After a long, painful goodbye, Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” on CBS gasped its final dying breath on Thursday from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.
As many critics are saying, it’s about time.
President Donald Trump, the main subject of Colbert’s yearslong tirades, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116616669222083429">said</a> Friday morning, “Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he’s finally gone!”
&#8220;Stephen Colbert’s firing from CBS was the &#8216;Beginning of the End&#8217; for untalented, nasty, highly overpaid, not funny, and very poorly rated Late Night Television Hosts,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116618496946919115">added</a>. &#8220;Others, of even less talent, to soon follow. May they all Rest in Peace!&#8221;
During the last episode, Colbert skipped the monologue when he walked out and addressed the audience, saying, “This show…has been a joy for us to do for you. In fact, we call this show the ‘joy machine,’ all right? …We call it the joy machine because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn&#8217;t hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears.” 
The host continued, “On night one of ‘The Colbert Report’ back in the day, I said, ‘Anyone can read the news to you, I promise to feel the news at you.’ And I realized pretty soon in this job that our job over here was different. We were here to feel the news with you. And I don&#8217;t know about you, but I sure have felt it.”
The hyper-partisan late night host brought former Beatles band member Paul McCartney on as his final guest. McCartney gave Colbert a framed, signed photo of The Beatles playing during “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964.
“Wow,” Colbert said, joking that the caption said, “To Stephen, you’re better than The Beatles, Paul McCartney.”
The show ended with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jon Stewart, and Andy Cohen helping Colbert transition through a wormhole portal that opened to swallow the show. McCartney was tasked with cutting power from the control room, then the wormhole turned the Ed Sullivan Theater into a miniature version of itself inside a snow globe. 
And then it was over.
CBS announced last summer that “The Late Show,” which began in 1993, would conclude this year and not be replaced with a traditional late-night format.
“This is 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,” the network said at the time.
Colbert followed the announcement with an expletive-laced monologue in which he blasted President Donald Trump and CBS. During the segment, Colbert referenced Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, noting that it paid Trump a $16 million settlement after being accused of election interference.
CBS Entertainment CEO George Cheeks later reiterated that the show had been losing “significant” amounts of money, describing the losses as being in the “tens of millions of dollars.”
“At the end of the day, it just wasn’t sustainable to continue,” Cheeks said.
Colbert became more reflective in later interviews, blaming changing audiences rather than his political rants on the show’s demise.
“It’s possible that two things can be true,” Colbert <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colbert-blames-producer-for-turning-late-show-into-left-wing-lecture-hour">told</a> The New York Times during an April interview. “Broadcast can be in trouble. They cannot monetize because of things like YouTube, because of the competition of streaming. They’ve got the books, and I do not have any desire to debate them over what they say their business model is and how it does not work for them anymore. But less than two years before they called to say it’s over, they were very eager for me to be signed for a long time. So, something changed.”
CBS will replace “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” with a new late-night program block led by comedian Byron Allen. It’s described as being politically neutral and appropriate for all ages.
“I tell the comedians we’re shooting ‘I Love Lucy,&#8217;” Allen told The Los Angeles Times in 2025. “Something that’s evergreen. So I don’t want to hear any political humor. Just be funny, family-friendly, and advertiser-friendly.”

Stephen Colbert

America Waves Goodbye To Stephen Colbert As Trump Lands A Final Parting Shot

Entertainment

Late-Night

Television

The late-night comedy brigade gathered together during the final days of Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” to participate in their favorite activity: obsessing about President Trump.
Colbert hosted fellow late-night comedy hosts, including Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver, on Monday’s episode as he gears up for the show’s big finale on May 21.
Kimmel, who was briefly suspended last fall after making false comments about the man who assassinated Charlie Kirk, suggested that viewers should watch more late-night television and cancel Paramount+. 
“We have a lot of shows. 30,000 people watching each one, and it adds up,” Kimmel said. “People watch us on YouTube now. People have a lot of different options and they keep coming to us. I will tell you, when I got knocked off the air for a few days, people canceled Disney+. Why aren’t people canceling Paramount+? Because you never had it in the first place?”
He also responded to Colbert’s question about whether any of the other hosts ever expected to be “doing a job that the president of the United States would have strong feelings about.”
“You know what’s even weirder? Doing a job that his wife has strong feelings about,” Kimmel replied, referring to the criticism he received for his tasteless joke about the first lady being an “expectant widow” just days before a man attempted to assassinate Trump. 
Meyers, who has hosted NBC&#8217;s Late Night with Seth Meyers since 2014, said he appreciates having Trump as a fan. “The thing I like, he posts when the show airs, and I want to say I appreciate that he is watching linear television,” Meyers said during the “Late Show” appearance. “If I would make my case for late-night, it’s that leaders of the free world are watching it when it airs.”
CBS announced that “The Late Show” was ending in July 2025, mentioning that it was “purely a financial decision.” However, some have speculated that Colbert’s show was canceled due to the merger between Paramount and Skydance. 
Colbert has been vocally opposed to CBS&#8217;s decision to pull the plug on the show despite reports that the program was losing $40 million annually.
The political commentator went on to blame the format rather than the content of the show.
“It’s possible that two things can be true,” Colbert told NYT. “Broadcast can be in trouble. They cannot monetize because of things like YouTube, because of the competition of streaming. They’ve got the books, and I do not have any desire to debate them over what they say their business model is and how it does not work for them anymore. But less than two years before they called to say it’s over, they were very eager for me to be signed for a long time. So, something changed.”

