Staff Reports
The news world has a penchant for drama, and the recent announcement about The Late Show with Stephen Colbert getting the axe next May has certainly delivered a hefty dose of it. This is a show that has been a staple of late-night television, and while it may have tickled the funny bones of many, it also seems to have ticked off some folks—especially if those folks happen to be fans of President Trump. The left is having a field day, claiming that Trump played puppet master, pulling strings with the folks over at CBS’s parent company, Paramount. According to this theory, Colbert’s consistent ribbing of Trump led to Paramount deciding that it would be safer to cut the show to smooth over potential merger dealings with Skydance Productions.
Amid this swirl of conspiracy theories, Donald Trump couldn’t resist the urge to chime in, celebrating the termination of Colbert’s gig. With a quick remark about Colbert’s talents and ratings, the former president didn’t shy away from throwing a bit of shade. One might say, he delivered a not-so-subtle jab at Colbert’s standing in the late-night landscape. It’s classic Trump to make a public spectacle out of an already heated situation—something that, whether loved or hated, keeps the media on its toes.
On the flip side, Jon Stewart decided to join the fray. In pure Stewart fashion, he poked fun at the current chaos unfolding in the late-night sector, questioning whether CBS genuinely cared about its highly-rated late-night franchise. Did they pull the plug because of finances, or was it more about avoiding the wrath of a certain vengeful president? The answer to that may remain bottled up in the boardroom, but it seems evident that Colbert’s potshots at Trump didn’t exactly endear him or his show to everyone involved in the corporate decision-making.
Most hilarious of all—and perhaps the most telling—is the reality check that sneaked past the late-night jesters: The Late Show was losing a staggering $40 to $50 million a year. Yes, one might call it the top late-night program, but when the numbers tell a different, less amusing story, it’s hard to see how the blame can be squarely placed on Trump’s shoulders. After all, if a business is bleeding cash, why should it continue to bleed? Taking a moment to reflect on one’s financial shambles might have been prudent, but self-reflection hardly seems to be a strong suit in this case.
Even if this headlining news feels like another round of political theater, it does shine a light on larger democratic principles—like personal accountability. It invites thought on how the left often pushes for state-supported solutions to issues while actors like Colbert blame external forces for their misfortunes. Maybe it’s time for those in such financial predicaments to take one good, hard look in the mirror before aiming their critiques towards the government or the president.
As The Late Show approaches its final curtain call, it symbolizes much more than just one show going off the air. It’s a reminder of the fierce rivalries in entertainment and politics, and how the merging of these two worlds can lead to an intricate dance of blame, laughter, and ultimately, closure. Whether Colbert’s viewers will find another late-night haven or not, we can be sure the late-night landscape will continue to shift, for comedy—and its audience—demand nothing less!
