Stephen Colbert's 'The Late Show' Ends Amid Political Satire and Financial Woes

Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" aired its final episode on CBS on Thursday night, concluding a 33-year run for the program. While the network cited financial reasons for the cancellation, media reports suggest the show's end comes amid ongoing tensions with former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom Colbert consistently targeted with sharp criticism throughout his tenure.

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It was a financial decision.

Colbert's critiques of Trump were a hallmark of the show. He notably referred to a $16 million settlement reached by CBS's parent company, Paramount, to resolve a lawsuit filed by Trump over a "60 Minutes" interview as "a big bribe." This sentiment was humorously underscored in the final broadcast with a clip of a dolphin, subtitled "It was a financial decision."

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people very good on both sides

The final broadcast, which extended past midnight, featured a star-studded lineup of guests including Paul McCartney, Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Tig Notaro, and Ryan Reynolds. The show concluded with a rendition of "Hello, Goodbye."

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one of the cruelest decisions

Throughout his time hosting "The Late Show," Colbert frequently used satire to address political events. Following the Charlottesville white supremacist rallies, he accused Trump of moral emptiness for his "very fine people on both sides" comment. He also heavily criticized Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, which led to family separations, calling it one of the administration's "cruelest" decisions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Colbert consistently highlighted Trump's downplaying of the virus and promotion of misinformation, describing his press conferences as "disinformation shows."

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disinformation shows