Latest news with #TheLateShowWith
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Oliver Says ‘Late Show' Cancellation Is 'Incredibly Sad'
John Oliver is calling the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert 'incredibly sad.' While speaking to reporters over the weekend, Oliver was asked his thoughts about the news, which CBS revealed in a surprise announcement Thursday. More from The Hollywood Reporter What Will Stephen Colbert Do After 'Late Show' Ends? He Has Options David Ellison Met With FCC Chairman in Push to Finalize Approval for Paramount Deal Writers Guild Calls for Investigation After 'Late Show' Cancellation, Citing Bribery Concerns 'Obviously, I love Stephen, I love his staff, I love that show — it's incredibly sad,' the Last Week Tonight host responded. 'I'm partly excited to see what they're gonna do for the next 10 months. It's terrible, terrible news for the world of comedy.' Oliver and Colbert both served as correspondents on The Daily Show — though not at the same time — and are friends, with Oliver having appeared on Colbert's show over the years. Oliver also noted he grew up watching The Late Show in England, when David Letterman was host. 'Late-night shows mean a lot to me, not just because I work in them, 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,' he said. 'So to have got to have been on Letterman's show and Stephen's show was always one of the most fun things. So it's very, very, very sad news. I look forward to seeing what [Colbert is] gonna do next because that man will not stop.' Colbert shared the show's live audience during the taping of Thursday's show at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York, drawing boos from the audience. He said he'd been told about the decision the night before. In a statement, CBS said the cancellation was '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.' Last Week Tonight, meanwhile, is on hiatus until July 27. Oliver was talking to reporters in Erie, Pennsylvania — home of the newly rebranded minor league baseball team, the Moon Mammoths. The team formerly known as the Erie SeaWolves will play four games under the new moniker, but it's unclear if the name will be permanent. 'This is entirely for the people of Erie and this team to decide now,' Oliver said, according to 'If they want to go back to the SeaWolves, this has been fun. If they want to keep the Moon Mammoths forever, have it.' Erie Mayor Joe Schember declared the day as Moon Mammoth Day and presented Oliver with a key to the city. The new name is inspired by George Moon's discovery of a mammoth skeleton in Lake Pleasant in 1991. Saturday night's game drew a record crowd of 7,070 at UPMC Park. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jimmy Fallon Addresses Colbert Cancellation: 'I Don't Like What's Going on One Bit'
'I am your host,' The Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon said as he kicked off Monday night's show. 'Well, at least for tonight,' the comedian added, obviously referencing the recent cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Fallon quickly told the crowd he didn't like it. More from The Hollywood Reporter Stephen Colbert's Late-Night Allies and Famous Friends Make Cameos on 'The Late Show' After Cancellation Jon Stewart Rages Over Colbert Cancellation In F-Bomb Filled Speech Donald Trump Won't Absolutely Love That He May Have Just Handed an Emmy to Stephen Colbert 'I don't like what's going on one bit. These are crazy times,' he added, joking that his father called him to say he was not a 'Kimmel guy.' He noted that 'everyone' was talking about CBS' decision to end The Late Show. Last week, Colbert and CBS announced the long-running late night show will come to an end after the 2025-26 season. The show has been running since 1993. 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,' Paramount co-CEO and CBS president and CEO George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment head Amy Reisenbach and CBS Studios president David Stapf said in a statement. '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.' The cancellation comes as CBS' parent company, Paramount Global, hopes to close a merger with Skydance in the near future. The company also recently settled a lawsuit filed last year by Donald Trump (before he was elected to a second term as president), which Colbert himself criticized early last week. 'This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,' the statement from Paramount and CBS announcing the Late Show cancellation assured. 'It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.' Fallon said in his Monday broadcast that many were planning to boycott the network over the decision. 