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Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
ELDER: Why the Democrats are railing against Colbert's cancellation
Stephen Colbert arrives at a screening of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," during PaleyFest, April 21, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo by Richard Shotwell / Invision/AP CBS cancelled Stephen Colbert's late-night show. Democrat Minnesota Gov. and failed vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz, who recently appeared on the show, said, 'Stephen Colbert is the best in the business. He always told truth to power and pulled no punches. We need more of that, not less.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account You might be forgiven for thinking Colbert's job is to tell jokes. Some Democrats in full meltdown mode call the left-wing show's cancellation a casualty of CBS's attempt to curry favour with the Trump administration. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said, 'If Paramount and CBS ended The Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.' The show's writers demand that New York Attorney General Letitia James launch an investigation. For those who long ago stopped engaging in the nightly pleasure of watching late-night comedy when Johnny Carson retired and who stopped watching altogether post-Jay Leno-David Letterman, here's what just happened. CBS's parent company, Paramount, is seeking Federal Communications Commission approval for a merger. CBS called the cancellation 'purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night … not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Colbert reportedly lost $40 million last year, despite posting the highest late-night ratings of any show not hosted by Fox's Greg Gutfeld. Forty million dollars in annual losses is a lot of money, whether for Colbert or the WNBA. But in the WNBA's defence, its loss took an entire league. Colbert dropped $40 million all by himself. Since the Carson-Leno-Letterman era, late-night comedy viewership no longer prints money. At one time, Carson's show generated an estimated $50 million to $100 million in annual profits. It consistently rated number one in late night, capturing as much as 70% of that audience. One night in 1969, when performer Tiny Tim got married on the show, nearly 50 million people watched. During Carson's last week in 1992, he averaged 19 million viewers, with his final show watched by 55 million. By contrast, Colbert, in May 2025, averaged 1.9 million viewers per night, with ad revenue since 2018 down 40%. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Younger viewers spend their time on TikTok and YouTube, watching clips and streaming content when and where they want on the various social media platforms. Speaking of younger viewers, this brings us to the real reason behind the Democrats' hyperventilation over Colbert's cancellation. Twenty years ago, Pew Research found some 20% of young viewers get their 'news' from the late-night shows, particularly the monologues that nowadays serve as angry op-eds against conservatives, Republicans and especially Donald Trump. The late-night show monologues routinely disparaged Trump as dumb, racist, sexist, fascist, hateful, lying, warmongering, fat, evil, etc. Humour is a fantastic vehicle to affect views. A 2021 study conducted by the Annenberg School of Communications found 'new research suggests that humour may help keep people informed about politics … when compared to non-humorous news clips, viewers are not only more likely to share humorously presented news, but they are also more likely to remember the content from these segments.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Media Research Center found during the fall 2024 presidential campaign between Trump and Kamala Harrist hat 'hosts of the late-night 'comedy' shows (Comedy Central's The Daily Show, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers) told a total of 1,463 jokes about Donald Trump and Kamala Harris — but 1,428 of them were about Trump and only 35 about Harris. That's a whopping 40:1 ratio or almost 98% to 2%.' As for jokes about vice-presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance, MRC found that 'comedians told 302 jokes about the vice-presidential candidates. Of these, 236 were directed at J.D. Vance compared to 66 at Tim Walz. That equates to a 4:1 ratio with 78% aimed at Vance.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As for guests during the fall campaign, MRC found 'the comedians also welcomed 44 liberal celebrities, journalists and political guests compared to zero conservatives. Those included one Colbert interview with Harris, two — one Kimmel and one Daily Show — with Walz and one Kimmel with (Harris' spouse) Doug Emhoff.' Any questions? Heeeere's Timmy! Read More Sports Columnists Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA
The Hill
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Paramount, Skydance expected to close deal on Aug. 7