Colbert and Kimmel

TV’s Most Humorless Late-Night Hosts Gather To Obsess Over Trump

Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Kimmel

Paramount

Seth Meyers

Late night host Stephen Colbert insists that he’s only an insufferable partisan hack because a producer told him to be one.
The host of “The Late Show,” which will be airing its final episode next month after years of losing money and falling ratings, said as much during a recently published <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/28/business/media/stephen-colbert-late-night-show.html">interview</a> with The New York Times. Colbert said that he was &#8220;discouraged by the network from being topical&#8221; when he first joined as host.
“It was my instinct to be less topical, because I didn’t want to have to engage with what I saw was an increasingly contentious public discourse,” Colbert told the outlet. “And I thought, ‘Aren’t there other ways to have fun with the audience?’”
The comedian gained notoriety hosting the Comedy Central news satire show “The Colbert Report” from 2005 until 2014. He took over hosting “The Late Show” in 2015 following David Letterman’s departure.  
Colbert said the 2016 party conventions were a turning point for him to return to his political background in his new gig, with the outlet claiming that ratings &#8220;soared&#8221; after he started outright Trump bashing.
“Clint Eastwood in ‘Unforgiven,’ or is it some other movie? He buried his guns. And I’m like, you know, I buried those damn guns. I was talking to Paul Dinello — he’s one of my oldest friends and one of my producers here — and he’s like, ‘You’re having fun, and people love to see that.’ And I said, ‘But that means I got to go dig up the guns.’ And he says, ‘Buddy, that’s the part the audience wants to see.’”
Colbert has been vocally opposed to CBS <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-trump-late-night-host-stephen-colbert-reveals-date-of-final-show?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Anti-Trump+Late-Night+Host+Stephen+Colbert+Reveals+Date+Of+Final+Show">deciding to pull the plug</a> on the show, which they say was “purely a financial decision.” One report stated that the program was losing $40 million annually.
The political commentator went on to blame the format rather than the content of the show.
“It’s possible that two things can be true,” Colbert told NYT. “Broadcast can be in trouble. They cannot monetize because of things like YouTube, because of the competition of streaming. They’ve got the books, and I do not have any desire to debate them over what they say their business model is and how it does not work for them anymore. But less than two years before they called to say it’s over, they were very eager for me to be signed for a long time. So, something changed.”
The last episode of “The Late Show” will air on May 21.

Colbert

Colbert Blames Producer For Turning ‘Late Show’ Into Left-Wing Lecture Hour

comedian

CBS will reportedly replace &#8220;The Late Show with Stephen Colbert&#8221; with a new late-night program block led by comedian Byron Allen.
Beginning May 22, the network will air “Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen” at 11:35 p.m., followed by the comedy game show “Funny You Should Ask” at 12:35 a.m., according to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cbs-late-show-replacement-byron-allen-comics-unleashed-1236556475/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. The lineup debuts the day after Colbert&#8217;s show airs its final episode on May 21.
Both programs are produced by Allen, who has emphasized a focus on apolitical, family-friendly comedy.
&#8220;I tell the comedians we&#8217;re shooting &#8216;I Love Lucy,'&#8221; Allen <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-08-11/byron-allen-comics-unleashed-cbs-late-night">told</a> The Los Angeles Times in 2025 while petitioning to become Colbert’s replacement. &#8220;Something that&#8217;s evergreen. So I don&#8217;t want to hear any political humor. Just be funny, family-friendly, and advertiser-friendly.&#8221;
&#8220;Comics Unleashed&#8221; originally ran in syndication from 2006 to 2016 and later had a brief run on CBS from mid-September 2023 to mid-January 2024, filling the former slot of &#8220;The Late Late Show with James Corden.&#8221; The format features a rotating panel of comedians performing stand-up and engaging in talk show-style banter. 
“I created and launched Comics Unleashed 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh,” Allen said in a statement, per THR. “I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask, because the world can never have enough laughter.”
CBS announced last summer that “The Late Show,” which began in 1993, would conclude this year and not be replaced with a traditional late-night format.
“This is 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,” the network said at the time.
Colbert followed the announcement with an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-trump-late-night-host-stephen-colbert-reveals-date-of-final-show?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Anti-Trump+Late-Night+Host+Stephen+Colbert+Reveals+Date+Of+Final+Show">expletive-laced monologue</a> in which he blasted President Donald Trump and CBS. During the segment, Colbert referenced Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, noting that it paid Trump a $16 million settlement after being accused of election interference.
CBS Entertainment CEO George Cheeks later reiterated that the show had been losing “significant” amounts of money, describing the losses as being in the “tens of millions of dollars.”
“At the end of the day, it just wasn’t sustainable to continue,” Cheeks acknowledged.

Stephen Colbert’s Replacement Expected To Bring A Different Vibe To Late-Night Slot

