Stephen Colbert isn’t letting Paramount off easy after the network pulled the plug on The Late Show, but his scorched-earth approach may be backfiring. The late-night host is nearing the end of his summer hiatus, and some are advising that Colbert take a different approach when he returns to the air.
Colbert was just as surprised as everyone else when he found out Paramount's plan to end The Late Show in May 2026. The network claimed Colbert's show lost $40 million last year, making it impossible to continue from a financial standpoint. However, people like Jimmy Kimmel have cried foul on those numbers. Many critics argue Paramount canned Colbert to appease President Donald Trump and ease its merger with Skydance.
The comedian was already on Paramount's bad side after criticizing his bosses for settling a lawsuit with Trump. He continued taking shots at the company after announcing the end of The Late Show. At first, Colbert’s jabs at Paramount played like classic Colbert: sharp and biting with a certain level of righteous anger. But the longer he keeps it going, the more it feels like bitterness instead of comedy. At least, that's the assessment from one industry insider.
"When his show was first canceled, people were on his side," a source told Globe Magazine. "His fellow late-night talk show hosts were backing him, and colleagues were cheering him on for sticking up for himself, but he’s doubling down too aggressively, and now support is waning."
It seems very unlikely that Colbert is losing support among the other late-night hosts. Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver are among those who have publicly backed Colbert. And legends like Conan O'Brien and David Letterman also took shots at Paramount and expressed support for Colbert.
Instead, it sounds like this "insider" is coming from the corporate side of things. Paramount has more headaches than just Colbert. Jon Stewart made it clear he wasn't happy with the Trump settlement nor the decision to end The Late Show. Meanwhile, South Park continues to roast Donald Trump and make things uncomfortable for Paramount.
“The feeling is he’s going off a ledge, and it’s not a smart move," the insider added. "At some point, Colbert’s going to be looking for the next job if he hasn’t started looking already. And who will hire him when he does? Nobody likes a sore loser, especially one who badmouths his bosses,” the insider said.
Calling Colbert a "sore loser" is a stretch. The Late Show was a ratings hit and a major success by all accounts. Can we really blame Colbert for badmouthing his bosses when they blindsided him by taking away The Late Show?
The comedian has already flirted with Netflix, and other late-night personalities sound confident Colbert will find greener pastures away from CBS. At least one insider feels differently, but they may be in the minority when it comes to predicting Colbert's future.