Writers Guild suspects 'Late Show' canceled due to bribery, and calls for investigation

“Cancelations are part of the business, but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society,” the union stated. “Paramount’s decision comes against a backdrop of relentless attacks on a free press by President Trump, through lawsuits against CBS and ABC, threatened litigation of media organizations with critical coverage, and the unconscionable defunding of PBS and NPR.”

The union further requested of “elected leaders” in general that they “hold those responsible to account” and “demand answers” about the cancellation.

The WGA’s request is not a new one. Paramount has been awaiting approval from the Federal Communications Commission of its proposed $8 billion merger with Skydance Entertainment for some time. After Paramount settled its 60 Minutes lawsuit with Trump, a complaint that many legal experts posited would not hold up in court, news of the California State Senate inquiry followed. Then Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for an investigation into whether the transaction had violated any anti-bribery laws.

Almost as soon as The Late Show cancellation made headlines on Thursday, speculation erupted over whether the move could be some form of capitulation to the president. Colbert, a longtime Trump critic, rose in popularity during the president’s first administration with a strong political focus and pointed nightly commentary about his actions and remarks.

In a statement, Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment vice president Amy Reinsenbach and CBS Studios president David Stape pushed back against these hypotheses. They called the cancellation “a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” that was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Couldn’t have happened to a smarmier guy.

R2, do you mean Trump?

But isn't the show supposed to continue thru May 2026? Anything can happen by then, (and please correct me if I'm wrong).

I'd be more concerned if it had been taken off immediately.

Colbert is smarmy. The real question is: who got fucked harder, Colbert or Conan?

Yeah, it’s ANYTHING except for the fact that the show loses money and people are tired of his schtick.

Colbert's lucky he didn't get canned the day after he bad-mouthed his employers on camera. Regardless of the merits of the case (it's likely a bribe AND a cost-cutting move), few bosses allow employees to publicly shit on them.

The Trumpers are here.

If anybody knows from smarmy, it's the wretched POS MAGAt @R2.

It's the weekend r8. Always happens

I can’t hate Trump AND Colbert?

I’m not into the bougie Charleston religious fanatic stuff.

[quote] Stephen Colbert refuses to go quietly after “Late Show” is canceled: 'Trump is desperately looking for a scapegoat'

After CBS announced on Thursday that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert has been canceled, some viewers may assume the talk show's host, Stephen Colbert, will be more subdued about politics in upcoming episodes. Many have questioned the timing of the announcement given that Colbert recently criticized CBS' corporate parent, Paramount Global, for settling a suit filed by Donald Trump that some legal observers think should have been dismissed on First Amendment grounds.

But Colbert, 61, insists he is not backing down on his criticism of the sitting President.

During Thursday night's episode, the host roasted Trump for several recent announcements, quipping that clearly the former host of The Apprentice would "rather have us talk about his hand than Jeffrey Epstein."

Trump has drawn ire for reversing his campaign position on exposing the client list of the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, whose 2019 death in jail was ruled a suicide.

"That controversy is causing so much trouble for Trump that he recently ordered it to be put in a cell and for the cameras to stop working for three minutes," Colbert said during his monologue, referencing reports that the prison video showing Epstein's cell the night of his death was tampered with.

Colbert continued, "Here's where things stand: MAGA is furious because they think Trump is refusing to release the Epstein files. In response, Trump has been saying that there are no credible files. And if there are, they're really boring. And also, Obama made them up."

Colbert accused Trump of "desperately looking for a scapegoat," which would explain why he fired Maurene Comey, the Manhattan federal prosecutor who worked on the cases against Epstein, as well as his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs.

"Trump pulled the UNO reverse card, calling on the FBI to investigate this Jeffrey Epstein hoax, by which he evidently means he wants the FBI to investigate the folks who investigated Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking, which is weird," Colbert said.

Colbert also addressed Trump saying he wanted to fire Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, whom he appointed in 2017, despite his claim that former Preside Joe Biden appointed Powell into office.

"Even the whiff of it roiled the stock market yesterday," Colbert said. "That's because firing the Fed chair, who was supposed to be an independent steward of our financial system and our monetary policy, would create an issue that economists call [explosion noises]. One economist likened the idea of firing Powell to ripping the fabric of the universe."

But, as Colbert added, "Wall Street's message of abject panic must have gotten through to Trump because just a few hours after floating the idea, he told reporters that he was highly unlikely to fire the Fed chair, but made it clear he's no fan."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren — who has been candid about her disapproval over Paramount settling the lawsuit brought by Trump over a 2024 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris — is among the move's most vocal detractors.

"CBS canceled Colbert's show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump — a deal that looks like bribery," the Massachusetts senator wrote on X on Thursday. "America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons."

[italic]CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery.

America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 18, 2025[/italic]

Though CBS labeled Trump's suit "completely without merit" and asked a judge to dismiss it, the network eventually conceded, a decision that many decried in light of Paramount's effort to merge with Skydance Media, which would require the approval of the Trump administration.

All Paramount has to do is open the books and show that Colbert's late night show isn't projected to make any money, and it's case closed.

I'm sure Trump has a little something to do with it, but if the math doesn't add up, it's done.

Who are these water heads who call everyone who doesn't care for Colbert "MAGA!". Hun, people have varied tastes and just because you cannot even COMPREHEND that there exist those who have the nerve to not share your taste, please realize they exist. I'm eager to see what an investigation might find, but Colbert is a millionaire many times over, he'll be fine.

I thought these performers had unions? Jimmy Fallon, please go on strike!

Why was Doug Emhoff a guest on Stephen Colbert?

I'm asking this from a purely entertainment point of view. What's the point of this?

R16, would you be complaining if he invited Donald Trump Jr? Or Lara Trump?