Comedy

Warner Bros. really ticked off Tolkien fans when they dropped a bombshell so outrageous that it had people double-checking to make sure it wasn’t a Babylon Bee headline.
Stephen Colbert. “Lord of the Rings.” A match made in the entertainment underworld.
The internet lost its collective mind when the studio announced that Colbert was attached as co-writer to a project no one asked for. The late-night host is currently wrapping up his 11-year run as the face of “The Late Show” and is bitter as hell on his way out, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stephen-colbert-throws-hissy-fit-over-cbs-enforcing-equal-time-rule-nixing-dem-candidate-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talking smack</a> on President Trump and conservatives. His fifteen viewers will confirm that this is nothing new. But the rhetoric is even more vicious now that he’s got nothing to lose.
And now, somehow, Colbert’s study of and professed love for Tolkien scored him a place at the writer’s table for “Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past.” Film director Peter Jackson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lord-of-the-rings-just-got-handed-over-to-a-trump-hating-late-night-host" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped that bomb</a> on fans last month.
“You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me,” Colbert told Jackson during the video announcement, attempting to justify his place in Tolkien’s realm.
“But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in [‘The Fellowship of the Ring’] that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day. It’s basically the chapter ‘Three Is Company’ [Chapter III] through ‘Fog on the Barrow-Downs’ [Chapter VIII]. And I thought, ‘Oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?’”
Colbert said that he and his son, screenwriter Peter McGee, have been working with Jackson on the project for two years.
The show’s description says, “Fourteen years after the passing of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began.”
Fans were shocked by Colbert’s inclusion, with one reaction summing up the overall feelings nicely. &#8220;Just because someone knows everything about another writer&#8217;s work doesn&#8217;t make them a writer. Or director, or anything even remotely related to making a film,&#8221; one Reddit user <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/stephen-colbert-lord-of-the-rings-movie-fan-reaction-11735627" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. &#8220;They&#8217;ve essentially given the reins over to a fanfiction guy; this will be hot garbage.”
The frustration is about Colbert, sure, but it’s also about trusting Hollywood to tread with care when handling a treasured, unapologetically Christian morality based project. Social media users joked about Colbert including DEI side quests and dancing syringes, which is technically possible from such a devoted progressive. However, even if the virtue signaling winds up being a little subtler, there’s still a lot of ways a late-night comedian can screw this up.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Vax-Scene - The Box Set" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sSkFyNVtNh8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
For too long in Hollywood there’s been a lack of quality storytelling with timeless themes and impressive production value. Fans who wanted to be immersed in the story keep getting stuck with liberals writing the scripts.
That all changed when DailyWire+ released “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-pendragon-cycle">The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin</a>.”
This adaptation of Stephen R. Lawhead&#8217;s bestselling novels blends historical elements of post-Roman Britain with the mythic tales of King Arthur and Merlin. This isn&#8217;t a cynical franchise cash-grab; it’s a genuine effort to reclaim what’s been lost long ago to woke Hollywood.
Filmed in Italy and Hungary, the seven-episode first season premiered in January 2026. The reviews from fans prove that this is what the entertainment world has been missing.
One viewer <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/daily-wire-pendragon-cycle-debate-reviews-1236486056/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described it</a> as &#8220;just as fascinating as Game of Thrones,” It has been praised for the storyline, the characters, the incredible sets, the thrilling stunts, and, crucially, the natural role Christianity plays in the narrative.<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23734948/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a>
“Pulp Fiction” screenwriter Roger Avary said he was shocked by how much he loved the series.
The Academy Award-winning producer told Joe Rogan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pulp-fiction-writer-says-the-pendragon-cycle-left-him-completely-blown-away" target="_blank" rel="noopener">during a podcast appearance</a> in February that he had a “chip on his shoulder” when he started watching “Pendragon” and expected not to like it. But he was impressed not just with the quality, but with how it didn’t come from a major studio.
“They did it on a microbudget, effectively. They made something that… kind of reinvents the mythology, and they do it like proper television, where you kind of love the characters, and they weave an entire reality and universe that is just fantastic. And it’s done for very, very little…”
Avary added, “They’re spending billions making these ‘Lord of the Rings’ things, and nobody cares, they’re just awful to watch. In the meantime, these guys, without anyone paying attention, cranked this out…I am completely blown away by it!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Oscar-winning screenwriter <a href="https://twitter.com/AVARY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AVARY</a> gives massive praise to &#8216;The Pendragon Cycle&#8217; on <a href="https://twitter.com/joerogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@joerogan</a>:
&#8220;They&#8217;re spending billions making these &#8216;Lord of the Rings&#8217; things&#8230;and they&#8217;re just awful to watch&#8230;In the meantime, these guys&#8230;cranked this out&#8230;I am like completely blown away… <a href="https://t.co/guviJGswqe">pic.twitter.com/guviJGswqe</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2021662679962730581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The world of Pendragon goes beyond the screen. DailyWire+ also launched an official <a href="https://store.dailywire.com/products/pendragon-game?_pos=1&amp;_sid=b4b5e35f3&amp;_ss=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pendragon Cycle board game</a> to go with it.
This narrative-driven game of deduction drops players into the sacred isle of the Arthurian epic, where they race to uncover which character, location, and weapon holds the secret of the Grail.<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-daily-wire-releases-new-pendragon-inspired-board-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a>
Each character comes with a unique special ability to ensure genuine immersion in the Pendragon world.
“The game is very entertaining. The theme of the show and mechanics of the game make you feel truly immersed in the world of the show,” one purchaser wrote.
It’s no longer necessary for historical fantasy fans to consume the slop that Hollywood keeps dishing. On one hand, there are mainstream remakes rehashing what’s been done to make a buck and subvert timeless Christian lore. On the other hand, there’s an epic, character-driven piece of art that deserves all the high praise it received.
If the Colbert announcement left you rolling your eyes, then it’s time to explore new realms and seek alternatives.
All seven episodes of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-pendragon-cycle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin</a>” are streaming now on DailyWire+, and the immersive board game is available at the <a href="https://store.dailywire.com/products/pendragon-game?_pos=1&amp;_sid=b4b5e35f3&amp;_ss=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Wire Shop</a>.

Stephen Colbert/Lord of the Rings

Tolkien’s Legacy Doesn’t Belong With A Late Night Comedian

Daily Wire Shop

Lord of the Rings

The Pendragon Cycle

A newly announced “Lord of the Rings” movie is getting trashed online after Warner Bros. announced that late-night host Stephen Colbert will develop the project with his son. 
The announcement came via social media on Tuesday night, which was also Tolkien Reading Day.
First, film director Peter Jackson gave an update on the sequel “The Hunt for Gollum,” which is currently in production. “Andy [Serkis] is doing a terrific job. It’s looking amazing. The script is coming together really well, and I think it’s going to be a really good film,” Jackson said before revealing what’s up next.
The director had Colbert join him on the video after announcing he’d be writing “The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past.” Colbert explained that the movie would be based on chapters of “The Fellowship of the Ring” that weren’t in Jackson’s 2001 film.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
In honor of Tolkien Reading Day and the destruction of the One Ring, we bring you a special announcement. <a href="https://t.co/ufh9RLBIxO">pic.twitter.com/ufh9RLBIxO</a>
— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) <a href="https://twitter.com/warnerbros/status/2036654308557500560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me,” Colbert told Jackson. “But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in [‘The Fellowship of the Ring’] that y&#8217;all never developed into the first movie back in the day. It’s basically the chapter ‘Three Is Company’ [Chapter III] through ‘Fog on the Barrow-Downs’ [Chapter VIII]. And I thought, ‘Oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?&#8217;”
Colbert said that he and his son, screenwriter Peter McGee, have been working with Jackson on the project for two years.
The hyper-partisan, Trump-hating late-night host made headlines last year after CBS canceled his “Late Show,” which led to him crying censorship rather than admitting that the program had been allegedly hemorrhaging money for years. CBS confirmed it was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cbs-cans-ultra-leftist-stephen-colberts-late-show-all-just-going-away">a financial decision</a> to sunset the program.
Most reactions to Colbert’s new gig were negative.
“This is by far the worst thing to ever happen to the franchise,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/RedRebeccax/status/2036687719620100401">wrote</a>. 
“Is it gonna have a sequence with dancing vaccine syringes? What about an evil orange man?” another person <a href="https://x.com/Logh_13/status/2036659222054568435">wondered</a>.
“No, absolutely not,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/tmo_melonmaster/status/2036679186010787973">said</a>. “Colbert hasn’t been anything remotely close to a competent writer, comedy or otherwise, for a very long time. Just the thought of the Lord of the Rings getting put through a heavily political infusion, Colbert only schtick at this point, is sickening.”
“Imagine burning billions on rings of power and still not learning any lessons from it,” another commenter wrote, referencing the controversial, widely panned Amazon series based on the fantasy series.
The film’s description for “Shadows of the Past” says, “Fourteen years after the passing of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began.”
J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” was turned into three massively popular films, with releases in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Jackson&#8217;s epic fantasy trilogy is considered the highlight of his career and won 17 Academy Awards.

