Stephen Colbert is absolutely going out swinging. With only a handful of days left on The Late Show, the veteran host made big headlines by calling out CBS in ways that no one ever expected.
The Late Show ended its famous 33-year run on CBS on May 21, 2026. Colbert spent those final weeks making bold statements that surprised all of Hollywood. He refused to leave without a real fight.
The cancellation announcement that shocked everyone
In July 2025, Colbert told his studio audience that CBS had just announced the show was being canceled. He said next year would be the very last season and that he would not be replaced.
The studio audience responded with loud boos and groans that filled the entire theater. Colbert simply said he shared their feelings deeply. CBS called the cancellation a purely financial decision unrelated to the show’s content.
The “Big Fat Bribe” that lit the fuse
Colbert did not hold back when Paramount settled a lawsuit with President Trump over the 60 Minutes story. The $16 million deal shocked him deeply. He publicly called it a big fat bribe on air.
He told viewers he did not know if anything at all could ever repair his trust in the company. His exact words went viral almost immediately after airing. The boldness genuinely shocked longtime fans everywhere.
CBS fires back with a financial excuse
CBS insisted the cancellation was purely a business decision made against a tough backdrop in late-night television. The network said it had nothing to do with content. Many viewers simply did not believe it.
At the time of cancellation, The Late Show was still winning its time slot on television. Nielsen data showed more than 2.4 million viewers per episode. The show also earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Colbert skewers CBS News live on air
During his May 14 monologue, Colbert mocked CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil on live television in front of millions of viewers. Dokoupil had failed to secure a visa to cover the Trump summit in Beijing.
Colbert told viewers that all major news teams were already on the ground in China to cover the historic summit. Then he noted there was just one exception. His CBS News slogan joke spread everywhere.
The scathing skit that went viral
The show went further than just monologue jokes. A cold open skit directly mocked both Dokoupil and CBS News chief Bari Weiss by name. The parody featured a man struggling blindly with a giant pumpkin.
The skit spliced in actual Dokoupil clips and placed text on screen reading Tony Accidentally in Taiwan. It was a sharp satire that landed at a time when tensions between Colbert and CBS ran extremely high.
Letterman returns and takes aim at CBS
David Letterman returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater for a truly unforgettable final appearance during farewell week. He and Colbert threw chairs and other items off the theater roof onto a giant painted CBS logo.
Letterman signed off the bit by quoting legendary journalist Ed Murrow while aiming the words directly at CBS leadership. He had also called network bosses lying weasels in separate comments he made on the program.
Staff fired the morning after the finale
One of the most shocking revelations was how abruptly CBS handled the exit of Colbert’s entire production team. Colbert revealed on a podcast that all staff would be fired the day after the finale.
He said his staff would not receive pay from the morning after the finale aired. Colbert said he had already packed his entire office. The abrupt treatment stunned even his fellow late-night television hosts.
A star-studded farewell week worth watching
Despite all the tension behind the scenes, the final week of shows turned into a genuine television celebration remembered fondly. Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg, David Byrne, and Bruce Springsteen all appeared during Colbert’s farewell week.
Earlier farewell guests had included Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Pedro Pascal, among many others. Colbert and David Byrne performed Burning Down the House in matching blue suits. Springsteen played the penultimate night.
Something changed, and Colbert knows it
Colbert was careful not to directly accuse CBS of canceling his show because of his critical political remarks. But he told the New York Times that CBS had wanted him locked into a long contract.
He said something had clearly changed within the network over those years. Jimmy Kimmel and David Letterman were both far less subtle than Colbert about it. They publicly rejected the purely financial cancellation excuse entirely.
What Colbert wants to be remembered for
Away from the conflict, Colbert gave a simple, heartfelt answer when asked what he hoped viewers would take from the show. He told People magazine he just hoped audiences laughed and felt a little better.
He told the Hollywood Reporter he did not expect things to end this particular way. Had he left on his own terms, he would have used a very similar exit playbook. The timing just hurt.
Featured Images: Photos by Peabody Awards on Wikimedia Commons