Paramount and Skydance announced Friday that, with the Trump administration's approval, the highly anticipated merger between the entertainment giants is expected to take place next month. The Aug. 7 date, unveiled in a press release, comes after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday allowed Skydance's acquisition of Paramount to move forward after the merger was first proposed last year. FCC Chair Brendan Carr in announcing the decision said he welcomed Skydance's commitment to remaining 'unbiased' in its journalism and willingness to promote 'a diversity of viewpoints across the political and ideological spectrum.' 'Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly,' Carr added. 'It is time for a change.' The move caps off months of turmoil between Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, and President Trump. Trump sued CBS's '60 Minutes' last year after he argued an interview it aired with former Vice President Harris was altered in her favor during the 2024 presidential election cycle. While the company fought the claims, including releasing a full transcript from the episode, it ultimately settled with the administration for $16 million. Those funds are set to go to Trump's eventual presidential library. The news outlet has also faced criticism in recent days after CBS made the decision to sunset 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' next May, after more than 30 years on air. Paramount said the move was based on finances, but critics have argued the settlement and Skydance deal were likely involved — and bribery allegations have been floated. Comedian Stephen Colbert, who has hosted the show since 2015, has been openly critical of the merger. Colbert blasted the network earlier this week for choosing to axe the show and thanked those who have reached out in support, including Democrats, press freedom advocates and many of his late-night counterparts. He added that 'one key mistake' the network made when moving forward with the plan is that 'they left me alive.' Colbert also lashed out at Trump after the president said in a post online that he 'absolutely' loved that the comedian was getting 'fired.' 'How dare you, sir,' the host responded. 'Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism: 'Go f‑‑‑ yourself.'' Under the terms of the $8 billion merger, the company will become 'New Paramount' and will be led by Trump-ally and billionaire David Ellison, the son of tech tycoon and Oracle founder Larry Ellison.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
This isn't the first time Trump's been parodied on 'South Park'
"South Park" has poked fun at President Donald Trump for years, dating back to before his first presidential term. Whether you're a long-time "South Park" fan or just have heard of the show in passing, you've probably heard about that episode by now. The Season 27 premiere of "South Park" started off with a fiery take on President Donald Trump's widespread attacks on media. The episode, which aired on Wednesday, July 23, shows a character with Trump's face on a cartoon body crawling into bed, naked, with Satan. The episode referenced Paramount's $16 million settlement with the president, Trump's claims that he'll receive $20 million worth of ads on the network and the cancellation of CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." In response to the episode, the White House told USA TODAY on Thursday, July 24, that the scene was a "desperate attempt for attention," calling the series a "fourth-rate" show. During a panel about the show at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday evening, July 24, "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone sarcastically said they were "terribly sorry" for the episode. Though Trump himself is not often depicted directly in the series, like the recent episode, Parker and Stone have used the popular character Mr. Garrison to represent the president through several seasons. In the series' 20th season, Mr. Garrison, who previously was an elementary school teacher, wins the 2016 U.S. presidential election against Hillary Clinton. Becoming President Garrison, the character continues to serve as a parody for Trump until 2020. President Garrison takes on Trump's swooped, blonde hair, sends out fiery social media posts and is obsessed with hosting Make America Great Again rallies. Here's a look at some of the key moments the president has been featured, or parodied, in "South Park." White House, 'South Park' trade barbs: What to know about the feud 'Where My Country Gone?' (Season 19, Episode 2) "Where My Country Gone" highlights the U.S.-Mexico border wall that Trump wished to build long before he took office in 2017. The episode aired in September 2015, ahead of the 2016 presidential election. In the episode, Mr. Garrison (not yet President Garrison) begins to promote the idea of building a wall along the U.S.-Canada border to eliminate the number of illegal Canadian immigrants entering the country. Can 'South Park' take on Trump 2.0? They're walking a tightrope 'Oh, Jeez' (Season 20, Episode 7) In "Oh, Jeez," Mr. Garrison is elected as president in the 2016 election. The character, renamed to President Garrison, continues to serve as a parody of Trump in the series until Season 24, when Trump lost the 2020 election. The episode aired on Nov. 9, 2016, the day after the election. 'Members Only' (Season 20, Episode 8) In the next episode, "Members Only," President Garrison begins his duties. He gets a Trump-style toupee, tours the Pentagon, is given a book of "military secrets" and gets in a heated phone call with Boris Johnson, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom. 