Calls for investigation into bribery after Stephen Colbert cancellation
In a fiery joint statement from the East and West Coast arms of the Writers Guild, the union suggests the scrapping of the show may amount to political bribery. The guild alleges Paramount's decision to axe the show after Colbert accused the company of bribing Donald Trump to advance its proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media was not merely coincidence, but potentially 'a dangerous capitulation to political pressure.'
'Cancelations are part of the business,' the WGA said, 'but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society.' The union's statement referenced the $16 million settlement Paramount reached earlier this month with Trump over a contentious 60 Minutes segment involving Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. The agreement was widely derided by media watchdogs as a dubious payoff and has already prompted an ongoing investigation by the California State Senate.
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has also demanded a federal probe into whether the settlement constituted an illegal attempt to curry favor with the White House. The cancellation came just two days after Colbert slammed the settlement live on air, calling it 'a big fat bribe' and openly questioning whether the payment was made to grease the wheels for the merger's approval. WGA leaders argue that segment may have cost Colbert his job.
'Given Paramount's recent capitulation to President Trump,' the union wrote, 'we have significant concerns that The Late Show's cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration.' The guild called on 'elected leaders to hold those responsible to account' and vowed to pursue every possible legal and political remedy to support its members and protect media freedom.
Paramount executives deny any political motive. In a joint statement, co-CEO George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach, and CBS Studios president David Stapf insisted the decision was based purely on declining revenues and shifting industry dynamics. 'This was a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,' they said. 'It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.' But critics aren't buying it.
Trump wasted no time celebrating the move on his Truth Social account, gleefully writing, 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once-great.'
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