Late Show with Stephen Colbert ends after 33 years amid Trump pressure
The final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs Thursday, ending a 33-year run on CBS. The show was made famous by David Letterman (1993–2015) and continued by Colbert. CBS cited financial issues, but the closure is widely seen as a concession to President Donald Trump, who had pressured the network over Colbert's satirical attacks. Last summer, Paramount (CBS's parent) settled a lawsuit with Trump for $16 million, and in October appointed conservative journalist Bari Weiss to head CBS News. Colbert's final week featured a stunt with Letterman on the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, smashing furniture against a CBS logo. The show will be replaced by Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed. Competitors Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are airing reruns on Thursday to clear the slot.
Key facts
- Final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs Thursday.
- Show ran 33 years on CBS, hosted by David Letterman (1993–2015) and Stephen Colbert (2015–2026).
- CBS announced closure last summer citing financial problems.
- Closure widely attributed to pressure from President Donald Trump.
- Paramount settled a $16 million lawsuit with Trump last year.
- Bari Weiss appointed head of CBS News in October.
- Colbert and Letterman staged a rooftop protest on May 14, 2026.
- Replacement show: Comics Unleashed by Byron Allen.
Entities
Artists
- David Letterman
- Stephen Colbert
- Edward R. Murrow
- Andy Kaufman
- Jerry 'The King' Lawler
- Paul Shaffer
- Calvert DeForest
- Bill Murray
- Byron Allen
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Jimmy Fallon
- Bari Weiss
- Tony Dokoupil
- Jay Leno
- Jimmy Carson
- Robert Plant
- Barack Obama
- Paul McCartney
- Larry Bird
- Madonna
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Robin Williams
- Vladimir Putin
- Kamala Harris
Institutions
- CBS
- NBC
- Paramount
- Skydance
- CBS News
- ABC
- Netflix
- Ed Sullivan Theater
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- The David Letterman Show
- Late Night with David Letterman
- The Colbert Report
- My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
- 60 Minutes
- Time
- Truth Social
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- China
- Taiwan