Letters to the Editor: Was it politics or algorithms that ended ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert'?

Los Angeles Times

5 days ago

To the editor: The end of 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' is likely not the result of some political takedown from the right ('Is late night dead? Stephen Colbert's CBS cancellation raises troubling questions,' July 18). It's not a casualty of the culture wars or the latest skirmish in partisan warfare. It's something quieter, more subtle and perhaps more unsettling: the evolution of how we consume comedy in the 21st century.
Colbert is a master craftsman — his satire is razor-sharp, layered and often demands more of the viewer than just a passing chuckle. He's not a punchline artist; he's a storyteller. But the reality is, we now live in a world trained to scroll. Humor, like most everything else, is now delivered in 20-second bursts and if the hook isn't instant, the viewer is gone.
This is not failure — it's Darwinism. Attention is the new currency, and the late-night format, at least in its traditional form, is struggling to survive in an ecosystem of algorithms and autoplay.
We should resist the urge to turn Colbert's departure into a headline for anyone's political agenda. Instead, let us acknowledge the excellence of a singular voice in late-night television — one that elevated political satire to an art form. And let us hope, even expect, that this is not his curtain call.
Because America still needs smart, principled comedy, and Colbert still has more to say.
Mark Wyatt, Bakersfield
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To the editor: Growing up in Los Angeles city schools, I recall how proud I felt when I learned that, unlike in some other countries, you could openly criticize the president in the United States without repercussions from the government.
How things have changed under President Trump. Although CBS claimed it canceled 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' for financial reasons, it is hard to believe that Colbert's frequent jokes about Trump were not the reason when CBS parent Paramount is looking to merge and needs the federal government's approval. Trump himself has said on social media, 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.'
Let's teach our students the truth from here on out: It turns out there could be repercussions from speaking out against the president.
Martin A. Brower, Corona del Mar