CBS cancels "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Citing ‘Financial Decision’

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Diner

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Jul 17, 2025, 7:42:53 PM7/17/25
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https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/cbs-cancel-late-show-stephen-colbert-financial-decision-1236464356/

Kevin M.

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Jul 17, 2025, 7:45:34 PM7/17/25
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To those of you in the group who saw this coming, I salute you. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)


On Thu, Jul 17, 2025 at 4:42 PM Diner <bway...@gmail.com> wrote:
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/cbs-cancel-late-show-stephen-colbert-financial-decision-1236464356/

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Doug Eastick

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Jul 17, 2025, 8:02:24 PM7/17/25
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I'm glad I got to go see at least one show at the Ed.



brugdr

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Jul 17, 2025, 8:31:30 PM7/17/25
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Same.

I still think that the merger lurking behind most of these Paramount/CBS shenanigans (or at least the analysis of same) will be strung out for as long as possible.


David

PGage

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Jul 17, 2025, 8:41:06 PM7/17/25
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Yes, the finances are broadcast television in general and late night in particular have sharply declined. I would believe that the only way CBS could make reasonable profit in that timeslot is to ask Colbert to take a significant price cut one that perhaps he would have to refuse.

But this is the bullshit in their statement: 

“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.  It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

They obviously made this decision to further pleasure Trump in order to grease the wheels for the sale. Perhaps the show would’ve been canceled or terminated anyway because they couldn’t meet Colbert’s price, but that’s not what’s happening here.


Sent from Gmail Mobile


On Thu, 17 Jul 2025 at 4:42 PM Diner <bway...@gmail.com> wrote:

Stan S

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Jul 17, 2025, 9:09:01 PM7/17/25
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Same. I just saw my second Colbert show in April.  My first one was early on, in 2017.  

That theater a serious legacy. I hope the future CBS keeps it active and thriving. Some people from out of town who I met in line were talking about the landmarks that they had visited. Sitting a few rows back from the stage I reminded them that we were sitting 20 feet from where The Beatles played on The Ed Sullivan Show. 



- Stan

Diner

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Jul 17, 2025, 10:00:36 PM7/17/25
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Yes, canceling the Late Show was a financial decision.
So was paying Trump a $16 million bribe.

Kimmel has a response...

brugdr

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Jul 17, 2025, 10:15:00 PM7/17/25
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Too bad West Coast Jimmy is on his summer break.

David

-------- Original message --------
From: Diner <bway...@gmail.com>
Date: 7/17/25 19:00 (GMT-08:00)
To: TVorNotTV <tvor...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [TV orNotTV] CBS cancels "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Citing ‘Financial Decision’

John Edwards

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Jul 17, 2025, 10:36:52 PM7/17/25
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That is absolutely going to happen. As long as this merger is out there needing federal approval. Trump has Paramount by the short-and-curlies and will use that leverage wherever possible.

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John Edwards
"You can insure against the weather, but you can't insure against incompetence, can you?" - Phil Tufnell

Mark Jeffries

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Jul 17, 2025, 11:46:12 PM7/17/25
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So what's the replacement? The return of "The CBS Late Movie"? <Dave>is not a movie.</Dave>

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com


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Kevin M.

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Jul 17, 2025, 11:47:05 PM7/17/25
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“Crimetime After Primetime”

Kevin M. (RPCV)


Jim Ellwanger

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Jul 17, 2025, 11:49:40 PM7/17/25
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What else does Byron Allen have lying around his tape library?


John Edwards

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Jul 18, 2025, 12:04:41 AM7/18/25
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Comics Unleashed 2: The Unleashening

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brugdr

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Jul 18, 2025, 12:30:11 AM7/18/25
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I'd be willing to watch an updated Silk Stalkings, at least for a week.

Tom Wolper

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Jul 18, 2025, 8:06:24 AM7/18/25
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I’m asking this seriously. Is there anything CBS could put on at that time that you would watch regularly? New programming only, no reruns of decades old series.


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Bob Jersey

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Jul 18, 2025, 1:18:57 PM7/18/25
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Steve came up with this himself... FBI agents, now with Patel in charge, catch their own: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bidpbiEBcTw (link)

The language can be saucier in LN, so...

B

Tom Wolper, to David Bruggeman, July 18th:

Bob Jersey

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Jul 18, 2025, 1:21:49 PM7/18/25
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Kimmel, with whom SC shares an agent: "F--- you and all your Sheldons..."

Kevin M.