‘Lord Of The Rings’ Just Got Handed Over To A Trump-Hating Late-Night Host

'Lord Of The Rings' Is Being Handed Over To A Hyper-Partisan Late Night Host

Hollywood

J.R.R. Tolkien

Movies

The big media controversy of the day comes courtesy of Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and late-night television host Stephen Colbert.
Talarico insisted that CBS spiked his interview with Stephen Colbert, claiming, “This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see. His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas. <a href="https://t.co/BCev5jZbKc">pic.twitter.com/BCev5jZbKc</a>
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) <a href="https://twitter.com/jamestalarico/status/2023659473466687994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @jamestalarico/X.com
Talarico is the probable Senate nominee for the Democrats in Texas and has been highly touted by a wide variety of people across the political spectrum, including Joe Rogan, on whose show he appeared.
But the reason CBS spiked the interview is because they&#8217;re afraid of the so-called Equal Time Rule. The FCC says that in a Senate primary, if you provide time to one candidate, you also have to provide equal time to the other candidates. CBS then said they didn’t want to provide equal time to Talarico’s rivals, including Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett or some other fringe candidate. Colbert then went on the air and ripped into CBS.
At this point, Colbert is hoping that he is fired so he can be treated as a victim — a victim of the Trump administration and their evil acolytes like Larry and David Ellison. Since that is his goal, he is actively attempting to militate for his own dismissal.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2370-dave-chappelle-has-lost-it"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
That is what he is doing right now. So, after the interview, he went on the air and said:
<blockquote>You might have heard of this thing called the Equal Time rule. Okay. It&#8217;s an old FCC rule that applies only to radio on broadcast television, not cable or streaming, that says if a show has a candidate on during an election, they have to have all that candidate&#8217;s opponents on as well. It’s the FCC&#8217;s most time honored rule right after no nipples at the Super Bowl. There&#8217;s long been an exception for this rule, an exception for news interviews and talk show interviews with politicians.
Now that&#8217;s crucial. How else were voters supposed to know back in 92 that Bill Clinton sucked at saxophone? But on January 21 of this year, a letter was released by FCC chairman and smug bowling pin Brendan Carr. In this letter, Carr said he was thinking about dropping the exception for talk shows because he said some of them were motivated by partisan purposes. Well, sir, you&#8217;re chairman of the FCC, so FCC you. </blockquote>
Brendan Carr is correct. Colbert is obviously motivated by partisan purposes. When was the last time he had a major Republican guest? Can you name one? When has he invited a major Republican guest on his show and treated that person with the same sort of kid gloves with which he treats Democrats?
Every episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is basically an ad for one Democrat or another. It is MS NOW with some bad jokes.
CBS responded:
<blockquote>THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. THE LATE SHOW decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.</blockquote>
First, Colbert and his team tried to retell the lie that the FCC had overtly banned CBS from airing the interview with Talarico. That was not true. 
Then, he tried to retell the lie that CBS banned the interview because they were afraid of Talarico. And if Colbert hosted Talarico, then presumably he would also have to host a Republican candidate in the Texas Senate race, like Sen. John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton.
That is not what the equal time rule says. In the middle of the primary season, Colbert would have had to host another Democrat, Representative Jasmine Crockett. And the producers of “The Late Show” decided not to promote the interview on the air because then they would have to do the same for other Democrats.
For what it&#8217;s worth, Talarico is basically a straight Pete Buttigieg. That is his entire schtick, down to the Pastor Pete routine.
If you can remember back that far, one of the most irritating facets of the “Pete Buttigieg for President” campaign — and what irritated me most — is when he would suddenly turn into the world&#8217;s worst Sunday School teacher and cite the Bible to say completely non-Biblical things. He would try to explain that the Bible has nothing to say about issues ranging from same-sex marriage to abortion, and that it&#8217;s just a social justice document drafted by the Democratic National Committee.
Now, Talarico is doing the same exact thing. He&#8217;s claiming that you&#8217;re a bad Christian if you believe that same-sex marriage is non-Biblical.
For the record, same-sex marriage is non-Biblical. There are many books of the Bible that reference this, not least of which is Leviticus.
Trying to do the Pastor Pete routine, Talarico declared:
<blockquote>Jesus gave us two commandments: Love God and love neighbor. And there was no exception to that second commandment. Love thy neighbor, regardless of race or gender or sexual orientation or immigration status or religious affiliation. And it&#8217;s why I have fought so hard for the separation of church and state in the state capital in Texas.</blockquote>
When Democrats try to reframe their own religiosity on the basis of “Jesus was a post- religious figure who was in favor of secular humanism” — I may not be a New Testament expert, but it seems to me that Jesus was, in his human form, a Jew growing up under Biblical law, and that Jesus as the creator of Christianity, proceeded to suggest that people ought to follow the precepts of Christianity rather exclusively.
I think that’s a non-controversial take on the Bible.
It&#8217;s amazing how far Democrats have moved in my lifetime. Democrats used to do this routine where they would say, Sure, the Bible says that abortion is bad, Christianity says abortion is bad. There is a long-standing, several thousand years old doctrine that abortion is not approved, that same-sex marriage is not approved, and that homosexual activity is a sin. These are long-standing religious traditions, but we have separation of church and state. In terms of public policy, I don&#8217;t believe in making public policy on the basis of Biblical law, because this is not a theocracy.
That used to be the Democratic stance, which I think is weak when it comes to trying to make peace with Christians, but at least it is arguable. The new Democratic standards are that the Bible is somehow a document that greenlights same-sex marriage and encourages abortion, and if you truly were a Christian, you would be in favor of all these things.
Talarico says, “Love thy neighbor means love thy neighbor, regardless of immigration status or sexual orientation.”
The Bible says you are supposed to love thy neighbor as thyself, but you are not supposed to love his sin. You&#8217;re not supposed to place a stumbling block in front of the blind. There’s the Biblical injunction, which is commonly presumed to mean that you are not supposed to allow your neighbor to go without redress. If he’s sinning, you&#8217;re supposed to warn him.
So, back to CBS: What’s happening at CBS right now is an attempt to scuttle the ownership change at CBS and also target Bari Weiss at CBS News.
It&#8217;s all about virtue signaling for the Democrats. It has nothing to do with reality.
Democratic lawmakers, for their part, are suggesting they&#8217;re now going to investigate CBS. Representative Darren Soto of Florida wrote, “FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s reign on unlawful censorship continues. This time he’s blocking Democratic candidates. @EnergyCommerce Dems will be investigating this outrage. A reckoning is coming.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s reign on unlawful censorship continues. This time he’s blocking Democratic candidates.<a href="https://twitter.com/EnergyCommerce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EnergyCommerce</a> Dems will be investigating this outrage. A reckoning is coming… <a href="https://t.co/56MmbYdfIR">https://t.co/56MmbYdfIR</a>
— Rep. Darren Soto (@RepDarrenSoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDarrenSoto/status/2023767918023262264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @RepDarrenSoto/X.com
All of this shows you what Democrats are going to do with Congress if they happen to win in 2026, which is to shut everything down.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Talarico, Colbert Cry Censorship As CBS Sets The Record Straight

