Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary Wants Stephen Colbert To Be Fired: 'Whack Him'

Newsweek

5 days ago

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Shark Tank star Kevin O'Leary called on Tuesday for The Late Show host Stephen Colbert to be fired for insulting his employer, days after CBS announced that the show would be canceled in May.
Newsweek was not immediately able to contact Stephen Colbert or his publicist for comment.
Kevin O'Leary, chairman of O'Leary Ventures, speaks before a Senate Committee on China at a hearing in Washington, D.C., on April 9, 2025.
Kevin O'Leary, chairman of O'Leary Ventures, speaks before a Senate Committee on China at a hearing in Washington, D.C., on April 9, 2025.Why It Matters
The call by O'Leary in a CNN panel discussion will likely stir an already heated and polarized debate over the cancellation of The Late Show, and could raise new questions about the prospects of Colbert staying on as host for the next 10 months.
O'Leary is one of the stars of reality TV show Shark Tank, in which aspiring businesspeople present proposals for money-making projects to a panel of prospective investors.
What To Know
CBS announced on Thursday that it was cancelling the long-running The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026 for financial reasons.
Days before the announcement, Colbert called out Paramount, the parent company of CBS, over a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump. This was in connection with an accusation by Trump that 60 Minutes had edited an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee in last year's presidential election, in a "deceitful" way. The show denied that.
Paramount is hoping to merge with Skydance Media, which requires Federal Communications Commission approval under the Trump administration.
CBS executives said the cancellation of The Late Show was "not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
"He's just insulted his bosses," O'Leary told the CNN panel. "Like, what is this guy? Whack him. Whack him."
It was not clear what particular Colbert comment O'Leary was referring to when he called for him to be fired.
Colbert has not pulled any punches when it comes to mocking Trump since the announcement that his show was ending. On the contrary, he has doubled down on his digs at the president and his connections with the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, saying: "The gloves are off."
Colbert has also questioned the CBS assertion that the cancellation of his show was purely the result of a financial decision.
"How could it purely be a financial decision if The Late Show is number one in ratings?" he asked on his show.
What People Are Saying
CNN anchor Abby Phillip, in the discussion about Colbert, said of the comedian: "He does have power in this equation because he knows that he is the public face of this network. Nobody knows who runs CBS, OK? No one knows. But everyone knows Stephen Colbert."
Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Friday, said: "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings."
What Happens Next
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is scheduled to disappear from screens in May 2026. In the meantime, more questions could arise about the future of other irreverent late-night talk shows in light of its fate.