The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is set to air its final episode on 21 May, ending a 33-year television institution at CBS. The cancellation has sparked controversy, with many questioning the timing after Colbert mocked a $16m legal settlement between CBS's parent company Paramount and Donald Trump. David Letterman, the show's original host, has publicly accused CBS of lying about the decision being purely financial.
Colbert, 62, has been a nightly antidote for viewers navigating the Trump era, offering irreverence, empathy, and decency in contrast to the president's vainglory, narcissism, and indecency. His monologues, often featuring a Trump impression, have been described as a mini-state of the nation address—caustic, piercing, witty, and redemptive.
A parade of celebrities, including Hugh Jackman, Bette Midler, John Lithgow, Jake Tapper, and Jimmy Fallon, have performed tributes at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in recent months. Fallon's parody of Frank Sinatra's My Way included the pointed line: 'But Trump, he made it clear / He wants you gone / Of that we’re certain.'
Colbert initially struggled after taking over from Letterman in 2015, having previously played a bombastic rightwing character on Comedy Central. With help from producer Chris Licht and the rise of Trump, he found his voice as a political satirist, eventually achieving the highest ratings in late night. TV author Bill Carter praised Colbert's evolution, calling his earlier work 'satire on such a high level' and noting his eventual mastery of the monologue format.
