Tony Dokoupil shared his ideas on The Late Present With Stephen Colbert‘s cancellation, and followers have blended emotions about his perspective.
Throughout the Tuesday, July 22, episode of CBS Mornings, Dokoupil and his cohosts reacted to Jon Stewart suggesting that Paramount canceled The Late Present to appease President Donald Trump amid their merger with Skydance Media. Earlier this month, the media firm reached a $16 million settlement with Trump after he accused 60 Minutes of closely modifying a 2024 interview that includes former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Upon asserting the cancellation of The Late Present on July 17, CBS claimed that the choice was purely monetary and “not associated in any method to the present’s efficiency, content material or different issues occurring at Paramount.”
On Tuesday, Dokoupil mentioned he understood Stewart’s “emotional” response to the cancellation drama, however went on so as to add, “He’s not proper that the merger, the $8 billion, relies on reruns of a comedy present, no. Persons are shopping for the films and the sitcoms and the sports activities. They’re not based mostly on reruns of us both, so I feel he’s mistaken about that.”
Dokoupil continued, “And he additionally acknowledged that these late-night exhibits are what he referred to as, like, ‘a Blockbuster kiosk inside a Tower Report.’ So, the enterprise is damaged. And what nobody appears to acknowledge is the politics additionally modified. The enterprise modified, and so did the politics, and it acquired far more one-sided than something Johnny Carson was ever doing. I feel we must always replicate on these modifications, as properly. It’s been a giant shift culturally in that regard, additionally.”
WATCH: ‘CBS Mornings’ co-host Tony Dokoupil brings a much-needed actuality test to the desk of liberal journalists fawning over ‘The Late Present with Stephen Colbert’. His co-hosts dismissed all this, proving his level:
“I don’t have an MBA, however I don’t — [Jon Stewart] just isn’t… pic.twitter.com/qR5R74g2vY
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 22, 2025
Viewers took to social media to react to Dokoupil’s feedback, with some agreeing with Dokoupil’s evaluation that the late-night panorama has develop into too political. “I watched Johnny Carson for years after I was younger. I can’t let you know any political place that he held,” one X person mentioned of the late TV persona.
“Easy fact is that when your program willingly excludes half of the nation, you’re limiting your income potential. Who woulda thunk it?” one other person posted, whereas another person shared, “CBS Mornings is the pits, however that was a refreshing 45 seconds of motive.”
“Attempting to be sincere is troublesome on CBS ….Good job Tony Dokoupil ..CBS is Pretend Information..” a unique person added. “Superb how no one there besides Dokoupil is keen to contemplate the extremely left wing – political bent of the present contributed to viewers fragmentation,” learn one other poster.
Others disagreed with Dokoupi. “What a complete coward. Johnny Carson’s present would by no means survive at present, he’s proper, occasions have modified and folks have to talk fact to energy,” one X person shared. One other said, “Tony Dokoupil wants to understand that few folks would miss him in the event that they eliminated his seat from the CBS Mornings’ desk.”
“CBS Mornings’ Tony Dokoupil has no sympathy for his coworker Stephen Colbert’s cancellation. Dang, even his personal community is aware of how terrible his present is,” learn one other publish. A separate X publish claimed that Dokoupil’s feedback have been “not an correct take” on the matter.
Stephen Colbert, for his half, clapped again at Trump celebrating his present’s cancellation on the Monday, July 21, episode of The Late Present. “How dare you, sir?” Colbert responded on the high. Would an untalented man be capable to compose the next satirical witticism? Go f**ok your self!” he quipped.
CBS Mornings, Weekdays, 7a/6c, CBS