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Los Angeles Times
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
This year's Emmys are on CBS. A Stephen Colbert win would be sweet revenge
When I interviewed Stephen Colbert eight years ago, Donald Trump was in Year 1 of his first term in office and Colbert was finishing his second year of hosting his CBS late-night show. 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' had gotten off to a bumpy start as Colbert struggled to adapt to a new form and find his own voice after playing a 'well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot' for a decade on Comedy Central's late-night news satire 'The Colbert Report.' 'I was not indulging my own instincts,' Colbert told me of his tentative early days at CBS, adding later that he had 'stepped away from politics to a fault.' When we spoke, Colbert's program was the No. 1 late-night talk show on the air by a wide margin. Now, eight years later, déjà vu: Donald Trump is in Year 1 of his second term, and 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' still reigns as the late-night ratings champ. But there's one difference. As of next May, Colbert will no longer have a job with CBS, the network having canceled his show last month. That abrupt move has led to all manner of anger (CBS' statement saying it was 'purely a financial decision' seems dubious) and hand-wringing (RIP late night). Colbert was the first to mock his newfound sainthood status. Noting that Trump had posted on social media that he absolutely loved that Colbert was fired, Colbert read Trump's follow-up post: 'I hear Jimmy Kimmel's next.' 'Absolutely not, Kimmel,' Colbert said. 'I am the martyr. There's only room for one on this cross and I gotta tell you, the view is fantastic. From up here, I can see your house.' 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' has never won a series Emmy, routinely bested in its early years by 'Last Week Tonight With John Oliver' until Oliver's wins became so routine that the Television Academy created an entirely new category, outstanding scripted variety series. Shuttling Oliver's show accomplished two things: It allowed some other program to take talk series (so far it's only been 'The Daily Show') and gave voters an easy out to finally stop voting for 'Saturday Night Live.' But even if Colbert was competing this year against his fellow 'Daily Show' alum and old friend Oliver, you'd have to think that Emmy voters would be seizing the moment and giving Colbert's show its first Emmy, an award that would be well earned — and also make for a delicious piece of theater. The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held Sept. 14 at the Peacock Theater. The ceremony rotates among the four broadcast networks, and this year that broadcast partner happens to be CBS, whose parent company, Paramount Global, just landed Federal Communications Commission approval for its $8-billion merger with Skydance Media. That FCC thumbs-up came less than a month after Paramount paid $16 million to settle Trump's lawsuit against CBS News and a few days after CBS canceled Colbert (again, 'purely a financial decision'). This means that when (not if) 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' wins the talk series Emmy, Colbert will take the stage with his team and, one would presume, have something interesting to say. I'm curious where he'll go. Colbert is gracious and polite, keeping a quote from the French Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin — 'Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God' — affixed to his computer and remembering the quote his parents would often invoke from French philosopher Léon Bloy, who said that the only sadness is not to be a saint. 'That's the great sadness, not to be perfect, meaning not to be a saint, not to see the world the way God does,' Colbert says. 'Which is that everyone is going through a battle you know nothing about.' But Colbert also relishes a good fight and can't resist a verbal poke-in-the-eye when he feels it's warranted. 'How dare you, sir,' Colbert responded on air to Trump celebrating his show's demise. 'Could an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?' Pause. 'Go f— yourself.' When Trump was first elected, Colbert told viewers, 'We drank too much of the poison' and that Americans needed to focus on what we have in common. Arguably, you could say that he has done just that in the ensuing years. Shouldn't we all share a common distaste for ever-widening income inequality, masked federal agents snatching people off our streets with no criminal convictions and rewriting history in the name of patriotism? (I could go on.) But Colbert has also fallen short of his ideals. 'That poison cup, man,' he told me. 'It's very hard not to drink from. It's very tasty.' Some say if Colbert didn't indulge so often in a taste (or, let's be real, a chug-a-lug) from that poison cup, his ratings would be better. 'Why shoot for just half an audience all the time? You know, why not try to get the whole?' former 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno recently told Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Chief Executive David Trulio. 'I don't understand why you would alienate one particular group. I'm not saying you have to throw your support or whatever, but just do what's funny.' Was Leno ever funny on 'The Tonight Show'? That's a question for another time. But, yes, the politicization of late-night shows hasn't helped their ratings, though the dominance of the internet and social media have played more of a role in the format's decline, a fact Colbert acknowledged after the cancellation. 'Some people see this show going away as a sign of something truly dire,' he said. 'And while I am a big fan of me, I don't necessarily agree with that statement. Because we here at 'The Late Show' never saw our job as changing anything other than how you felt at the end of the day, which I think is a worthy goal — or, rather, changing how you felt the next morning when you watched on your phone, which is why broadcast TV is dying.' And, yes, I watched that clip not on my television in real time, but on my phone the next day.
