Samantha Bee has mentioned she was “shocked, [but] not shocked” CBS canceled The Late Present with Stephen Colbert, noting that the long-running late-night program was “undoubtedly hemorrhaging cash.”
Bee, who beforehand labored alongside Stephen Colbert on The Each day Present with Jon Stewart, shared her ideas on the newest episode of the Breaking Bread with Tom Papa podcast. When requested her opinion on CBS’ determination to axe the present, Bee mentioned she believes it was each a “monetary determination” and to “curry favor with the president.”
“I believe each issues are true,” she mentioned, per Selection. “It undoubtedly was hemorrhaging cash. These legacy reveals are hemorrhaging cash with no actual finish to that… in sight, individuals are simply not tuning in.”
CBS cited monetary causes for canceling The Late Present, which can air its last episode in Could 2026. Nonetheless, others have speculated that the choice was made resulting from Colbert’s criticism of Paramount’s current settlement with Trump. This comes amid Paramount’s proposed merger with Skydance, which requires regulatory approval from the Trump administration.
Bee acknowledged each arguments, however identified how the viewership is now not there for late-night reveals amid a altering tv panorama.
“Persons are actually on their telephones on a regular basis for one factor, so they really don’t essentially want a recap of the day’s occasions. They’re very well-versed in what has occurred,” she defined.
Bee hosted her personal late-night present, Full Frontal, on TBS, which ran for seven seasons from 2016 to 2022. She revealed that not kicking up controversy throughout community mergers was “a continuing supply of dialog,” and so, from that perspective, it appeared like a “no-brainer” for CBS to drop The Late Present.
“It’s a lot simpler for them to chop it free with this merger coming down the pike,” she added. “It makes the choice such a no brainer, and possibly essentially the most agonizing selections they had been having had been about how will we float this? How will we not get lots of blowback? I’m certain they knew it was taking place a very long time in the past.”
Regardless of this, Bee mentioned she thinks the sudden cancelation was “terrible,” including, “I really like Stephen. I think about him to be a good friend. I believe he’s wonderful. I’m shocked, not shocked.”
As for President Trump, he took to Reality Social on Tuesday (July 29) to disclaim having any involvement in The Late Present ending.
“Everyone is saying that I used to be solely accountable for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS, ‘Late Night time’” Trump wrote. “That isn’t true! The rationale he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT, and the truth that this deficiency was costing CBS $50 Million {Dollars} a yr in losses — And it was solely going to get WORSE!””
He went on to recommend that different late-night reveals will undergo an identical destiny, writing, “Subsequent up might be a good much less proficient Jimmy Kimmel, after which, a weak and really insecure Jimmy Fallon. The one actual query is, who will go first? Present Biz and Tv is a quite simple enterprise. For those who get Rankings, you possibly can say or do something. For those who don’t, you at all times turn into a sufferer. Colbert grew to become a sufferer to himself, the opposite two will comply with.”
The Late Present With Stephen Colbert, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35c, CBS