A Former Producer For The Late Show Under David Letterman Just Weighed In On CBS' Surprising Decision: 'Never Threaten A Corporate Merger'
The cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has stirred up a plethora of conversations. Many of those discussions revolve around the future of the late-night TV landscape, which is seemingly becoming increasingly unstable as viewers consume media in varied ways. On top of that, though, others continue to speculate as to whether CBS' decision to axe the show was purely 'financial' as stated. Amid that, one of the franchise's ex-producers, who worked with OG host David Letterman, is now weighing in.
Rob Burnett, specifically, is among the latest people to share thoughts, and he has quite a bit of experience with late-night TV. In 1993, he started working as a writer-producer on Late Night with David Letterman, which aired on NBC. Burnett ultimately made the move to CBS with Letterman when The Late Show was picked up at that network. Deadline reached out to Burnett to ask about the Stephen Colbert news, during which he made a joke that referenced the corporate moves that have been occurring at the Eye Network as of late:
When we started the Late Show in 1993, we had the same goals everyone doing talk shows has: make people laugh and never threaten a corporate merger. If Colbert had been #1 and nominated for an Emmy two days prior none of this would have happened.
The seasoned writer is referring to the fact that Paramount Global – CBS' parent company – has been in the midst of finalizing its merger with Skydance. At the same time, the corporation just settled the $16 million lawsuit involving U.S. President Donald Trump and 60 Minutes. As noted by the trade, that lawsuit was viewed as the final hurdle keeping Paramount from receiving FCC approval for its latest acquisition. Stephen Colbert himself, while on air, chastised his employers for settling the suit with Trump.
Since The Late Show's demise was confirmed, a number of celebrities have taken to social media to air their grievances. Jimmy Kimmel and Bowen Yang were among the stars to reach out, and many are of the belief that Stephen Colbert is being penalized for his comments as opposed to being cut for financial reasons. For his part, Rob Burnett cited Colbert's popularity amongst talk show hosts as one of the reasons he's not completely convinced that money was the driving force behind the cancellation:
While the financial landscape of late night has undeniably changed, I don't think you dismiss a talent like Stephen Colbert in this manner. It just doesn't make sense. Stephen is as good as it gets. He will be heard from for many years to come. They should choose their adversaries more wisely.
Colbert's stint on his current show, as it stands, is still slated to end in May 2026. It was in September 2015 that Colbert took over from David Letterman, who retired earlier that year. Since taking over The Late Show, Colbert has received 11 Emmy nominations for his hosting duties, and he also won a Peabody Award. Colbert addressed the cancellation news during an episode of his eponymous talk show and, since then, insiders have reported that the crew isn't happy with the decision. The on-air address can be viewed below:
It seems that plenty of people have thoughts on The Late Show's fate, and they aren't holding back those opinions. We'll see if any other fellow TV producers join Rob Burnett in discussing the situation as the 2025 TV schedule pushes on and Stephen Colbert and co. move closer to the end of their run.
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