'CBS could lose millions of viewers, plus tens of hundreds watching on Paramount+,' Fallon joked in the monologue. The Tonight Show host spent time praising Colbert for 10 years of smart work and many Emmys. He also reacted the morning after the news broke last week with a statement saying, 'I'm just as shocked as everyone. 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.' Fallon was among a slew of famous faces showing solidarity with Colbert during a Coldplay kiss cam parody skit on his Monday night show, alongside Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper, Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Last Week Tonight's John Oliver, Late Night's Seth Meyers and The Daily Show's Jon Stewart. Colbert started Monday night's episode with a lively monologue about the cancellation, promising that the 'gloves are off' and that he'd be honest about how he feels about Trump, who took to social media to share his reaction to the news. 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,' Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. 'His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! [Fox News late night host] Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.' The Writers Guild of America, the union representing the Late Show's writers, called for New York to investigate Paramount's cancellation of the show. 'Cancelations are part of the business, but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society,' the union said in statement. 'Paramount's decision comes against a backdrop of relentless attacks on a free press by President Trump, through lawsuits against CBS and ABC, threatened litigation of media organizations with critical coverage and the unconscionable defunding of PBS and NPR.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jon Stewart Is Unsure of ‘The Daily Show's Future Amid Paramount-Skydance Merger
Jon Stewart is uncertain about The Daily Show's future if the Skydance–Paramount merger goes through. The host of the Comedy Central program (which is owned by Paramount Global) was recently asked by a listener on his The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart podcast, 'Do you think Skydance would get rid of The Daily Show after the merger goes through?' Stewart's response came shortly before The Late Show With Stephen Colbert's shocking cancellation at CBS. More from The Hollywood Reporter David Ellison Met With FCC Chairman in Push to Finalize Approval for Paramount Deal 'Late Show' Shocker: CBS Ending Late-Night Franchise in 2026 Inside the $3 Billion 'South Park' Fight That May Blow Up Its Future 'Unfortunately, we haven't heard anything from them,' Stewart responded. 'They haven't called me and said, 'Don't get too comfortable in that office, Stewart.' But let me tell you something, I've been kicked out of shittier establishments than that. We'll land on our feet. I honestly don't know.' The host added that he 'likes to believe that without The Daily Show, Comedy Central's kind of muzak at this point.' 'I think we're the only sort of life that exists on a current basis other than South Park. But I'd like to think we bring enough value to the property, like if they're looking at it as purely a real estate transaction, I think we bring a lot of value,' Stewart continued. 'But that may not be their consideration. I don't know, they may sell the whole fucking place for parts. I just don't know. We'll deal with it when we do, but I'm so happy and proud of everybody that works there. Like they want to do that, knock themselves out.' 'We've all got a surmisal about who actually is owning it and what his ideology is. But ideology may not play a part,' he added, referencing Skydance Media CEO David Ellison, who has been praised by Trump. The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Skydance for comment. Skydance is currently in the process of acquiring Paramount Global, which is the parent company of CBS and Comedy Central. However, the deal is still pending FCC approval, more than a year after the proposed merger was announced. Earlier this month, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit from President Donald Trump, who sued over former Vice President Kamala Harris' 60 Minutes interview. Sources previously told The Hollywood Reporter that Paramount believes the lawsuit posed a threat to Skydance's deal to acquire the company, which requires regulatory approval, including the transfer of FCC licenses. Brendan Carr is the current chairman of the FCC after being nominated by Trump. Both Colbert and Stewart have been critical of the settlement, with the latter calling it 'shameful' earlier this month. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise Solve the daily Crossword
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Was it politics or algorithms that ended ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert'?