'Put It Down' (Season 21, Episode 2) "Put It Down" highlights the United States' relationship with North Korea and references Trump's presence on social media. In the episode, which aired in September 2017, President Garrison posts aggressive tweets about North Korea, specifically about a nuclear missile fired by the country, which causes car accidents by drivers who are distracted by the posts. 'Doubling Down' (Season 21, Episode 7) "Doubling Down," references the decreasing popularity of Trump during his first presidential administration. The episode aired in November 2017. During the episode, President Garrison insults a world leader on the telephone in the White House while his advisers discuss low approval ratings. 'Splatty Tomato' (Season 21, Episode 10) "Splatty Tomato," again, parodies Trump's approval ratings following the 2016 election. The episode aired in December 2017. Throughout the episode, President Garrison pops up, scaring characters and asking them about his approval ratings. The characters compare Garrison sneak attacks to characters in "Stranger Things" and "IT." At one point, the character Tweek is riding his bicycle around town when he sees a collection of balloons that read, "Make America Great Again." The balloons then pop, revealing President Garrison, who asks Tweek about his ratings. 'The Pandemic Special' (Season 24, Episodes 1-2) "The Pandemic Special" was the premiere of Season 24. Airing in September 2020, the episodes satirize the United States' handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest amid the Black Lives Matter movement. President Garrison makes minor appearances in the episodes, notably using a flamethrower to encourage citizens to vote in the 2020 presidential election. 'Spring Break' (Season 26, Episode 6) "Spring Break" parodies the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. In the episode, Mr. Garrison, who freshly lost the 2020 presidential election, goes on a trip with his boyfriend to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The episode aired in March 2023. During the trip, Mr. Garrison starts to slink away to Make America Great Again rallies, despite his boyfriend's pleas not to. The episode ends with Mr. Garrison leading a chant that results in his supporters rushing the U.S. Capitol. Want to watch old episodes? Here's how Old and new episodes of "South Park" are now available for streaming on Paramount+ with a paid subscription. A Paramount+ Essential subscription is $7.99 a month with ads, and a Paramount+ Premium subscription is $12.99 a month without ads. Contributing: Brian Truitt and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Indianapolis Star
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
How to watch the 'South Park' season premiere episode everyone's talking about
No stranger to controversy,"South Park" premiered its 27th season on July 23 with a talker, depicting President Donald Trump in bed with the devil. The creators of the animated series, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, came out swinging against both the company that just promised them a lot of money and the leader of the free world with possibly their most controversial show yet. The episode shows Trump suing the tiny town of South Park when its parents resist "anti-woke" policies, threatening anyone who isn't sufficiently pro-Trump, and literally getting into bed naked with Satan. In the show, Trump is shown using actual photos of his head stuck on an animated body. Longtime fans will recognize it: it's the same way the show depicted former Iraq leader Saddam Hussein in 1999's "South Park" movie. Satan even notices the resemblance. "You remind me more and more of this other guy I used to date," he said. "Like, a lot. Like, you guys are exactly alike." The episode also skewers their new boss and its controversial decisions to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit and to cancel the popular CBS talk show "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" where Colbert nightly roasts the president. Ironically, just hours after the premiere, Paramount announced a $1.5 billion, 5-year agreement to bring all 27 seasons of the long-running series to its Paramount+ streaming platform, along with 50 new episodes. After the show triggered widespread shock, glee and outrage (and condemnations from Trump and the White House), the creators "apologized" the next day, 'We're terribly sorry,' Parker said with a sly grin at a Comedy Central's Comic-Con animation panel next to Stone. "South Park" is on Comedy Central, which is owned by Paramount Global. Paramount just got the OK for a multi-billion merger with Skydance Media, which was dependent on approval from Trump's FCC. If you missed the season 27 premiere of "South Park" on Comedy Central, you can find it — and the rest of the new season's episodes — the next day on Paramount+. Watch South Park on Paramount+ As of July 23, Paramount+ is the new exclusive streaming home of "South Park" and its entire 27-year library for the next five years. The show's entire library previously lived on HBO Max. New episodes will continue to air on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central and the next day on Paramount+. Monthly plans for Paramount+ start at $12.99. For the full breakdown of plan options, visit The shows are also available through TV streaming platforms that carry Comedy Central, including Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, Philo, and Fubo. Watch South Park on Hulu with Disney+ bundle Watch South Park on Sling TV Watch South Park on Fubo