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Jul 18, 2025, 3:56:43 PM7/18/25
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The WGA wants NY AG to investigate the cancellation, alleging bribery 



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Bob Jersey

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Jul 19, 2025, 8:16:54 AM7/19/25
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The usual Democrat suspects on Capitol Hill have piped up as well...
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5408024-elizabeth-warren-adam-schiff-stephen-colbert-late-show-cancellation/ (link)
Jed at LateNighter reports Matt B at Puck has heard from sources that LS is losing $40mil/year, and Don or no Don, that's concerning:
B

Kevin M, to moi and Diner, July 18th:

Bob Jersey

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Jul 19, 2025, 3:49:01 PM7/19/25
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On "Table for Five," CNN's answer to Fox's "The Five," onetime TCR warmup guy Pete Dominick looks at the camera and tells Steve, "run for President!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQlpG46DVKY (link)
B

Moi, to Kevin M, July 19th:

Jon Delfin

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Jul 21, 2025, 11:09:19 AM7/21/25
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I listen to Keith Olbermann so you don't have to

condensed greatly:

IQ47 had nothing to do with the cancellation
CBS has been wanting to get out of late-night for a long time (and has been trying to sell the Ed besides)
they saw a way to kiss DC ass and solve their problem, leaving themselves mostly untarnished

also, KO has a very low opinion of Colbert, but that's besides the point

(1.25x or 1.5x recommended)

Kevin M.

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Jul 21, 2025, 11:20:34 AM7/21/25
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Olbermann is more two-faced than the late Larry King, which is saying something. He also has no personal knowledge to make any claims; his speculation is (as it has always been) personally motivated and self-serving. I discount him, as I would discount a pair of ill-fitting skinny jeans. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)


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Tom Wolper

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Jul 21, 2025, 11:46:13 AM7/21/25
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I think of Olbermann like I think of Jon Stewart and Bill Maher: an astute commentator 20 years ago but still around after his expiration date.

It’s laughable that CBS thought they would get out of the situation untarnished. In a fascist regime big businesses have a whole lot to gain by being on the regime’s good side and a whole lot to lose by going against it. So if a big corporation sides with the people it’s welcome but not expected. CBS will never admit to ending the Late Show as an act of appeasement and considering that they’re keeping the show going another 10 months means it’s not the deciding factor.

What happened and the way it happened is a PR nightmare for CBS. I assume what happened is that Colbert is a year away from the end of his contract and his people went to CBS to start negotiating an extension. That’s when he was told the show would be ending. Then Colbert decided to broadcast it and now there’s nothing CBS can do to avoid looking awful.

It’s a shame about the theater. I did a backstage tour in the Letterman days and the control room was very impressive. They invested a lot into bringing it up to HDTV standard.

Message has been deleted

Stan S

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Jul 21, 2025, 2:12:05 PM7/21/25
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Olbemann has an axe to grind with everyone but I find him entertaining. Some of his stories are entertaining but I find that he has too many “convenient” brushes with greatness. He became a dog advocate so he can’t be all bad :)

He’s mad at Colbert because Colbert’s people changed a joke about him after a pre-taped segment? Seems to be a bit of an overreaction. In the past he has also claimed that Colbert “isn’t as liberal as he claims to be”.

He also has an issue with Maher over an argument that they had over a Robert Klein interview when they were both attending Cornell. 

And he claims that Rachel Maddow nixed an opportunity for him to return to MSNBC within the last few years. 

Anyway, he has an interesting point of view. Unfortunately, no one with any juice is listening to him right now. 

-Stan

PGage

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Jul 21, 2025, 5:36:50 PM7/21/25
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If you are not on Keith Olbermann’s shit list you are not really breathing. I have more regard for him than Kevin does, but agree his takes are always suspect.

I agree with much of what has been said here; the BS in the Paramount statement is pretending there is much of a difference between business and finance with current regime.

Let’s say there is a 50-50 chance of restructuring Colbert’s deal to make the show financially beneficial for CBS (keeping in mind that a big part of the value of this day part has always been mark the networks own programming with ads and guests). I suspect in a non MAGA skewed world CBS would have judged it was worth it to try, both to try to squeeze out the benefit and avoid the PR hit. In the world as it is, they judged it was not worth it, as the negative of the PR hit is overwhelmed by the opportunity to kiss Trump’s ass.

As the more competent and successful people in Trump’s world like to say: “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business…”


Sent from Gmail Mobile


Joe Hass

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Jul 21, 2025, 5:46:42 PM7/21/25
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Dave has weighed in in his own special, 20-minute long way.


On Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 18:42 Diner <bway...@gmail.com> wrote:
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/cbs-cancel-late-show-stephen-colbert-financial-decision-1236464356/

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Bob Jersey

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Jul 25, 2025, 9:38:14 AM7/25/25
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Rob Schneider isn't shedding tears...
B

Joe Hass, to Diner, July 21st:
Dave has weighed in in his own special, 20-minute long way.


Mark Jeffries

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Jul 25, 2025, 10:42:09 AM7/25/25
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I guess he didn't say anything about his bud Adam Sandler doing the cameo in the Coldplay kisscam sketch Monday night on Colbert (along with fellow cast member of both "Happy Gilmore" movies Christopher MacDonald). On his last Netflix special, in a mawkish bit towards the end of the show Sandler does mention Schneider as one of his best friends.

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com


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Bob Jersey

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Jul 25, 2025, 1:14:06 PM7/25/25
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Nope, he didn't... Chron only mentioned his (SPOILER) cameo.     B

Mark Jeffries, to moi, July 25th:

Kevin M.

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Jul 25, 2025, 6:21:44 PM7/25/25
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Letterman has weighed in on the latest installment of the Barbara Gaines Show



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brugdr

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Jul 25, 2025, 7:00:56 PM7/25/25
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Also on the YouTube. 


David

Sent on my Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G.


-------- Original message --------
From: "Kevin M." <drunkba...@gmail.com>
Date: 7/25/25 15:21 (GMT-08:00)
Subject: Re: [TV orNotTV] CBS cancels "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Citing ‘Financial Decision’

Bob Jersey

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Jul 27, 2025, 10:26:13 PM7/27/25
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Piers M. had to pipe up... https://deadline.com/2025/07/piers-morgan-stephen-colbert-late-night-cancellation-1236471836/ (link)
B

David Bruggeman, to Kevin M, July 25th:

Kevin M.

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Jul 27, 2025, 10:57:27 PM7/27/25
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Jay Leno commented indirectly as he referenced his traditional (distorted) view that the reason Leno succeeded was that he was non-partisan.

I counted four factual errors in this article. Anybody know if THR has an editorial staff anymore?

Kevin M. (RPCV)


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Bob Jersey

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Jul 29, 2025, 8:33:32 AM7/29/25
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Well, they say they do. Was one error that Jay was "often the top-rated late-night show" (even I know that was a never) and what were the others? 
B

Kevin M, to moi, July 27th:

Bob Jersey

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Jul 30, 2025, 8:27:24 AM7/30/25
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While I wait, Stephen keeps a-swingin', with a Jamie Lee Curtis cold open some of us saw a thousand miles away...
...and...holy cow, Viewer Mail...
B

Moi, to Kevin M, July 29th:
Well, they say they do. Was one error that Jay was "often the top-rated late-night show" (even I know that was a never) and what were the others? 

Mark Jeffries

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Jul 30, 2025, 9:23:01 AM7/30/25
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Well,of course Dave's Viewer Mail was mostly non sequiturs and WTFs, while Steve and Evie's Emails were more legit questions from viewers.

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com


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Bob Jersey

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Jul 30, 2025, 10:14:24 PM7/30/25
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So did Sam Bee: https://deadline.com/2025/07/samantha-bee-cbs-cancelling-late-show-stephen-colbert-1236473662/ (link)
B

Moi, to David Bruggeman, July 27th:

Bob Jersey

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Jul 30, 2025, 10:25:22 PM7/30/25
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Answering my own question from Tuesday (7/29):
1. They claim Leno's interview came before Stephen's announcement... uhhh, nope.
2. Until we learn about political motivations beyond le gros orange's and others' spouting on social platforms, we can only go on the financial decision.
3. They misstated the exact dates of Leno's time with the TS.
4. They assert that Jay was down the middle in terms of joking against Democrats and Republicans, yet "milked the... Lewinsky scandal for all its worth."
B (with help from Grok)

Moi, July 30th:

Bob Jersey

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Jul 31, 2025, 3:50:35 PM7/31/25
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And to #4, sources close to Leno told TMZ Lewinsky was "fair game" and that "all the male hosts were doing it":
(The Youtube of said podcast is forthcoming)
B

Moi, July 30th:

Tom Wolper

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Jul 31, 2025, 4:34:24 PM7/31/25
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We can’t turn the clock back but we should have enough self awareness now to recognize that picking on an 18 year old woman was nasty and misogynous. And yes, I know, in Leno’s version of events nothing is ever Leno’s fault.

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