The Late Show Is Ending For Good In CBS Cancellation Shocker, And I Relate So Hard To Stephen Colbert's Reaction
Late night talk shows in recent years haven't been quite as much of a staple of network television like in the days of David Letterman and Jay Leno, but CBS' move against The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will still come as a shock to many. In the midst of Colbert's tenth season as host of the show that replaced Late Show with David Letterman, the comedy icon himself made the announcement. Not only is his time on CBS as a late night host ending, but this is a cancellation that will mark the conclusion of The Late Show altogether.
While change has been afoot for late night in the 2025 TV schedule, I didn't expect this, and Colbert seemed to feel the same way in his announcement. Visibly emotional, he broke the news to the studio audience during the taping of a new episode, saying:
Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending the late show in May. [in response to boos from the audience] Yeah, I share your feelings! 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. This is all just going away.
Colbert went on to state that CBS have been "great partners." Then he expressed his gratitude to the audience (who cheered at this for the first time after booing the sad news), to the house band, and to the "200 people who work here." He stated that he wished "somebody else was getting it" rather than the show ending altogether. Ten months of The Late Show remain.
A joint statement from Co-CEO Paramount Global and President and Chief Executive Officer George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach, and CBS Studios President David Stapf addressed why The Late Show was so suddenly cancelled:
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 cancellation isn't due to any kind of scandal or controversy or dive in the ratings, but simply a "financial decision." The news broke not too long after Jimmy Kimmel of ABC's late night lineup opined that the format might not make it another decade, and Seth Meyers of NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers suggested "probably some sadness" in the future for late night lovers. NBC made some cuts for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in fall 2024, and CBS cancelled After Midnight a few months before The Late Show got the axe.
The statement from the CBS execs went on to say:
Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing 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 #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.
It's hard not to start worrying about the futures of late night programs that are airing on other networks. After all, if the program that "has been #1 in late night" for nine consecutive seasons can get the axe, is any show safe?
That may be a little dramatic until we know more, but I can 100% relate to Stephen Colbert's reaction when his straight face broke just a little bit to acknowledge and agree with the audience booing the cancellation. I also have to commend him for his poise overall, especially since he got the bad news just the night before the taping on the afternoon of Thursday, July 17. Take a look at his announcement below:
As somebody who has been watching Stephen Colbert off and on since his days on The Daily Show in the early aughts, it's almost hard to imagine late night without his particular brand of humor. At least there is still the better part of a year left before he signs off from The Late Show for good to end an very long era of CBS in the late night TV game. For now, new episodes of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert air on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Muni Long Reveals How Her Childhood Self Would React to Touring with Brandy and Monica (Exclusive)
The star will join Kelly Rowland and 'American Idol' winner Jamal Roberts as opening acts for the R&B singers' The Boy Is Mine Tour Muni Long is living the life her childhood self would have only dreamed of. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the singer-songwriter, 36, reacted to securing a spot as an opening act for Brandy and Monica's first-ever concert series, The Boy Is Mine Tour. "If you told me [when I was younger] that I would be opening for Brandy and Monica, I would have been like, 'Shut up. You're a liar,' " Long said at Megan Thee Stallion's inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City. "It's funny, because I was just at Essence Fest, and they did the Waiting to Exhale tribute. I had no business listening to that soundtrack, but I know every word from top to bottom," she continued, referring to the album that accompanied the film of the same name, featuring music from Brandy, 46, as well as other artists like Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, TLC and Aretha Franklin, to name a few. Long will be joined on The Boy Is Mine Tour by Kelly Rowland and 2025 American Idol winner Jamal Roberts, who will serve as other openers. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Boy Is Mine Tour will kick off in Cincinnati on Oct. 16. It will make stops in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Brooklyn, Detroit, New Orleans and more, before wrapping on Dec. 7 in Houston. Brandy called the tour "a dream come true" while appearing on CBS Mornings in June, stating that there has been interest in the two going on the road together since 1998. Touring back then wasn't likely, however, as she and Monica, 44, were in a feud that persisted for years after they famously had a fight backstage while rehearsing for a performance at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) following the release of their hit duet. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In a press statement, Brandy reiterated her excitement about reuniting with Monica, calling it "a full-circle moment." She added, "Monica and I coming together again isn't just about the music — it's about honoring where we came from and how far we've both come." Monica, for her part, said, "This tour is a celebration of our history, our impact, and the fans who have grown with us. Brandy and I have been on our own unique journeys, and coming back together in this way is a reminder of the power of respect, strength, and real music." According to Long, whose real name is Priscilla Renea Hamilton, she is "super excited" to join Brandy, Monica, Rowland, 44, and Roberts, 27, on tour, for what feels like something that's been in the cards all along. "See, a lot of people don't know, but I've been writing songs for 15 years, so I know all the girls. We know each other," she told PEOPLE. "I'm just super honored," Long — who credits some of her favorite Brandy songs as being "When You Touch Me" and "Almost Doesn't Count" — added. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Long said she also isn't afraid to fangirl like everyone else who is excited about the highly-anticipated reunion between the two R&B stars, explaining, "I'm gonna be in the audience just like everybody else. I'm gonna get off stage, I'm gonna put my sweats on, and I'm coming back to watch." Tickets to The Boy Is Mine Tour are available to purchase now. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Beyonce, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams Have Destiny's Child Reunion at ‘Cowboy Carter' Concert
Beyoncé just closed out her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour with a bang — and staged a Destiny's Child reunion to celebrate. Beyoncé, 43, performed at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, July 26, where her former bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams made a surprise appearance. Beyoncé rose from underneath the stage at one point, flanked by Rowland, 44, and Williams, 46, in now-viral social media footage. The trio coordinated in sparkling gold bodysuits as they performed hits like 'Bootylicious' and 'Lose My Breath.' Beyoncé even entrusted her longtime pals for the evening's 'Mute Challenge,' where the crowd is instructed to be completely silent before the song resumes. 'Just me and my crew,' Beyoncé quipped, switching up the lyrics. 'Big energy!' Beyonce Reunites With Destiny's Child at 50th Birthday Celebration for Kelly Rowland's Husband Long before kicking off her impressive and accolade-filled solo career, Beyoncé was a founding member of Destiny's Child alongside Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett. After the latter two left the girl group in 2000, Williams came aboard. Destiny's Child officially disbanded six years later as Beyoncé, Rowland and Williams all went on to pursue solo careers. Beyoncé, Rowland and Williams have since reunited multiple times through the years, including at Beyoncé's 2013 Super Bowl halftime show and set at Coachella in 2018. Beyoncé's dad, Mathew Knowles, later hoped to see the girls perform together once more. 'I certainly hope so. I also understand that Kelly and Beyoncé are mothers and they have a family and that changes the dynamics,' Knowles, 73, exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2020. 'Each one of the ladies are successful in their own right. They all have their individual solo careers. So coordinating family, careers, that's a lot of juggling. I'm sure in due time the ladies will decide if that's what they want to do and if they do or do not as supportive as I could be as their manager.' Kelly Rowland Praises 11-Year-Old Blue Ivy's Work Ethic on Beyonce's 'Renaissance Tour': 'I'm Very Proud' He added, '[Their Coachella performance] shows how much they practiced, that 10 years later they cannot miss a beat. It's just remarkable. It shows that their dedication was really there. I know these ladies, they have strong work ethics. I'm extremely proud of all three of them.' Rowland is a mom of two, sharing sons Titan, 10, and Noah, 4, with her husband, Tim Weatherspoon. Beyoncé, meanwhile, shares daughter Blue Ivy, 13, and twins Sir and Rumi, both 7, with husband Jay-Z. Beyoncé's daughters, Blue and Rumi, have also both been frequent presences during performances of 'Protector' on the Cowboy Carter Tour. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Comedian, soldier, and mathematician Tom Lehrer dies at 97
