Cancelled Late Show Host Stephen Colbert Slams Trump Amid Political Controversy

Stephen Colbert fiercely responded to President Donald Trump's celebration of the cancellation of his CBS show, The Late Show, calling Trump to "go fuck yourself" during his first broadcast since the cancellation. The show, a long-standing franchise since 1993, is set to end in May 2026 after CBS, part of Paramount, pulled the plug shortly after a $16 million settlement between CBS and Trump over a disputed 60 Minutes interview, which Colbert called a "big fat bribe." CBS cited financial reasons for the cancellation amid a challenging late-night TV landscape, though Colbert disputed this, highlighting leaked figures suggesting his show lost $40 million last year, with $16 million likely linked to the settlement with Trump. Colbert's fellow late-night hosts rallied in solidarity, and his monologue included sharp criticism of CBS and Trump, who has praised other conservative hosts while disparaging Colbert and others. The cancellation is also seen in the context of Paramount's $8 billion takeover, which requires approval from the Trump-controlled Federal Communications Commission, fueling accusations that the move was politically motivated. Colbert joked about his cancellation as a sort of martyrdom and criticized the network and government influence on media freedom.