In the United States, the landscape of comedic entertainment has found itself constrained by the chains of politically correctness. However, a resurgence appears imminent with the re-emergence of a more controversial figure, Donald Trump. Sadly, a colossal business has decided to pull the plug on the most popular late-night TV show, a move seen as a chess piece in a larger game of corporate acquisitions.
Stephen Colbert revealed on a fateful Thursday evening that CBS, the broadcasting giant, has thrown in the towel on The Late Show. He attributed the abrupt end of the long-running programme purely to financial constraints. In the coming year, the final season of The Late Show will unfold, leading up to its impending termination in May.
In what seems to be an anticlimax, Colbert delivered the news with somber acceptance, ‘This is all just going away.’ CBS supported his announcement by stating that the bone of contention was, indeed, predominantly fiscal and had nothing to do with the show’s achievement, programming or any other business-related issues.
As the drama unfolds, behind the scenes, another major development is in progress. Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, is courting the approval of the Federal Trade Commission for a merger with Skydance, a proposal value estimated at a staggering $8.4 billion.
A noteworthy footnote to the tale is a past skirmish between Trump and Paramount following an interview aired on 60 Minutes featuring then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Apparently, the interview did not sit well with Trump, prompting him to file a lawsuit against Paramount.
In a turn of events in July, Paramount decided to settle the lawsuit for a hefty sum of $16 million. This spontaneous act of generosity led critics to speculate if the settlement was just a structured manoeuvre to grease the wheels of Paramount’s impending merger with Skydance.
The Late Show has an impressive legacy, having made its debut back in 1993 with the iconic host, David Letterman. As of 2025, it had grown to become the most viewed late-night show, boasting an average of 2.42 million viewers per night in the second quarter of the year.
The numbers clearly illustrate The Late Show’s popularity. The show that trails in second place, Jimmy Kimmel, falls significantly short with an average of 1.77 million viewers per night.
Despite the competitive landscape, The Late Show didn’t just maintain its audience; it saw a substantial increase between the first and the second quarters of the year, further underlining CBS’ controversial decision to cancel the show.
Public discourse is now abuzz with an array of questions, querying whether the termination of The Late Show was politically motivated. After all, it’s hard on the surface to justify shutting down a show that was leading the late-night viewing charts.
As things stand, the curtain call for The Late Show is set for May 2026. Despite the melancholic atmosphere that has befallen the show, the host, Stephen Colbert, seems to be holding his own.
Stephen Colbert has never been one to shy away from expressing his views openly. With The Late Show coming to an end, it’s bound to pique public interest on where Colbert’s open audacity will take him next.
The post CBS Pulls the Plug on Popular Late Show: Is This Political Maneuvering? appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
