Peter Griffin: Why Netflix needs to invest in NZ stories - and the Trumpian barrier to it
Many a university thesis has been devoted to picking apart exactly why French films, particularly the work of the New Wave greats such as François Truffaut, Agnès Varda and Jean-Luc Godard, are so good.
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NZ Herald
21 hours ago
- NZ Herald
CBS cancels ‘Late Show' after Colbert criticises Trump settlement
Colbert's cancellation follows Paramount's $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, sparking political controversy. Photo / Getty Images Paramount is meanwhile seeking to close its $8 billion merger with the entertainment company Skydance, which needs federal Government approval. Colbert said on Thursday the cancellation was not just the end of his show but the end of the decades-old 'Late Show' franchise, which has been broadcast continuously on CBS since 1993 and was previously hosted by David Letterman. 'I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away,' Colbert said. Trump celebrated the cancellation, writing on his Truth Social platform, 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.' Trump's political opponents and other critics drew attention to the timing of the decision. 'CBS canceled Colbert's show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump -- a deal that looks like bribery,' Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said on social media platform X. 'America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons,' Warren said. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, who was a guest on Colbert's show on Thursday, said: 'If Paramount and CBS ended the 'Late Show' for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.' The Writers Guild of America called on the New York attorney general to investigate whether the move by CBS was intended to improperly curry favour with Trump. The cancellation is a financial decision, not related to show performance. Photo / Getty Images 'Given Paramount's recent capitulation to President Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, the Writers Guild of America has significant concerns that The Late Show's cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favour with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval,' it said in a statement. Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC's 'The Tonight Show' and one of Colbert's rivals, posted on Instagram that 'I'm just as shocked as everyone'. 'I really thought I'd ride this out with him for years to come,' wrote Fallon, whom Trump had earlier referred to as 'the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show'. Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, whose program airs on ABC, chimed in: 'Love you Stephen.' CBS said in its Thursday statement it was 'proud that Stephen called CBS home'. 'He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television,' its statement said. Colbert, once a regular on Comedy Central, made use of humour in his incisive political commentary and succeeded Letterman as the host of 'The Late Show' in 2015. The late-night television landscape has long been dominated by satirical comedy shows that blend entertainment with political commentary. For decades, these programmes have served as television touchstones, with hosts like Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, Letterman and – more recently – Colbert, Fallon and Kimmel shaping public discourse through humour and celebrity interviews. -Agence France-Presse
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Visitor eats $6.2m banana artwork at French museum
A visitor to a French museum bit into a fresh banana worth millions of dollars taped to a wall last week, exhibitors said on Friday, in the latest such consumption of the conceptual artwork. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan - whose provocative creation entitled Comedian was bought for $6.2 million ($10.4m)
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to end in 2026 after 30 years
'It's not just the end of our show, but it's the end of The Late Show on CBS. I'm not being replaced,' Colbert continued. 'This is all just going away. And I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners. 'I am extraordinarily, deeply grateful to the 200 people who work here. We get to do this show. 'We get to do this show for each other every day, all day, and I've had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years.' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest Lorde during Tuesday's June 24, 2025 show. Photo / Getty Images CBS later said axing the show was a 'purely a financial decision'. 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,' read a group statement from Paramount co-CEO and CBS president and CEO George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment head Amy Reisenbach and CBS Studios president David Stapf. 'We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.' While Colbert was on a blockbuster salary at the network, rumoured to be US$15 million ($25.19m) per year, commentary has quickly turned to Paramount Global's recent settlement with US President Donald Trump. Paramount, the parent company of CBS, is on the brink of merging with media company Skydance in coming months, but the merger has been plagued by controversy after Trump's defamation lawsuit last year, in which he accused CBS's 60 Minutes of broadcasting a misleading interview with Kamala Harris before he was elected president for a second time. Despite the case being deemed meritless by company executives, Paramount ultimately settled with the President for US$16 million ($26.87m) earlier this month. Some critics were convinced the settlement took place to bolster the merger's chances of approval under the Trump administration. Earlier this week, Colbert blasted his own employer on live TV over the saga. CBS cited financial reasons for cancelling the show, emphasising it was not related to performance. Photo / Getty Images 'As someone who has always been a proud employee of this network, I am offended,' Colbert 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. 'Paramount knows they could have fought it,' Colbert continued, citing the company's own statement Mr Trump's claims were 'completely without merit'. 'And keep in mind, Paramount produced Transformers: Rise of the Beast – they know completely without merit,' he joked. However, in its statement, CBS said the settlement played no part in its decision to axe The Late Show. 'This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,' the statement continued. 'Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonising decision even more difficult. 'Stephen has taken CBS late night by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in entertainment, politics, news and newsmakers across all areas. 'The show has been No. 1 in late night for nine straight seasons; Stephen's comedy resonates daily across digital and social media; and the broadcast is a staple of the nation's Zeitgeist. 'The accomplishments of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert are memorable and significant in performance, quality and stature. With much gratitude, we look forward to honouring Stephen and celebrating the show over the next 10 months alongside its millions of fans and viewers.'