News18
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
John Oliver Reacts To The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Cancellation: ‘Terrible News'
Published By : Bang Showbiz Last Updated: After the programme was canned by CBS, John Oliver has said he is "incredibly sad" to hear The Late Show With Stephen Colbert has been shelved. John Oliver has called the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert 'terrible news for the world of comedy". Last Thursday (17.07.25), CBS pulled the plug on the 61-year-old presenter's nightly talk programme, with the final episode set to air in May, and now Oliver – who fronts Last Week Tonight With John Oliver – said it is 'incredibly sad" Colbert's show has been canned. Speaking with journalists in Erie, Pennsylvania, Oliver, 48, said: 'I love Stephen, I love his staff. I love that show. It's incredibly sad. 'I am partly excited to see what they're going to do for the next 10 months. It's terrible, terrible news for the world of comedy. 'Late-night shows mean a lot to me, not just because I work in them, but because even growing up in England, I would watch Letterman's show, which of course was Stephen's show, and think about what a glamorous world that was." Oliver added it had 'always been one of the most fun things" to appear on The Late Show – which had previously been helmed by David Letterman from 1982 to 2015 – and said he was looking forward to seeing what would be next for Colbert. Oliver continued: 'So to have got to be on Letterman's show and Stephen's show has been always one of the most fun things, so it's very, very, very sad news. 'I look forward to seeing what he's going to do next because that man will not stop." Oliver isn't the only late-night host to react to The Late Show's cancellation, as Jimmy Fallon – who fronts The Tonight Show – admitted he was 'just as shocked as everyone" to hear Colbert's programme had been axed. He wrote in an Instagram story: 'Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I'd ride this out with him for years to come. 'I'm sad that my family and friends will need a new show to watch every night at 11:30. But honestly, he's really been a gentleman and a true friend over the years, going back to The Colbert Report, and I'm sure whatever he does next will be just as brilliant." First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Perth Now
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
John Oliver breaks silence on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert cancellation
John Oliver has called the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert "terrible news for the world of comedy". Last Thursday (17.07.25), CBS pulled the plug on the 61-year-old presenter's nightly talk programme, with the final episode set to air in May, and now Oliver - who fronts Last Week Tonight With John Oliver - said it is 'incredibly sad' Colbert's show has been canned. Speaking with journalists in Erie, Pennsylvania, Oliver, 48, said: 'I love Stephen, I love his staff. I love that show. It's incredibly sad. 'I am partly excited to see what they're going to do for the next 10 months. It's terrible, terrible news for the world of comedy. 'Late-night shows mean a lot to me, not just because I work in them, but because even growing up in England, I would watch Letterman's show, which of course was Stephen's show, and think about what a glamorous world that was.' Oliver added it had 'always been one of the most fun things' to appear on The Late Show - which had previously been helmed by David Letterman from 1982 to 2015 - and said he was looking forward to seeing what would be next for Colbert. Oliver continued: 'So to have got to be on Letterman's show and Stephen's show has been always one of the most fun things, so it's very, very, very sad news. 'I look forward to seeing what he's going to do next because that man will not stop.' Oliver isn't the only late-night host to react to The Late Show's cancellation, as Jimmy Fallon - who fronts The Tonight Show - admitted he was 'just as shocked as everyone' to hear Colbert's programme had been axed. He wrote in an Instagram story: 'Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I'd ride this out with him for years to come. 'I'm sad that my family and friends will need a new show to watch every night at 11:30. But honestly, he's really been a gentleman and a true friend over the years, going back to The Colbert Report, and I'm sure whatever he does next will be just as brilliant.' Jimmy Kimmel took aim at CBS after the network shelved The Late Show, and posted on social media: 'Love you Stephen. F*** you and all your Sheldons CBS.'
