Overview
- Colbert, in a Tuesday New York Times interview, said he accepts CBS’s financial explanation and added that “two things can be true.”
- He pointed to Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Trump and the need for FCC sign-off on the Skydance deal as reasons viewers suspect politics played a role, a claim CBS has denied.
- Colbert said CBS pushed in 2023 for an extension of up to five years, yet he chose a three-year deal and now says “something changed” before the cancellation.
- The Late Show will air its final episode on May 21, and Colbert said he wants an amicable goodbye and plans to step back from the daily news grind.
- He rejected the idea that his comedy is partisan, saying his critiques focus on Trump’s behavior, as industry debate over late-night economics and content continues.