As Leftists Fume Over CBS Axing Stephen Colbert, CNN’s Brian Stelter Quietly Admits the Real Reason
The cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” by CBS sparked widespread speculation that the decision was politically motivated, especially given ColbertS outspoken liberal views. Though, media analyst Brian Stelter clarified that the real reason is financial: the show has become unprofitable, similar to the earlier cancellation of “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” CBS struggled to sell enough advertising to sustain the show’s costs, leading to its planned end in May 2026.
Despite this explanation, some liberal politicians, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff, suggested the cancellation might be linked to a recent $16 million settlement between CBS’s parent company, Paramount, and former President Donald Trump over political controversies.They called for clarity about any possible political influence.
The article emphasizes the changing landscape of late-night television, noting how the rise of streaming and vast entertainment options have eroded the conventional late-night audience. It also criticizes the politically charged tone of shows like Colbert’s, arguing that this alienated viewers seeking entertainment rather than political messaging. the piece predicts that other politically oriented late-night hosts, such as Jimmy Kimmel, may face similar cancellations due to declining viewership and changing media consumption habits.
After CBS announced the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Thursday, the air was filled with leftist theories that the move was rooted in political reasons.
But liberal media analyst Brian Stelter, of all people, has acknowledged the real truth.
“So this looks to a lot of Colbert’s fans like another form of capitulation by CBS to the president of the United States,” Stelter told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Thursday night. “If you look at Colbert’s Instagram page already, his fans are pouring their hearts out and blaming CBS for this.”
Then came reality.
“Here’s the reporting that I have just in the past few minutes, Anderson, about this financial explanation,” Stelter continued. “Think back to 2023, when ‘The Late, Late Show with James Corden’ went off the air. I reported at the time that that show had become unprofitable, that CBS was not able to sell enough ads to make that show profitable.”
“Well, that is now the case for Colbert as well. I’m told by a source close to the network that ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ is now technically unprofitable. So that does give the company a financial reason to end the show starting in May 2026.”
CNN and Stelter are very worked up about Colbert getting canned by CBS:
“This looks to a lot of Colbert’s fans like another form of capitulation by CBS to the President of the United States!” pic.twitter.com/CvCAcsRXpH
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) July 18, 2025
The Hollywood trade publication Variety also ran a piece on Colbert’s cancellation, outlining how the decision was financial in nature.
This is simple math. These late-night shows on CBS, NBC and ABC, used to be popular because they were created — and peaked — before the age of internet streaming.
Once the internet was linked to televisions and phones, the content exploded. There were no longer dozens of options. There were THOUSANDS.
Is it really so hard to believe that the public doesn’t want to watch Colbert dancing with giant needles telling everyone to get vaxed? Or that they’d rather watch HBO than see Jimmy Kimmel cry like a girl, after the 2024 election? Spare me.
Their self importance, high salaries, and manufactured audience applause are archaic. Former “Late Night” host — and fellow liberal — David Letterman handed Colbert success on a silver platter, but it was too late. You could tell the show had become a mouthpiece for Democrats.
Yet despite these glaring facts, liberal lawmakers and others on the social media site X, tried to say Colbert’s firing was linked to a recent settlement between Trump and CBS’ parent company, Paramount.
Paramount agreed to pay $16 million toward Trump’s presidential library for deceptive editing in an October interview on the program “60 Minutes” with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
The company, according to the Washington Examiner, also agreed that “60 Minutes” would release transcripts of future interviews with presidential candidates, “after such interviews have aired, subject to redactions as required for legal or national security concerns.”
Naturally, Democrats flipped at the news about Colbert.
“CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery,” Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
“America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”
She included a video of Colbert poking fun at Paramount, as if that was the reason his show was canceled.
CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery.
America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.
Watch and his message. pic.twitter.com/Rz7HcWFLYM
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 18, 2025
California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff wrote on X: “Just finished taping with Stephen Colbert who announced his show was cancelled. If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.”
Colbert likely knew the ax was coming, and criticized the Paramount deal so he could later save face.
In all honesty, it’s shocking these shows still have an audience at all. Perhaps viewers hold on for a sense of nostalgia, but it’s mostly liberals.
The comedy of people like Johnny Carson and Jay Leno was generally less political in nature. They knew their audience was made up of various types of people and their job was to entertain. Not to preach.
One of the last men standing is Kimmel, and it won’t be long before his sanctimonious act is canceled too. Progressives will likely blame it on the similar settlement that Trump made with Kimmel’s home network, ABC for $15 million, after George Stephanopoulos misstated that Trump had been “found liable for rape” and “defaming a victim of rape”
But we all know the truth. Their political schtick was never funny to begin with.
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