David Letterman is keeping the heat on CBS over its controversial decision to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
As The Blast reported, Letterman recently returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater to stand with Colbert, rip CBS’s handling of the cancellation, and join him in a chaotic rooftop stunt. In an even more recent interview, the retired host has doubled down on his position, describing the network’s move as a “huge mistake.”
The situation surrounding Colbert’s firing continues to raise eyebrows as many suspect a twist involving Donald Trump, who shared an AI video mocking the comedian.
Letterman has reacted to Colbert’s firing from CBS, calling the network’s decision a “huge mistake.”
The legendary host headlined the famous late-night show from its inception in 1993 before passing the baton to Colbert in 2015. Ahead of the show’s final taping last week, he said the situation surrounding his successor’s exit marks a loss for American culture.
“Kind of makes me sad,” the 79-year-old funnyman said, per Today. “We always relied on you to read the newspaper in the morning, and at night, you would watch Johnny Carson. And Johnny would give you a perspective whether you agreed with it or not, but it was always funny.”
“And without that, I think we’re losing a valuable perspective. I think it’s very, very important to the American culture,” he continued.
He added elsewhere, “I think it’s too bad that Stephen is gone. I think it’s a huge mistake.”
Letterman And Colbert Trashed CBS In Rooftop Stunt
CBS announced in July 2025 that it was pulling the plug on Colbert’s show due to financial reasons, with reports suggesting it was losing up to $40 million. However, the news raised eyebrows, as it came shortly after the 62-year-old host used his nightly monologue to ruthlessly mock a controversial $16 million legal settlement involving the network’s parent company, Paramount, and Trump.
Despite their shared disappointment at the end of the Colbert “Late Show” era, the final episodes have appeared to take on a more celebratory tone.
In a clip shared on the show’s Instagram page, Letterman joined Colbert on the roof of the historic Ed Sullivan Theater to hurl set furniture, watermelons, and a custom cake off the side of the building toward a giant target featuring the CBS eye logo below.
Before leaving the rooftop, Colbert asked the late-night titan if he had any parting words for the audience. Turning his focus back to network executives, Letterman invoked the iconic sign-off of legendary CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow with a sharp twist: “Good night and good luck, motherf-ckers.”
Trump Keeps Mocking Stephen Colbert After CBS Exit
Amid the fallout, Trump has continued taking jabs at Colbert, making it clear he is thrilled the late-night host is no longer on air.
Following Colbert’s final show, the former real estate mogul took to his Truth Social platform, as well as his official page, to slam the comedian.
“Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life,” Trump wrote.
“He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street, and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he’s finally gone,” he added. Trump then escalated the mockery by sharing an AI-generated video that depicted him walking up to Colbert, picking him up, and tossing him into a dumpster. The clip then cuts to the president dancing to Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”
Fans Question Trump’s Priorities After Colbert Jab
However, the president has come under fire for his repeated jabs at Colbert, with many internet users questioning why he focuses on the late-night host rather than national issues.
“Can’t believe he’s running the country. What an embarrassment,” one X user wrote.
“Posting more boomer AI slop instead of fixing our broken f-cked up country. You really are useless,” another person wrote.
“In my total imagination, I would have never thought that an American President would post something so absolutely asinine. Does that make you proud that he is your President?” a third user quizzed.
CBS’s New Host Says He Is Not Replacing Stephen Colbert
Colbert’s show is being replaced by the roundtable comedy talk show “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen.”
Before Colbert’s firing, Allen’s show aired after his, but the media mogul has now taken over the slot, with CBS saying the move will bring “instant profitability” to the network.
However, Allen made it clear he is not looking to replace Colbert. In an interview with The Guardian, when asked whether he thought he would be able to keep Colbert’s viewers, Allen pushed back on the idea.
“It’s never been – I’m not trying to replace Colbert. I don’t think anybody can replace Colbert. I think he’s phenomenal. I think he’s fantastic,” he said.
“This is a show we’ve been doing for 20 years,” Allen continued. “And there’s nothing like it on TV right now where you have five comedians sitting around with one purpose: making people laugh.”
He added that when the show first started, he set a clear rule for the comics: “No political humor, nothing racist, nothing sexist, nothing antisemitic, nothing homophobic, just be funny.”
