Stephen Colbert Begins the Slow Process of Going Out with a Bang

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Stephen Colbert will continue hosting “The Late Show” until May, despite CBS announcing its cancellation on July 17th. In a poignant episode on July 21st, Colbert expressed sorrow over the show’s end, jabbed at Donald Trump, and criticized his corporate bosses. The audience responded with applause, laughter, and repeated chants of Colbert’s name. “They’ve ended our show,” Colbert acknowledged in his monologue, “but they made one error – they left me here.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=VIZegLAvK8o

In the opening of the episode, Colbert voiced his criticism towards Paramount for their decision. “Is it really only about money when The Late Show is leading in ratings?” he questioned. “That’s a question many are asking – especially my team’s family members.” Furthermore, he addressed the media reports suggesting that despite being the top-rated show, The Late Show allegedly loses $40 million annually. “Forty million dollars! I could understand losing $24 million, but where did Paramount possibly spend the extra $16 million?” Colbert quipped, then added humorously, “Oh, right, that’s what they paid Donald Trump as a settlement (including his legal fees).” On air, he referred to this settlement as a “bribe,” hinting at the ongoing efforts by Paramount to merge with David and Larry Ellison’s Skydance Media, which is still awaiting approval from the FCC.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Rv6SNu0aavU

In the subsequent part of the show, after Sandra Oh shared her thoughts, Colbert invited Lin-Manuel Miranda and Weird Al Yankovic for a musical performance of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.” This was in response to the jumbotron incident at a recent Coldplay concert. The kiss cam featured appearances by Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon, as well as Christopher McDonald and Adam Sandler from the movie “Happy Gilmore 2.” Notably, Colbert’s former colleagues from “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart and John Oliver, also made an appearance. The camera then focused on a lively duo, Donald Trump and the Paramount logo. Trump swiftly disappeared when he saw the camera, while the Paramount logo turned away in embarrassment. Amused by this, Colbert paused the song, claiming he’d received a message that “the song has been cancelled!” He joked that due to the performance, the network had lost between $40 and $50 million. If this episode is any hint, it seems Paramount is in for a challenging nine months ahead.

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2025-07-22 18:53