Ben Shapiro

Bible

Brendan Carr

Democrats

Opinion

Republicans

Texas

The most explosive development in Texas’s high-stakes Senate race isn’t polling — it’s a late-night television appearance that never aired.
Democratic candidate James Talarico claimed that the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) “refused to air” his interview with “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” dramatically declaring on social media, “This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see. His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas. <a href="https://t.co/BCev5jZbKc">pic.twitter.com/BCev5jZbKc</a>
&mdash; James Talarico (@jamestalarico) <a href="https://twitter.com/jamestalarico/status/2023659473466687994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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At a campaign rally on Tuesday, Talarico escalated further, alleging the FCC “colluded with corporate media executives at CBS … But I think it’s safe to say that their plan backfired.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
At a packed campaign rally, <a href="https://twitter.com/jamestalarico?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jamestalarico</a> says the FCC “colluded with corporate media executives at CBS” to keep his interview with Stephen Colbert off the air.
“But I think it&#39;s safe to say that their plan backfired,” Talarico says. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/txsen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#txsen</a> <a href="https://t.co/NABVRJZf4O">pic.twitter.com/NABVRJZf4O</a>
&mdash; Kayla Guo (@kaylaguo_) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaylaguo_/status/2023927855973863508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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That narrative quickly unraveled.
CBS issued a blunt statement contradicting both Talarico and host Stephen Colbert. The network said Colbert “was NOT prohibited” from airing the interview. Rather, lawyers advised the show that broadcasting it could trigger the FCC’s equal-time rule, potentially requiring comparable airtime for other Democratic candidates — including Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX). CBS explained that the show opted to run the interview on YouTube with on-air promotion instead of navigating equal-time obligations on the broadcast.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This just in from CBS: &quot;THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and…
&mdash; Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/2023843159604596894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In other words: no federal ban, no White House directive — just legal guidance and a programming decision.
CNN’s Brian Stelter reported that the FCC had recently sent a “letter of inquiry” to ABC regarding possible equal-time violations on “The View,” creating caution among network executives. The regulatory environment, executives believed, was uncertain. But limited FCC enforcement power and corporate risk management hardly amount to “collusion.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&#8230;But the scrutiny of ABC (which was first reported by Reuters on Feb. 7) weighed on CBS execs. There was a sense, I&#39;m told, that the regulatory environment is uncertain, and that caution is warranted&#8230; and that&#39;s why network lawyers called Colbert&#39;s show. <a href="https://t.co/pnkHIluHi9">pic.twitter.com/pnkHIluHi9</a>
&mdash; Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/2023969453889700310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Yet Talarico not only doubled down — he has also praised Colbert in glowing terms, telling him, “You have really shown people in this country what Christianity should be.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Texas Democrat James Talarico says Stephen Colbert embodies Christianity.
Colbert has&#8230;
&#8211; Compared ICE agents to Nazis &#8211; Defended pro-Hamas protesters &#8211; Called abortion a &quot;funny word&quot; &#8211; Likened Trump supporters to the Taliban.
We can&#39;t let Talarico become a Senator. <a href="https://t.co/nEe8dlp6MK">pic.twitter.com/nEe8dlp6MK</a>
&mdash; Christian Collins (@CollinsforTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinsforTX/status/2023864036321108186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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That assertion is striking given Colbert’s own record. Colbert has <a href="https://www.wccsradio.com/2026/01/29/late-show-host-stephen-colbert-faces-backlash-for-obscene-attack-on-ice-agents/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">compared</a> ICE agents to Nazis, saying, “Yes, do not compare ICE or Border Patrol agents to the Nazis. That’s an unfair comparison. The Nazis were willing to show their faces.”
Speaking of the word “abortion,” Colbert has <a href="https://www.lifenews.com/2014/09/17/stephen-colbert-abortion-is-a-funny-word-just-like-guacamole/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>, “It’s a funny word. It’s like guacamole.” He has compared Trump supporters to the Taliban, <a href="https://news.grabien.com/story/colbert-why-should-we-fight-radicals-afghanistan-when-we-hav">saying</a> in reference to January 6, “Why should our soldiers be fighting radicals in a Civil War in Afghanistan? We’ve got our own on Capitol Hill.”
All of this unfolds as the Texas Senate race intensifies. On the Republican side, Sen. John Cornyn battles Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt in a bruising primary that could head to a runoff. On the Democratic side, Rep. Jasmine Crockett leads Talarico in several polls, with demographic splits revealing a competitive contest. General election surveys show razor-thin margins against any top Republican.
But the defining controversy so far isn’t ideological positioning or fundraising totals. It’s a candidate alleging federal suppression — contradicted by the very network involved — while elevating a sharply partisan late-night comedian as a model of Christian witness. In a state like Texas, that combination may prove politically combustible.

