Stephen Colbert's final episode of The Late Show and CBS's cancellation controversy
Consensus Summary
Stephen Colbert’s final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert aired on 21 May 2026, marking the end of a 33-year late-night institution on CBS. The show, which Colbert hosted for 11 years after taking over from David Letterman, was canceled in July 2025 amid financial struggles and political controversy, with many suspecting CBS bowed to pressure from Donald Trump, who publicly celebrated Colbert’s departure. The finale featured Paul McCartney as the last guest, performing 'Hello, Goodbye,' along with a mix of celebrity cameos, musical performances, and nostalgic gags, including a green wormhole segment with fellow late-night hosts. Colbert’s monologues had long been a mix of sharp political satire, particularly targeting Trump, and heartfelt human moments, reflecting his Catholic faith and personal struggles, including the loss of his father and brothers in a plane crash. The cancellation drew criticism from celebrities like Bruce Springsteen, Jane Fonda, and Joe Biden, who praised Colbert’s ability to blend humor with moral clarity. CBS replaced the show with Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed, a lower-budget, less politically charged format. Despite the network’s claims of financial motives, the timing of the cancellation—just days after Colbert mocked CBS’s $16 million settlement with Trump—fueled speculation of political interference. Colbert himself avoided public conflict with CBS, focusing instead on gratitude for his time on the show and his next project, co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert aired its final episode on 21 May 2026 at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York.
- CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show in July 2025, citing financial challenges in late-night advertising.
- Stephen Colbert hosted The Late Show for 11 years, taking over from David Letterman in 2015.
- The final episode featured Paul McCartney as the last guest, performing 'Hello, Goodbye' with Colbert.
- The Late Show was replaced by Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed, which premiered the following week.
- Stephen Colbert is set to co-write a new Lord of the Rings film titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past.
- The Late Show was the highest-rated late-night show for nine years before its cancellation.
- Donald Trump publicly celebrated Colbert’s departure, calling him a 'total jerk' and 'a dead person' on social media.
- The final episode drew 6.74 million viewers, more than double the season average.
- CBS’s parent company, Paramount, merged with Skydance Media in an $8 billion deal approved in 2025.
- Colbert’s monologue on 2025-07-18 mocked CBS’s $16 million settlement with Trump over a 60 Minutes lawsuit, calling it a 'big fat bribe'.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Colbert’s father and two brothers died in a plane crash when he was 10 years old, shaping his emotional honesty on the show.
- Colbert’s interview with Joe Biden in 2020 focused on grief and resilience after Biden lost his son Beau.
- Jane Fonda, Sally Field, and Mark Ruffalo criticized the cancellation in a video by the Committee for the First Amendment.
- Bruce Springsteen appeared on the show and called Colbert the 'first guy in America who’s lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke'.
- The Late Show set is being donated to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, with the Smithsonian also requesting it.
- Colbert’s fake conservative persona on The Colbert Report was heavily based on Bill O’Reilly, whom he mocked before eulogizing.
- Colbert’s segment with Alex Jones featured a parody host named Tuck Buckford, who rambled about bizarre topics like the Founding Fathers’ bowel issues.
- Colbert’s monologue on Trump’s first 100 days included the line 'The only thing your mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin’s cock-holster,' which sparked backlash and an FCC investigation.
- Colbert’s Strike Force Five podcast with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers supported writers during the 2023 Writers Guild strike.
- Colbert’s final monologue referenced his Catholic faith and quoted poet Robert Hayden on resisting evil.
- David Letterman criticized CBS’s cancellation decision, calling it a lie and accusing the network of political motives.
- The final episode included a fake pope who refused to come out of his dressing room, a running gag throughout the show.
- Colbert’s finale featured a green wormhole gag with appearances from Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers.
- Colbert performed a pre-recorded cover of Elvis Costello’s 'Jump Up' with Costello and Jon Batiste during the finale.
- Colbert’s monologue referenced his previous promise to 'feel the news at you' on The Colbert Report, contrasting it with The Late Show’s approach.
- The finale included a montage of talkshow history and a reference to the Beatles’ 1964 Sullivan Show performance.
- Colbert’s final guest reveal was delayed with cameos from Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Tig Notaro, and Ryan Reynolds.
- Colbert’s final episode lasted 80 minutes, longer than usual, and included a 'Meanwhile' segment with news updates.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states Colbert’s final episode drew 6.74 million viewers, but ABC does not mention viewership numbers.
- The Guardian reports CBS president George Cheeks denied political motives for cancellation, while ABC implies the timing was politically suspicious due to Trump’s influence.
- The Guardian mentions Colbert’s monologue on Trump’s first 100 days included a heavily censored joke about Putin, but ABC does not reference this specific moment.
- ABC describes the finale as largely apolitical, while the Guardian highlights Colbert’s continued criticism of Trump and CBS’s settlement with him.
- The Guardian notes Colbert’s interview with Biden focused on grief, but ABC does not mention this specific topic in the finale details.
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