Stephen Colbert is leaving late-night behind when his talk show ends in May. The shocking cancellation of The Late Show was announced last year. In a candid interview weeks before his final show, he opened up about his feud with President Trump and whether that affected his late-night show ending. Keep reading for more details.
Stephen Colbert Explains Origin Of Trump Feud
Once upon a time, it seemed impossible for anyone to replace David Letterman as host of CBS’s late-night talk show. Stephen Colbert stepped into the role in 2015 after his predecessor retired. Like many talk shows, President Trump and his policies are a regular topic dating back to his first term in 2018.
CBS maintained that The Late Show’s cancellation was due to declining ratings and high production costs. However, the timing led many to believe it was part of Paramount’s settlement with President Trump after he sued the company over an edited 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris during the election season.
But Stephen Colbert told The New York Times that his issues with President Trump have nothing to do with his late-night show. “I don’t have any problem with Trump being a Republican. I have a problem with Trump being a complete narcissist who is only working for his own interest and does not appear to care if the entire world burns,” he told the outlet.
He added, “I reject the partisan description. Partisan means you’re never, ever going to make a joke about a Democrat, and that’s just not true.”
Hints Late Show‘s Cancellation Was Politically Motivated
Stephen Colbert said his feud with Trump isn’t due to political differences. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he agrees with Paramount’s claim that his late-show’s cancellation was financially motivated, not politically. Late-night talk show ratings aren’t what they used to be, sure. However, Stephen Colbert often dominated the ratings against ABC and NBC’s late-night shows.
“It’s possible that two things can be true. Broadcast can be in trouble,” he said. Stephen Colbert continued by revealing that he was offered a contract extension just a few years before his show was abruptly canceled.
“Less than two years before they called to say it’s over, they were very eager for me to be signed for a long time. So something changed,” The Late Show host told the NYT.
Given President Trump’s call to cancel Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show and The View, it’s hard to believe that political pressure wasn’t behind Paramount’s decision to cancel Stephen Colbert’s late-night show. But as he pointed out, he doesn’t have access to the network’s books. Maybe the show was a financial strain on the company. Share your thoughts on the situation in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