Dem Cries ‘Trump Censorship’ Over Colbert Interview — CBS Has A Different Take

Donald Trump

James Talarico

Jasmine Crockett

Media

Politics

“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert is furious that CBS decided not to air an interview he did with Texas representative James Talarico (D) due to “equal time” laws, which require broadcast networks and radio stations to give equal time to all candidates in an election.
Colbert’s show is canceled and will air its last episode in May. But in the meantime, he’s not going quietly as he defied the network’s request that he not bring up the Talarico interview situation. The host threw a hissy fit during his Monday night episode.
&#8220;Then I was told, in some uncertain terms, that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on,&#8221; Colbert said during his show Monday night. &#8220;And because my network clearly doesn&#8217;t want us to talk about this, let&#8217;s talk about this.&#8221;
The “Late Show” host explained the “equal time” rule, which has been in place since the 1930s, and explained why he believed the exceptions made in the 90s should continue forever.
“There’s long been an exception for this rule, an exception for news interviews and talk show interviews with politicians,” Colbert said. “That’s crucial. How else were voters supposed to know back in ’92 that Bill Clinton sucked at saxophone?”
“[FCC chair Brendan Carr] hasn’t done away with [the exceptions] yet, but my network is unilaterally enforcing it as if he had,” the host admitted.
Addressing Carr, he said, “FCC you … because I think you are motivated by partisan purposes yourself, sir. Hey, you smelt it ’cause you dealt it. You are Dutch-ovening America’s airwaves.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Why CBS Didn&#039;t Broadcast Stephen Colbert&#039;s Interview With James Talarico" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oh7DPSP65JA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Let’s just call this what it is. Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV, because all Trump does is watch TV. He’s like a toddler with too much screen time. He gets cranky and then drops a load in his diapers. So it’s no surprise that two of the people most affected by this threat are me and my friend Jimmy Kimmel,” Colbert whined.
Colbert also told the audience that he was posting the interview on his YouTube channel and instructed them to find it there.
During the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ7Pz_59A">interview</a>, Talarico said he believed he was being censored because he had a good chance of winning.
&#8220;I think Donald Trump is worried that we&#8217;re about to flip Texas,&#8221; the Texas rep said. &#8220;This is the party that ran against cancel culture. And this is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture, the kind that comes from the top.&#8221;
CBS announced last summer that “The Late Show,” which began in 1993, would conclude this year and not be replaced.
“This is 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,” the network said in a statement at the time.
One report stated that the program was losing $40 million annually.

Stephen Colbert Throws Hissy Fit Over CBS Enforcing Equal Time Rule, Nixing Dem Candidate Interview

CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert on Wednesday night suggested that ICE officers and Border Patrol agents were worse than Nazis.
During his monologue on &#8220;The Late Show,&#8221; Colbert showed a clip of Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who was discussing Alex Pretti, the leftist protester who was shot and killed by federal agents, with CNN’s Dana Bash.
“Dana, let&#8217;s look at why he was there in the first place,” Bovino said. “Was he simply walking by and just happened to walk into a law enforcement situation and try to direct traffic and stand in the middle of the road and then assault, delay and obstruct law enforcement? Or was he there for a reason? Did he fall victim to that violent and heated rhetoric by a [Minneapolis] Mayor [Jacob] Frey, a [Minnesota] Governor [Tim] Walz? Look, Dana, they&#8217;re trying to portray Border Patrol agents and ICE agents as Gestapo, Nazi and many other words. Did this individual fall victim, as many others have, to that type of heated rhetoric?”
“Do not compare ICE or Border Patrol agents to the Nazis,” Colbert intoned. “That’s an unfair comparison. The Nazis were willing to show their faces.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Stephen Colbert: “Do not compare ICE or Border Patrol agents to the Nazis. That’s an unfair comparison. The Nazis were willing to show their faces.”<a href="https://t.co/JzMbqTO3C9">pic.twitter.com/JzMbqTO3C9</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2016860668075422041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The outgoing host, who recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-trump-late-night-host-stephen-colbert-reveals-date-of-final-show">revealed</a> his last episode will air on May 21, does have a habit of making offensive statements when it comes to conservatives; in November 2022, he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wash-your-klan-robes-with-your-maga-hat-stephen-colbert-mocks-republicans-after-election-results">mocked</a> Republicans as &#8220;fascists&#8221; and Ku Klux Klan members a day after predictions of a red wave <a href="http://dailywire.com/news/republican-red-wave-stops-at-florida-as-initial-midterm-tallies-leave-house-senate-majorities-in-question/">failed to materialize</a> in the midterm elections.
Colbert, who in May 2022 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/may/18/stephen-colbert-future-republicans-primaries">said</a> the GOP was “choosing its direction for 2022: original recipe nutballs or extra crispy cuckoo cojones,” was giddy when Democrats performed better than expected. “As a performer, there are three things you don’t want to follow: animals, children, or a fascist takeover of your country,” Colbert taunted. “These results is (sic) a crisp nut-punch to Republican optimism leading up to this election.”
Colbert continued, citing headlines he&#8217;d apparently seen on the internet.
“&#8217;The vaunted red wave never hit the shore in mid-term elections,’&#8221; he said. &#8220;‘That’s not a red wave,’ and ‘The red wave was more like a pink splash.’”
“Yes, a pink splash,” Colbert said. “It was a salmon drizzle, a rosy wash. It&#8217;s like what happens when you accidentally wash your Klan robes with your MAGA hat. It&#8217;s just a little pink wash.”
Colbert has demonstrated his contempt for conservatives many times in the past. In March 2022, in the face of soaring gas prices devastating American consumers, Colbert <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/stephen-colberts-elitism-on-soaring-gas-prices-hell-ill-pay-15-a-gallon-because-i-drive-a-tesla/">mocked</a> struggling average Joes and said it was part of the price of backing Ukraine in its war with Russia.
&#8220;Today, the average gas price in America hit an all-time record high of over $4 a gallon,&#8221; he said. &#8220;OK, that stings, but a clean conscience is worth a buck or two. It’s important. I’m willing to pay $4/gallon. Hell, I’ll pay $15 a gallon because I drive a Tesla.”
Back in May 2019, the cold open for his show opened by mocking farmers, intimating that if their finances were hurt by President Trump’s tariffs targeting China, they would lose their wives to convicts, start stripping for a living, become alcoholics, and turn to growing marijuana.
The show began by playing a clip from a CNN report that claimed President Trump’s “trade war [is] having a major impact on American farmers after talks with China have halted. Some farmers seem to be losing hope.” That was followed by a clip of a farmer who said he had voted for Trump in 2016 but would not do so again.
The show then aired a cartoon titled “The Farmer in the Dell,” based on the famous children’s song, but this time with new lyrics, accompanied by the visuals in the cartoon:
<blockquote>
Tariffs posed by Trump 
Put the farmers in a dump 
Oh no, the derry-o, the farmer’s in a slump. 
The farmer lost his wife. 
She wants a better life. 
She ran off with an ex-convict who rides a b****in’ bike. 
The farmer needs a job. 
He’s stripping while he sobs. 
Hi-ho the stripper pole, they’re laughing at his knob. 
The farmer drinks a lot, 
His liver starts to rot. 
Chuggitiy-chug the winey-o 
Time to start growing pot.
</blockquote>