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Of Notoriety: Lighthouse restaurant sold, ‘Late Nite' fan lamenting, free Broadway concert Thursday
Chef Chris Pappas, owner of Crown Point's Meraki Hospitality Group, is purchasing Cedar Lake's Lighthouse Restaurant from the remaining LLC associated with the restaurant's late founder, Dean White, who died at age 93 in 2016. Chef Chris, an award-winning culinarian and Northwest Indiana native and resident, will take ownership on Aug. 11. Opened in April 2009, The Lighthouse, which seats about 250 people, including the full-service bar, plus a banquet area that seats another 200 people, along with outdoor lakeside dining, was partly owned by Bill Wellman, then vice-president of communications for Whiteco Industries, as well as Whiteco's CEO and principal owner. Wellman died in 2022 at age 97. As an active member of the Northwest Indiana community for decades, Chef Chris celebrates the legacy of Lighthouse's original owners. White Lodging took over management of Lighthouse Restaurant in 2016 following Dean White's passing. 'It is an immense honor to continue the legacy of the White family and Lighthouse Restaurant,' 35-year-old Pappas said. 'Meraki's goal is to honor the rich history and traditions of this beloved establishment while simultaneously enhancing the culinary experience and overall quality for guests. We are excited to build upon the strong foundation laid and ensure that Lighthouse Restaurant remains a beacon of exceptional dining and special event experiences on Cedar Lake for years to come.' Dana Hernandez, Lighthouse Restaurant general manager, has been with Lighthouse Restaurant since 2010 'My biggest priorities are our staff and our guests, and I know these are Meraki's priorities as well,' she said. 'I'm pleased to know that Lighthouse Restaurant will remain local, and family-owned, with this transition.' Meraki Hospitality Group is a familiar name for local guests, as the company serves the community through Crown Point's Provecho Latin Provisions, Ramen District, The Grand Catering + Events, 55-year-old local staple Pappas Restaurant & Bar, and Chef Pappas' latest concept opening late summer 2025 called Parisi's Italian Kitchen, with more details found at Located at 7501 Constitution Avenue in Cedar Lake, the Lighthouse Restaurant is a two-story, 11,600 square foot building structure on Cedar Lake that features a full-service restaurant and bar with seating for up to 250 guests on the first floor. The second floor offers a private dining facility for weddings and special events with a wood dance floor, with further details found at Last week's announcement by CBS about cancellation of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' has hit one local fan extra hard. Ron Blake of Hobart, who served as a Hobart City Council member, has spent years campaigning to be a guest on the show to talk about his documentary project. 'There arguably might not be anyone in the country more impacted by this news than myself, given that I've spent 24,000 hours of my life over the last 10 years trying to become a guest on this popular late-night comedy show,' Blake said Wednesday. 'I've been going out every single day since November of 2015 and meeting strangers who have written stories of support on 519 giant foam boards for my efforts to recover from PTSD and to get on this comedy show. Now, I have just 10 months to make this symbolic goal happen before the show is gone forever.' The final episode of the talk show will air in May 2026. 'I now live in Phoenix, Arizona, but grew up most of my life in Northwest Indiana. I was a Hobart city councilman and a longtime head coach at two high schools back in the region. Much of my family and many of my friends and former colleagues still live in Lake, Porter or LaPorte counties,' Blake said. His documentary titled 'I Am' officially began limited previews and screenings last March. 'It's really about my odyssey of overcoming the brutal rape and beating I sustained at the hands of three men in my downtown Phoenix home,' Blake said. 'As a result, I needed years of physical therapy, mental health counseling and surgery from the extensive injuries, dissociative amnesia and even a suicide attempt.' He said the film addresses the trauma as well as 'the ongoing, uplifting nine-year cross-country journey' he's been on as a survivor to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder and to reach a symbolic goal. The much-anticipated Grant Park Music Festival's 'Broadway Night: The Magic of Rodgers and Hammerstein' is at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 25, and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, outdoors at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Three Broadway stars, Mamie Parris, John Riesen, and Lisa Vroman, will join the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus in this musical celebration of the enduring legacy of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Led by dynamic conductor Lawrence Loh, this concert features beloved showstoppers from 'South Pacific,' 'Carousel,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'The King and I,' 'Oklahoma!,' and others. Attendees can secure a reserved seat with a One Night Pass or Membership or grab a free seat in the back half of the Seating Bowl (first-come, first-served basis) at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or on a blanket on the sprawling lawn. More info is available at
