Trending Now - Stephen Colbert: Two Decades of Navigating Truth and Truthiness

WHO:

[N/A] - NPR - Stephen Colbert, Roy Wood Jr., Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Chris Licht, Evie McGee Colbert, Byron Allen, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Bill Carter, Tom DeLay

WHAT:

NPR - Colbert's last show is scheduled for Thursday evening.

Alternet - CBS's decision to lease the time period previously occupied by "The Late Show" to mogul Byron Allen for his program "Comics Unleashed" was confirmed.

Alternet - CBS's cancellation of "The Late Show" is suspected to be rooted in silencing a high-profile critic of Trump.

Alternet - CBS offered Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit he brought against CBS News's "60 Minutes."

Alternet - Colbert referred to the settlement offered to Trump as a "big fat bribe."

Alternet - After Colbert's last show, the Ed Sullivan Theater will go dark, marking the end of "The Late Show."

Alternet - CBS's cancellation of "The Late Show" is suspected to be rooted in silencing a high-profile critic of Trump.

Alternet - CBS's decision to cancel "The Late Show" was attributed to the show costing CBS approximately $40 million a year.

Alternet - Trump publicly called for CBS to cancel Colbert, stating he should be "put to sleep NOW" in a social media post.

Alternet - CBS's parent company, Paramount, was on the verge of a lucrative merger deal that could be interfered with by Trump.

Alternet - Colbert expressed concern for the approximately one hundred people who will be out of jobs due to the cancellation of "The Late Show."

NPR - Critics theorize that the decline in ratings among network TV late night shows may be due to hosts' intense political stances.

NPR - Bill Carter suggested that 30% to half of Colbert's viewers might switch to Jimmy Kimmel's show after the cancellation.

Alternet - CBS's decision to cancel "The Late Show" was described as a move to silence a high-profile critic of Trump.

Alternet - CBS's parent company, Paramount, was on the verge of a lucrative merger deal that was potentially threatened by Trump.

Alternet - CBS offered Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit he brought against CBS News's "60 Minutes."

Alternet - Colbert referred to the settlement offered to Trump as a "big fat bribe."

Alternet - After Colbert's last show, the Ed Sullivan Theater will go dark, marking the end of "The Late Show."

NPR - Bill Carter suggested that 30% to half of Colbert's viewers might switch to Jimmy Kimmel's show after the cancellation.

Alternet - Colbert's last show is scheduled for Thursday evening.

Alternet - CBS's decision to cancel "The Late Show" was attributed to the show costing CBS approximately $40 million a year.

Alternet - CBS's parent company, Paramount, was on the verge of a lucrative merger deal that could be interfered with by Trump.

Alternet - Colbert referred to a settlement offered to Trump by CBS News's "60 Minutes" as a "big fat bribe."

Alternet - CBS has decided to lease the time period previously occupied by "The Late Show" to mogul Byron Allen for his program "Comics Unleashed."

Alternet - CBS refused to renew Colbert's contract, stating the show was costing CBS approximately $40 million a year.

Alternet - Trump publicly called for CBS to cancel Colbert, stating he should be "put to sleep NOW" in a social media post.

Alternet - CBS's parent company, Paramount, was on the verge of a lucrative merger deal that Trump could interfere with.

Alternet - Colbert referred to a settlement offered to Trump by CBS News's "60 Minutes" as a "big fat bribe."

Alternet - After Colbert's last show, the Ed Sullivan Theater will go dark, marking the end of "The Late Show."

[N/A] - NPR - Stephen Colbert's Late Show ended an 11-year run and was canceled by CBS despite top ratings.

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert hosted more than 3,000 episodes of television over 20 years across two TV networks.

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert's first episode of The Colbert Report introduced the term "truthiness."

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert's character on The Colbert Report was described as a "vain, narcissistic conservative true believer."

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert testified in character before a Congressional subcommittee on farm workers and immigration.

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert's next project includes writing a new Lord of the Rings movie with his son.

[N/A] - NPR - Bill Carter suggested that 30% to half of Colbert's viewers might switch to Jimmy Kimmel's show.

WHERE:

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert's career included performances at Second City in Chicago and appearances on CBS.

WHEN:

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert's Late Show was canceled on a Thursday.

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert turned 62 last week.

WHY:

Alternet - CBS's cancellation of "The Late Show" is suspected to be rooted in silencing a high-profile critic of Trump.

[N/A] - NPR - CBS's decision to cancel The Late Show is suspected to be rooted in silencing a high-profile critic of President Trump.

[N/A] - NPR - Critics theorize that the decline in ratings among network TV late night shows may be due to hosts' intense political stances.

HOW:

Alternet - Colbert expressed concern for the approximately one hundred people who will be out of jobs due to the cancellation of "The Late Show."

[N/A] - NPR - Colbert developed his comedic persona by amplifying the behavior of cable news pundits, particularly on Fox News.

(UPDATED May 19, 2026 21:22 UTC)

CBS has confirmed that Stephen Colbert's last episode of "The Late Show" is set for Thursday evening, and the network will replace it with Byron Allen's program "Comics Unleashed." The cancellation has raised eyebrows, with some speculating it may be an attempt to silence Colbert, a vocal critic of Trump, who had previously called for the show's cancellation and received a $16 million settlement offer from CBS, which Colbert referred to as a "big fat bribe." Following Colbert's departure, the Ed Sullivan Theater will go dark, leaving around one hundred staff members without jobs and potentially shifting viewership to Jimmy Kimmel's show, as experts suggest that 30% to half of Colbert's audience may make the switch.

(UPDATED May 19, 2026 16:05 UTC)

CBS has decided to cancel "The Late Show," a move that has been described as an effort to silence a prominent critic of Trump, with the network's parent company, Paramount, facing a potential merger deal that could be jeopardized by the former president. In a controversial twist, CBS offered Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit related to "60 Minutes," which Stephen Colbert referred to as a "big fat bribe." Following Colbert's final broadcast, the Ed Sullivan Theater will go dark, and experts predict that as many as half of his viewers might turn to Jimmy Kimmel's show instead.

(UPDATED May 19, 2026 13:54 UTC)

CBS has announced that it will cancel "The Late Show," with Stephen Colbert's final episode set for Thursday evening, a decision attributed to the show's hefty annual cost of around $40 million. This cancellation is suspected to be linked to CBS's efforts to silence a prominent critic of Trump, as the network's parent company, Paramount, is on the verge of a significant merger deal that could be affected by the former president. Colbert has voiced his concern for the nearly one hundred employees who will lose their jobs as a result of this decision, while also referring to a settlement offered to Trump by CBS News's "60 Minutes" as a "big fat bribe."

(UPDATED May 19, 2026 10:14 UTC)

CBS has decided not to renew Stephen Colbert's contract, citing that the show costs the network approximately $40 million a year. In a recent social media post, Trump called for CBS to cancel Colbert, suggesting he should be "put to sleep NOW," while Colbert referred to a settlement offered to Trump by "60 Minutes" as a "big fat bribe." Following Colbert's final episode, the Ed Sullivan Theater will go dark, signaling the end of "The Late Show."

(UPDATED May 18, 2026 23:24 UTC)

CBS has canceled Stephen Colbert's Late Show after an impressive 11-year run, despite consistently high ratings. Over his two-decade career, Colbert hosted more than 3,000 episodes and became known for his sharp political satire, even testifying in character before Congress on issues like immigration. Looking ahead, Colbert is set to collaborate with his son on a new Lord of the Rings movie, while some analysts predict that a significant portion of his audience may shift to Jimmy Kimmel's show.