Anti-Trump Late-Night Host Suggests ICE And Border Patrol Agents Are Worse Than Nazis

Border Patrol

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Nazis

U.S.

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“The Late Show” leftist host Stephen Colbert confirmed that his final episode will air May 21, saying that having a set end date makes the program’s conclusion feel more concrete.
Colbert told “Late Night” host Seth Meyers that his perspective has changed since last summer. “It feels real now,” Colbert said of knowing when his final show will be broadcast. “It did not feel… I know it was real, but now, there’s four months left.”
“What I really love is the people I do it with,” he continued. “There are people I’ve been working with… My shoemaker, Tom Purcell, I’ve known since 1988. And so, we’ve all been together forever.”
“You can do comedy a lot of different places,” Colbert went on. “There’s no place like the Ed Sullivan Theater, but it’s really the people. That’s really what I care about. That’s really what I’ll miss more than anything, and we’ll do something else together, but it feels real now. I’m not thrilled with it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/StephenAtHome?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stephenathome</a> talks about what he’ll miss most about working at <a href="https://twitter.com/colbertlateshow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@colbertlateshow</a> <a href="https://t.co/VRBz1rvuxB">pic.twitter.com/VRBz1rvuxB</a>
— Late Night with Seth Meyers (@LateNightSeth) <a href="https://twitter.com/LateNightSeth/status/2016301107207676249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
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CBS announced last summer that “The Late Show,” which began in 1993, would conclude this year and not be replaced. 
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,” CBS said in a statement at the time. “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.”
“This is 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,” it continued.
One report stated that the program was losing $40 million annually.
Colbert followed the announcement with an expletive-laced monologue in which he blasted President Donald Trump and CBS. During the segment, Colbert referenced Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, noting that it paid Trump a $16 million settlement after being accused of election interference.
George Cheeks, the president and CEO of CBS Entertainment, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cbs-exec-comments-on-late-show-cancellation-said-it-wasnt-sustainable?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=CBS+Exec+Comments+On+%E2%80%98Late+Show%E2%80%99+Cancellation%2C+Said+It+%E2%80%98Wasn%E2%80%99t+Sustainable%E2%80%99">reiterated later</a> that the decision was purely financial and said that “The Late Show” was losing “significant” amounts in the “tens of millions of dollars.”
“At the end of the day, it just wasn’t sustainable to continue,” Cheeks confirmed. 
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Anti-Trump Late-Night Host Stephen Colbert Reveals Date Of Final Show

