the city. Cummings has served as the District 8 representative since January. 'I'm sitting in these council meeting and invariably, in every meeting, you have people saying my district, my district, my district,' Cummings said. 'It's an impediment of growth for the city, and we're not holding people accountable.' Seven people/businesses have donated $25,000 so far, the largest amount to the effort. They are Pramod Amin of Shamin Hotels; MEB General Contractors Inc.; Manan Shah of Pashm Global Hotel and Resort Management; Brian Holland of Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group; Robert Beasley of Harvey Lindsay, Sunsations Inc.; and Michael Sifen of Sifen Companies. Under the city's previous election system, which was ruled illegal, residents across the city could vote for all 10 council members and the mayor. Under the current system, residents can only vote for the member who represents their district and the mayor. One of Every Vote Counts' key arguments for more at-large representation is that it will increase accountability to voters. 'There's no better accountability then being able to vote for or against someone,' Branch said. 'I believe as a former elected official, if someone can vote for or against you, it does make a difference in your accessibility.' The group will launch a website, next week and other promotional material to get the word out before early voting begins Sept. 19, Branch said. Green, who has represented District 7 since January, will appear in a testimonial video. 'Under the 7-3-1, we can keep strong minority voting district and add the chance for more minority leaders to be elected city-wide,' Green said in the video, which Branch shared with The Pilot before its public launch. 'By voting no to 10-1, you're taking back the power to shape the future of our city, our schools, our neighborhoods, our quality of life.' The referendum will pose the question: 'Should the method of city council elections set forth in the Virginia Beach City Charter be changed from a modified 7-3-1 system to a 10-1 system?' That Branch is involved in the effort should come as no surprise. He and four other residents sued the city last year, saying Virginia Beach acted illegally in 2023 when it revised the election system because the General Assembly did not authorize a change to the city charter. A judge ruled last month that the district-based election system Virginia Beach imposed to comply with federal voting rights law is void. Circuit Judge Randall Smith stayed the order until after the referendum vote. If the city decides to pursue a 7-3-1 system, Smith would lift the stay so Virginia Beach can redraw its voting districts, which would need to be analyzed to see if they meet the federal standard, according to the court proceedings' transcript. Virginia Beach's voting system shake-up came after a federal judge ruled in 2021 the at-large voting system violated the federal 1965 Voting Rights Act because it 'denies Hispanics, African Americans and Asians equal access to the electoral and political process.' The same federal judge — Randall Jackson — officially reopened the case while lambasting city officials for what he described as intentionally sidestepping federal law by pursuing the referendum question. To date, Virginia Beach has spent more than $2 million defending the city in the federal lawsuit, according to the city attorney's office. Mayor Bobby Dyer met Wednesday with Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares to ensure that holding the referendum is 'above board,' Dyer said. Miyares, who lives in Virginia Beach, previously said he believes the city can bring back several council seats that would be elected at-large. After meeting with Dyer, his legal analysis remained unchanged. 'A modified 7-3-1 council plan would be in full compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act, the Virginia Voting Rights Act, and all applicable civil rights laws,' a spokesperson for Miyares' wrote in an email. Meanwhile, those in support of the 10-1 system are trying to make their voices heard, too, while decrying the opposing effort. 'This system ensures direct representation and accountability,' Sean Monteiro, chair of the Virginia Beach Democrat Committee, wrote in a newsletter this month. 'A developer-backed front group called Every Vote Counts — funded by the 'Gold Key Gang'— is working to dilute democracy and buy power. But we know better.' Thompson is CEO of Gold Key|PHR, a hospitality and commercial real estate development firm. State Sen. Aaron Rouse, a Democrat from Virginia Beach and a former council member, condemned what he described as the city leadership's attempts to squash a 10-district election system. 'This resistance has been led by the current mayor and several council members,' Rouse said in a July 11 release. 'Notably, the mayor has met with former council members, certain developers, and state officials in efforts to preserve a system that reinforces economic disparities, limits upward mobility and denies equal access to power.' Rouse posted the release on social media with a message: 'I urge all Virginia Beach residents to vote 'YES' to preserve the 10-1 voting system and ensure you have the right to elect your representatives, not special interests.' On Thursday, Virginia Beach's election system took center stage during a 'Good Trouble Lives On' event at the central library, hosted by Freedom Virginia and the NAACP. 'I suggest we go to the polls, and we vote for the referendum, and we vote 'yes,'' said Georgia Allen, one of the plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit. Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, Solve the daily Crossword
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27 minutes ago
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Better Trump-Connected Meme Stock: Newsmax vs. Trump Media
Key Points Newsmax is dealing with growing pains and unpredictable legal expenses. Trump Media's core business is withering as it tries to launch a crypto ETF. Newsmax has cooled off, but Trump Media still trades at frothy valuations. 10 stocks we like better than Newsmax › Newsmax (NYSE: NMAX) and Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ: DJT) are both closely associated with President Donald Trump. Newsmax, which bills itself as a conservative alternative to mainstream media networks like Fox News, is popular among Trump supporters. Trump Media, which was co-founded by Trump, owns the social network Truth Social and the streaming media platform Truth+. It aims to be an alternative to larger social media platforms. Both stocks, through their association with Trump, became meme stocks shortly after their public debuts, trading on emotion. Newsmax went public via a traditional initial public offering (IPO) on March 31, and it soared from its debut price of $10 to a record closing price of $233 the following day. Trump Media went public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on March 26, 2024. It started trading at $70.90 -- which marked a 42% gain from its premerger closing price. But today, Newsmax and Trump Media trade at about $14 and $18, respectively. Both stocks crumbled under the weight of their skyrocketing valuations. But which is the better buy? Newsmax faces a lot of near-term challenges Newsmax operates both linear TV and digital streaming channels, and it generates most of its revenue from ads, cable licensing fees, and subscription fees. It claims to reach 40 million Americans through its media channels and print publications. Nielsen data from April found that Newsmax was tied with Fox News among 35- to 64-year-old viewers for "prime engagement." 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Trump Media is still leaving its investors in the dark Trump Media generates most of its revenue from Truth Social, but it doesn't disclose its monthly active users (MAUs) or any other core social media metrics. According to it only served 6.3 million MAUs this January. It recently launched its Truth+ streaming media platform, but the Android version of its app has only been downloaded about 50,000 times. Rumble (NASDAQ: RUM), the conservative-leaning streaming video platform, says it reached 59 million MAUs in its latest quarter. In 2023, Trump Media only generated $4.1 million in revenue as it racked up a net loss of $58.2 million. In 2024, its revenue declined to $3.6 million as its net loss widened to $401 million. That decline was caused by Truth Social's stagnating growth, competition from bigger social media platforms like X and Meta Platforms' Facebook, and a renegotiated ad revenue sharing deal with an "undisclosed" advertising partner. 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If you believe Newsmax will keep gaining more viewers in this politically divisive environment, pull more viewers away from Fox News and other mainstream media networks, and resolve its legal issues, it might be worth nibbling on. But if you don't think it can check all three boxes, it might be too risky to buy. Should you buy stock in Newsmax right now? Before you buy stock in Newsmax, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Newsmax wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $652,133!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,056,790!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025 Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Leo Sun has positions in Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Better Trump-Connected Meme Stock: Newsmax vs. Trump Media was originally published by The Motley Fool
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27 minutes ago
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‘I Know What You Did Last Summer' Twists & Cameos Revealed — Who Is The Fisherman?
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