In a bold move, Jon Stewart addressed the recent cancelation of The Late Show by CBS during his own show.
The comedian, in his latest episode of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, jumped into the controversy, rallying behind Colbert. He expressed his surprise that CBS would cancel Colbert’s show, which is set to wrap up in May 2026, amidst the shaky financial landscape for late-night television.
Stewart used his platform to shine a light on the uncertainty in the industry, quipping: “It’s as if we’re running a Blockbuster kiosk right inside a Tower Records! When your world faces upheaval, you don’t just throw in the towel. Heck, when CDs fizzled out, did people just say, ‘Well, it was a fun ride!’?”
In his defense of Colbert, Stewart acknowledged the fear corporations face with substantial financial stakes at play. But he passionately stated, “The shows you aim to dismiss and control – a sizable chunk of that $8 billion value stems from these shows. These programs are what fueled your profits – they challenge the status quo and aren’t afraid to voice opinions.”
He added, “Believe me, we’re not proclaiming truth to power here. To be honest, we shoot our opinions at cameras. But if you, as corporations or networks, think you can dumb down your content to avoid scrutiny, you’re deluding yourself because nobody is going to tune in.”
Reflecting on their history, Stewart recalled working with Colbert on The Daily Show before Colbert’s breakout with The Colbert Report in 2005. With nostalgia, he shared, “We were two sizeable fish swimming in a smaller cable pond. By 2015, both our shows hit key turning points. Stephen decided to take on the challenge of s ding the legendary David Letterman, stepping into a much larger arena.”
Stewart expressed immense pride in seeing Colbert transition and conquer the role, even noting that his show ranks as the No. 1 late-night program on network television.
Last week, Colbert revealed that his show would be axed by CBS. The network claimed it was purely a fiscal decision, coincidentally following payment allegations involving Donald Trump concerning an edited 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris.
After Trump boasted about enjoying Colbert’s termination, Colbert adeptly retorted during Monday’s episode, saying, “How dare you, sir? Do you really think an untalented individual could craft such satirical brilliance? Looking into the audience, he declared, “Go f*** yourself.”
Stewart didn’t shaft the blame solely on Trump though; he reflected on a worrying trend: “America’s institutions are reluctant to combat the retaliation from our childish Commander in Chief. Make no mistake, this is NOT the time to yield.”
In a statement to CBS News, executives from Paramount and CBS asserted: “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will conclude in May 2026 at the close of the season. We regard Stephen Colbert as irreplaceable, and at that point, the Late Show franchise will officially retire.”
“We hold an immense pride that Stephen made CBS his home, and both the man and the show will be honored in the elite league of late-night legends.”
They also emphasized, “This is strictly a financial choice amid the current challenging late-night landscape. It doesn’t reflect on the show’s quality, content, or other events surrounding Paramount.”