The year in pop culture gave us reality stars smiting governors, a Coldplay concert going viral for nothing music-related, and a pop star’s career crashing upon re-entry.
And even though late-night TV had begun to fizzle out years ago, in 2025, Stephen Colbert and co. watched their gigs finally go up in smoke.
It’s impossible to look back on the last 12 months and not gawk at late-night propagandists getting their just desserts.
For Colbert of “The Late Show” fame, that meant getting a time-release pink slip. Someone finally crunched some serious numbers behind the scenes and realized Colbert’s DNC agenda is costing CBS a pretty penny … <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/go-f-yourself-colbert-unleashes-anti-trump-tirade-amid-report-his-show-loses-40m-annually">$40 million a year</a>, to be precise.
So Colbert was forced to read his professional obituary on-air. And the show won’t even go on without him. Come May, “The Late Show” heads to the dustbin of history alongside eight-track tapes and TiVo devices.
<div id="attachment_1021603" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1021603" class="size-large wp-image-1021603" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2238453774-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest Jimmy Kimmel during Tuesday's September 30, 2025 show. (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2238453774-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2238453774-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2238453774-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2238453774.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images</div>
Fellow progressive Jimmy Kimmel was spared that fate, but not by much. The ABC host insinuated MAGA nation fired the bullet that killed conservative hero Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, setting off a series of events that led to Kimmel’s week-long suspension.
He got his job back and a tepid show of support via a one-year contract extension. The damage was done. Kimmel’s “Man Show” past and irreverent shtick is no more. Now, he’s more likely to cry on-camera than make us howl.
His only hope is that Colbert’s audience tunes in for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” come May, delaying his show’s inevitable cancellation.
On the film front, theaters once again struggled to reclaim their pre-pandemic mojo. The box office receipts looked awfully similar to 2024, hardly a golden age for theatrical attendance.
Films like “Superman,” “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” failed to duplicate that ol’ superhero magic, leaving it to video game adaptations like “A Minecraft Movie” to pick up the slack.
At least we weren’t subjected to <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/skibidi-toilet-michael-bay-movie-adam-goodman-1236077245/">“Skibidi Toilet: The Movie</a>.” Not yet, at least. 
Meanwhile, Hollywood’s far-Left agenda got a workout via “One Battle After Another.” The Paul Thomas Anderson screed so overtly progressive even some Antifa types might cry foul.
And, of course, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-the-best-picture-race-already-over">it’s bound for Oscar glory come March</a>.
Speaking of Oscars, 2025 saw an awards hopeful crash and burn in record time. The woke musical comedy “Emilia Pérez” seemed likely to dominate awards season until we learned some of the less-than-progressive comments made by its trans lead, Karla Sofia Gascón.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce finally made their courtship official, but the best news for football fans is that his Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs. That means no more obligatory “Taylor is crying/cheering/laughing” shots interrupting the NFL action.
<div id="attachment_1021607" style="width: 865px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1021607" class="size-large wp-image-1021607" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250411061-855x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 06: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) presents actor Sylvester Stallone (R) a medal for the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees during a medal presentation in the Oval Office of the White House on December 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. The 2025 Kennedy Center honorees are Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, the rock band KISS, Gloria Gaynor, and Michael Crawford. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)" width="855" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250411061-855x576.jpg 855w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250411061-300x202.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250411061-768x518.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250411061.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 855px) 100vw, 855px" />Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images</div>
Sylvester Stallone capped a remarkable career by picking up a Kennedy Center Honor at long last, courtesy of former reality show star and two-term president Donald Trump. The 79-year-old legend also defied Father Time by returning for the third season of Taylor Sheridan’s “Tulsa King.”
Of course, it would be impossible to recap entertainment in 2025 without a tip of the hat to Taylor Sheridan, television’s undisputed king of rugged episodic dramas. From “The Mayor of Kingstown” to the “Yellowstone” franchise, Sheridan’s shows keep attracting A-list talent and plenty of eyeballs. And he’s positioned to strike gold again in 2026 with the release of the next “Yellowstone” spinoff, “Y: Marshals,” starring Luke Grimes.
Sheridan made headlines once again in 2025 by signing a mega-deal with NBCUniversal and having his “Landman” series skewer the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-sheridan-show-landman-mocks-the-view-bunch-of-ped-off-millionaires">“p***ed off millionaires” of “The View.”</a>
<div id="attachment_1021611" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1021611" class="size-large wp-image-1021611" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1486674789-864x576.jpg" alt="INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Taylor Sheridan speaks onstage during Day 3 of the 2023 Stagecoach Festival on April 30, 2023 in Indio, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Stagecoach)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1486674789-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1486674789-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1486674789-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1486674789.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Stagecoach</div>
The devastating Palisades fires should have roasted Governor Gavin Newsom’s political fortunes for good. Not quite, but reality show alum Spencer Pratt made it his mission to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reality-star-spencer-pratt-slams-california-plan-to-build-low-income-housing-in-fire-ravaged-areas">shame both Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass</a> for their extreme incompetence.
“Having the people in charge of the town they just let burn down make any decisions in rebuilding it … seems crazy to me,” Pratt said in one of many well-earned rants. Podcaster Adam Carolla piled on, filing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8IKPIDVIoY">vlog posts</a> decrying the lack of progress on the home building front all year long.
HBO Max’s “The White Lotus” became the show everyone talked about at the cyber-water cooler – AKA Elon Musk’s X. This season’s ick factor likely played a part, thanks to guest star <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/sam-rockwell-white-lotus-monologue-acting-coach-1236175014/">Sam Rockwell’s disturbing revelations</a> to that <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/the-white-lotus-brothers-kiss-season-3-1236164899/">brotherly buss</a> with Ah-nold’s son getting too much attention.
And while the culture remains hopelessly divided on political grounds, Americans did unite to mock a Coldplay concert moment that went insanely viral. A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/viral-coldplay-kiss-cam-woman-speaks-out-is-furious-with-gwyneth-paltrow">Kiss Cam caught Kristin Cabot</a> canoodling with her boss, Andrew Byron, a moment that proved inescapable for anyone remotely online.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-969733 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Coldplay-concert-1022x576.png" alt="Coldplay concert" width="1022" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Coldplay-concert-1022x576.png 1022w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Coldplay-concert-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Coldplay-concert-768x433.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Coldplay-concert.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1022px) 100vw, 1022px" /></div>
Netflix remained atop the streaming heap, and its plans to swallow Warner Bros. will have sizable implications for Hollywood and beyond. The streamer’s signature show, a four-episode saga dubbed “Adolescence,” caught everyone by surprise. Each installment, shot in a single take, captured a young boy in the weeks following his arrest for a shocking murder. Must-see TV? Perhaps, but it left audiences feeling queasy for the next generation.
If that wasn’t enough, 2025 had us focus on the Sean Combs trial. Sure, we cracked wise about baby oil sales, but the particulars of P. Diddy’s life and alleged crimes made us wonder what else is happening behind the scenes in Hollywood that we won’t hear about for years to come?
<div id="attachment_1021623" style="width: 842px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1021623" class="size-large wp-image-1021623" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2229729015-832x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: Katy Perry performs onstage during Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour - New York at Madison Square Garden on August 11, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for KP)" width="832" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2229729015-832x576.jpg 832w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2229729015-300x208.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2229729015-768x532.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2229729015.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px" />Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for KP</div>
And then there’s Katy Perry.
The “I Kissed a Girl” superstar headed into space, or at least a small part of it, via Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard rocket. The experiment became social media fodder, in part due to the “astronaut&#8217;s’” inflated sense of self.
Perry might have been better off staying in orbit. She <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/katy-perry-experiences-frightening-onstage-mishap-concert-san/story?id=123894140">experienced not one</a> but <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1420864/katy-perrys-bloody-knee-injury-photo">two</a> concert accidents, watched her choreography get roasted on social media, and capped 2025 by winning a legal victory over a <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/28/entertainment/katy-perry-to-receive-1-8m-payout-from-dying-veteran-in-years-long-battle-over-montecito-mansion/">dying military veteran</a>.
She’ll be lucky to Dance with Any Stars come 2026.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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