To the editor: The end of 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' is likely not the result of some political takedown from the right ('Is late night dead? Stephen Colbert's CBS cancellation raises troubling questions,' July 18). It's not a casualty of the culture wars or the latest skirmish in partisan warfare. It's something quieter, more subtle and perhaps more unsettling: the evolution of how we consume comedy in the 21st century. Colbert is a master craftsman — his satire is razor-sharp, layered and often demands more of the viewer than just a passing chuckle. He's not a punchline artist; he's a storyteller. But the reality is, we now live in a world trained to scroll. Humor, like most everything else, is now delivered in 20-second bursts and if the hook isn't instant, the viewer is gone. This is not failure — it's Darwinism. Attention is the new currency, and the late-night format, at least in its traditional form, is struggling to survive in an ecosystem of algorithms and autoplay. We should resist the urge to turn Colbert's departure into a headline for anyone's political agenda. Instead, let us acknowledge the excellence of a singular voice in late-night television — one that elevated political satire to an art form. And let us hope, even expect, that this is not his curtain call. Because America still needs smart, principled comedy, and Colbert still has more to say. Mark Wyatt, Bakersfield .. To the editor: Growing up in Los Angeles city schools, I recall how proud I felt when I learned that, unlike in some other countries, you could openly criticize the president in the United States without repercussions from the government. How things have changed under President Trump. Although CBS claimed it canceled 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' for financial reasons, it is hard to believe that Colbert's frequent jokes about Trump were not the reason when CBS parent Paramount is looking to merge and needs the federal government's approval. Trump himself has said on social media, 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.' Let's teach our students the truth from here on out: It turns out there could be repercussions from speaking out against the president. Martin A. Brower, Corona del Mar
Miami Herald
6 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Stephen Colbert's late night show was canceled by CBS. Do Americans approve?
The curtain is falling on Stephen Colbert's decade-long tenure as host of 'The Late Show' — sparking a divide in public opinion, according to new polling. On July 17, CBS News announced it will cancel 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' in May 2026, in what was described as a purely financial decision unrelated to the show's content. President Donald Trump — whom Colbert frequently skewers in monologues — quickly weighed in on the decision. 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,' he wrote on Truth Social. 'His talent was even less than his ratings. … I hope I played a major part in it!' Colbert, who has helmed the show since 2015, responded by telling the president to 'go (expletive) yourself.' The host's ouster comes one week after he criticized CBS News for paying a $16 million settlement to Trump as part of his '60 Minutes' lawsuit, calling it a 'big fat bribe.' It also comes as SkyDance is attempting to buy Paramount, which owns CBS, a deal that requires the approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). As a result, some prominent Trump critics have insinuated there may have been foul play. 'CBS's billionaire owners pay Trump $16 million to settle a bogus lawsuit while trying to sell the network to Skydance,' Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote on X. 'Colbert … slams the deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO.' Here is how Americans are reacting to Colbert's cancellation. Public reaction to Colbert's cancellation The latest YouGov/Economist survey asked respondents whether they approved or disapproved of Colbert's show being pulled from the air. A plurality, 36%, said they were against the decision, while 29% said they were for it, and 35% said they were not sure. A substantial partisan divide emerged, with 65% of Democrats opposed and 54% of Republicans in favor. Independents were more split, with 35% saying they disapproved and 26% saying they approved, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points. The poll — which sampled 1,729 U.S. adults July 18-21 — also asked respondents for their opinions more generally on Colbert. A plurality, 39%, said they had a favorable view of the late night host, while 33% said they had an unfavorable view. An additional 28% said they had no strong opinion. Here, again, there were major differences across the political spectrum, with 66% of Democrats saying they had a positive opinion and 57% of Republicans saying they had a negative opinion. And, when asked how often they watched Colbert's show, most, 60%, said they never tuned in. Just 4% said they watched it daily, while 18% said they viewed it a few times a week, once a week or once a month. Twenty-two percent of Democrats said they tuned in daily or a few times a week, while just 3% of Republicans said the same. In the second quarter of 2025, Colbert's show had the highest ratings of its time slot, 11:35 pm, averaging 2.417 million views throughout its 41 episodes, according to TV Insider. The No. 1 late night show, though, was Fox News' 'Gutfeld!,' which airs at 10 p.m. It garnered an average of 3.289 million viewers.