Tom Lehrer, the social satirist and mathematics professor who used music to poke at the world, died this weekend at the age of 97. Known for songs such as 'The Vatican Rag,' 'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park' and 'The Elements,' his music remained comedy staples for decades after he recorded them and influenced performers such as Weird Al Yankovic. He also was a former enlisted soldier, whose time in the U.S. Army influenced much of his musical repertoire. The mathematician and satirist died on Saturday, July 26 at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, according to his friend David Herder. Thomas Lehrer was born April 9, 1928. He studied piano as a child and, as a prodigy, attended Harvard at the age of 15. He earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in mathematics and became a teacher, along with working as a researcher at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. He also began recording music, often comedy songs with a satirical bent, selling copies as word of mouth began to pick up. And then he was drafted. The songwriting mathematician with a master's degree joined the U.S. Army as an enlisted soldier in 1955. He spent his two years in the Army secretly working for the National Security Administration, which was classified at the time. He reached the rank of Specialist Third Class — or as he later remarked, 'corporal without portfolio' — and left the Army in 1957 to go back to teaching and recording. Lehrer began touring and recorded more albums, featuring some of his most iconic songs, such as 'The Masochism Tango,' 'Send the Marines' and 'We Will All Go Together When We Go.' He also worked as a songwriter and performer for several television shows before stepping back from the music scene in the 1970s to focus on academics. He wrote comedic songs, but almost all of them had a dark edge. Death and conflict played a common role in his lyrics, with the threat of nuclear war and annihilation in particular hanging over his work. During the Space Race he also took the time to lambast Werhner von Braun, the Nazi rocket scientist brought over by the military in Operation Paperclip and a major leader at NASA. 'Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?'/'That's not my department,' says Wernher von Braun,' Lehrer sang. Top Stories This Week Culture Top Air Force enlisted leader apologizes for uniform slip-up Top Air Force enlisted leader apologizes for uniform slip-up By Jeff Schogol Culture An Army pilot and mechanic switched units for a week. Here's how that went. An Army pilot and mechanic switched units for a week. Here's how that went. By Patty Nieberg News Air Force Global Strike Command suspends use of M18 pistol after airman's death Air Force Global Strike Command suspends use of M18 pistol after airman's death By Jeff Schogol His time in the Army influenced his works. In his 1959 live album 'An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer,' he joked that, now a civilian again, he is 'now, of course, in the radioactive reserve'; it was after all the 1950s and soldiers were regularly involved in rather large nuclear tests. 'And, the usual jokes about the Army aside, one of the many fine things one has to admit is the way that the Army has carried the American democratic ideal to its logical conclusion, in the sense that not only do they prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, creed, and color, but also on the grounds of ability,' Lehrer said as an introduction to his song 'It Makes a Fellow Proud to Be a Soldier,' which he said he wrote during his service and claimed to have submitted it as a contender for the Army's official song. The track poked fun at all walks of soldiers, from intellectuals to school dropouts to career-minded officers and bad mess cooks. His military career also had one notable distinction. While in the Army and assigned to a naval base in Washington, D.C., Lehrer claims to have helped invent the modern version of the Jell-O shot. Versions had existed for years, but according to Lehrer, he combined alcohol with pre-flavored Jell-O mix. It was Christmas and he helped through a party. 'The rules said no alcoholic beverages were allowed. And we wanted to have a little party, so this friend and I spent an evening experimenting with Jell-O. It wasn't a beverage,' he told SF Weekly in 2000. 'We finally decided that orange Jell-O and vodka was the best,' he continued. Lehrer retired from teaching in 2001. He viewed his musical career as brief, noting he only wrote and recorded 37 songs in two decades. However his songs inspired several comedians and musicians, including Weird Al Yankovic. On Instagram, Yankovic wrote 'My last living musical hero is still my hero but unfortunately no longer living. RIP to the great, great Mr. Tom Lehrer.' Solve the daily Crossword