Japan Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Expo '25 gives the world a masterclass in mascots
Myaku-Myaku, the multieyed, red-and-blue blob serving as the official mascot for Expo 2025 in Osaka, has become more than just a face of the event — it's become the blueprint. Walk the grounds for more than five minutes and you'll see it: Countries from around the globe have brought their own mascots to the party, and many of them owe a debt to Japan's particular flavor of character culture. Take Australia. Ruby the Roo, the plush kangaroo with a rather diplomatic smile, holds down greeting duties while her comrade, Koko the Koala, presumably naps offstage. Outside the German pavilion, a white blob named Circular, cheeks blushing a delicate peach — and somehow representing the circular economy — waddles out to greet excited visitors. Behind it, a Beethoven doppelganger mugs for selfies with the crowd. Mascots at world expos aren't a new thing, and some nations in Osaka have wisely highlighted their own existing creations — Miffy, the minimalist Dutch bunny, makes an appearance at the Netherlands pavilion. But the wave of new mascots debuting in Osaka feels particularly indebted to Japan's approach: cute, weird, merch-ready. Nowhere is this more obvious than Italy's Italia-chan, a sparkly eyed anime girl clearly designed with Japanese aesthetics in mind. Ruby the Roo greets people at the Australia pavilion at this year's expo. | PATRICK ST. MICHEL Japanese mascots aren't just cute, though, they're a winning soft-power strategy. Think Kumamon, the expressionless black bear who shills for Kumamoto Prefecture, or Funassyi, the unofficial shrieking pear from Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture, who rose to chaotic fame without any government approval. Over the past decade, Japan's yuru-kyara (local mascots that promote cities or organizations) have become international oddities — so much so that U.S. TV show 'Last Week Tonight With John Oliver' devoted a segment to them, even creating its own mascot, Chiijohn: a bespectacled man-otter hybrid with a talent for civic-minded PSAs. Some of the Expo '25 mascots lean hard into national branding. The U.S. brought Spark, a red, white and blue star-shaped character touting the 'spark of imagination and creativity.' He leads visitors through a medley of Americana: rugged landscapes, AI breakthroughs, space missions — set to the tune of an undeniably catchy (if slightly cringe) pop song. A Beethoven character welcomes guest to the German pavilion at the expo. | PATRICK ST. MICHEL But here's the hard truth: No mascot at the Osaka Expo holds a candle to Japan's own. Compared to the kangaroo, the anime girl and the patriotic star, Myaku-Myaku is something else entirely — the mascot to end all mascots. First off, Myaku-Myaku is a masterclass in Japanese design. It's cheerful but strange, approachable but alien — all bulbous red rings, eyeballs and a wide grin. Great characters aren't simply kawaii, though, they contain multitudes: Kumamon has a mischievous side and Funassyi revels in chaos. With Myaku-Myaku, there's a slightly disturbing physicality that repels some (those souvenir Myaku-Myaku cookies I bought were not a crowd-pleaser) but also helps it stand out in a sea of adorable figures. During the first few days of the expo, merchandise lines stretched long. Visitors wrapped red rings around their necks and even slipped into some on-trend Myaku-inspired sneakers. Expo '25 may have opened under a cloud of skepticism — delays, budget concerns and head-scratching architecture haven't helped. But Myaku-Myaku, in all its gloopy glory, is already a bona fide hit. People walk past German mascot Circular at Expo 2025 in Osaka. | PATRICK ST. MICHEL
The Independent
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
John Oliver fans welcome major streaming change as new series returns
John Oliver fans will no longer have to wait nearly a week to catch new episodes of the comedian's popular Last Week Tonight series for free on YouTube. On Sunday, the British comedian, 47, debuted the 12th season of his long-running HBO talk show. By Monday, the episode's main segment was available to watch on YouTube. The video has been viewed nearly four million times at the time of writing. This marks a major shift in HBO 's release strategy for Oliver's news series, as last season, the streamer held off on posting the episode's main segments on YouTube until the Thursday after they aired. At the time, an HBO spokesperson explained that the decision was made to boost viewership on HBO's enhanced streaming service, Max. 'When Last Week Tonight With John Oliver premiered on HBO, the convenience of watching on Max did not exist, so YouTube allowed flexible viewing for the main story as well as promotional exposure. We are now delaying that availability and hope those fans choose to watch the entire show on Max,' they told The Hollywood Reporter. Oliver had criticized the delayed release, telling fans on social media: 'I know I usually share a link to our main story here on Mondays, but HBO has decided they're going to wait until Thursday to post them to YouTube from now on. I hope they change their mind.' It appears HBO has since taken Oliver's advice. A source told The Hollywood Reporter that delaying the uploads to Thursdays last season had no noticeable impact on Max viewership numbers. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has been airing on HBO since 2014. In that time, it has won 30 Emmys. During the show's 12th season premiere, Oliver focused much of his attention on ridiculing the first month of President Donald Trump 's second term. 'We have to dive straight into our main story tonight. The fact that Donald Trump is once again president of the United States. Sorry if this is how you found out,' he began the segment, eliciting boos from the studio audience. He went on to list some of Trump's most controversial political moves, including pardoning or commuting the sentences of January 6 rioters, once again withdrawing America from the Paris Climate Agreement, his plans to take over Gaza, the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and his plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. 'Incredibly, it has been less than a month since Trump's inauguration, but it already feels like an eternity,' Oliver said.
