The countdown has begun for Stephen Colbert's departure from "The Late Show," with only a few months remaining until the curtains close on this iconic late-night program. CBS has officially announced that the last episode will air on May 21, as reported by sources including Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. During his January 27 guest appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," which was recorded a day earlier, Colbert revealed this significant date to his audience.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives of "The Late Show" for additional comments regarding this announcement.
LateNighter was the first to break the news about Colbert’s final show.
This announcement comes six months after Colbert dropped a surprising bombshell on July 14, indicating that Paramount Global, the network's parent company, had decided to cancel the show after an impressive run of more than thirty years. "We see Stephen Colbert as irreplaceable, and thus, we will retire 'The Late Show' franchise at that point," stated the company’s official release. "We take pride in the fact that Stephen has made CBS his home."
The decision to end the show was described as a purely financial one, influenced by the tough landscape currently facing late-night television. This choice was clarified further, emphasizing that it was not a reflection of the show's performance or any issues occurring at Paramount.
The backdrop to Paramount's cancellation is marked by a series of high-profile financial maneuvers, including a controversial $16 million settlement with former President Donald Trump related to a defamation lawsuit stemming from a "60 Minutes" interview featuring Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Colbert did not hold back during his July 14 monologue, referring to this substantial payment as a "big fat bribe."
This settlement attracted considerable criticism and was perceived by many as a financial concession intended to smooth the way for the studio's impending sale to Skydance Media, a transaction that was contingent upon gaining regulatory approval from the Trump administration. On July 24, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sanctioned the $8.4 billion merger.
In a further twist, Colbert recently criticized new FCC guidelines issued on January 21, which stated that daytime and late-night talk shows are not exempt from provisions of the Communications Act of 1934. This legislation mandates that FCC licensees offer equal broadcast opportunities to political candidates. Originally amended in 1959, the law excludes certain programming like newscasts and documentaries from this requirement.
During the January 22 episode of "The Late Show," Colbert expressed his belief that these new regulations were an attempt to silence him and fellow hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel, the latter of whom experienced temporary show suspensions due to pressures from FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Colbert humorously remarked, "Hey, I'm flattered you think that appearing on my show has the power to affect politics in any way. I've been doing this job for 21 years, and let me tell you something, buddy. If our government had turned out the way I had chosen, you would not have the power to make this announcement."
Having been a prominent figure on Comedy Central as a correspondent for "The Daily Show" and the host of "The Colbert Report," Colbert has been steering "The Late Show" for nearly a decade, having taken over the reins on September 8, 2015, succeeding David Letterman, who held the position for almost 22 years from August 1993 until May 20, 2015.
Contributing authors for this piece include Bryan Alexander and Anthony Robledo from USA TODAY.
