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Letterman Blasts CBS as Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Heads Into Final Week

CBS will fill the 11:35 p.m. slot with Byron Allen’s paid programming, signaling a cheaper late‑night model.

Overview

  • David Letterman, who returned Thursday, led a rooftop bit with Stephen Colbert that sent set furniture, melons and a cake crashing onto a CBS logo, then signed off with an R‑rated message to the network.
  • The show’s final stretch next week features announced guests including Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg and Bruce Springsteen, with the series finale set for Thursday, May 21.
  • Rival hosts plan a show of support, as Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon will air reruns on May 21 to clear the field for Colbert’s goodbye.
  • CBS confirmed it will move Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed into the 11:35 p.m. slot after the finale under a time‑buy deal in which an outside producer pays for airtime and sells the ads.
  • The network says axing The Late Show was a financial call with reported losses near $40 million a year, while critics such as Letterman argue politics tied to the SkydanceParamount deal drove the decision.