Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City on Wednesday to demand that CBS and its parent company, Paramount, reverse the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The rally, which marched to Paramount's headquarters in Times Square, saw demonstrators deliver 10 boxes of petitions signed by more than 250,000 people.
The petition, led by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), condemned the cancellation as 'blatantly political,' stating that 'America needs Stephen Colbert’s voice now more than ever.' Among the signatories were Democratic lawmakers Ro Khanna and Ted Lieu, comedian Kristen Schaal, and actor Frances Fisher.
PCCC co-founder Adam Green said the issue transcends the show, warning of a 'distressing trend' of institutions caving to White House pressure. He added: 'If dissenting voices like Stephen Colbert’s can be silenced ... that is yet another step down the road to tyranny and authoritarianism.'
The cancellation followed Paramount's $16m settlement of a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump against 60 Minutes and CBS News. Colbert, a vocal Trump critic, called the settlement a 'big, fat bribe' on air, saying he was 'offended' and doubted his trust in the network could be repaired.
CBS executives insisted the decision was financial and unrelated to the show's content or other matters at Paramount. However, protesters remained unconvinced, carrying signs such as 'Dump Trump. Keep Colbert' and 'Don’t Bow to the Orange King.' Longtime viewer Susan Staal said the country needs dissenting voices, while former Paramount subscriber Heather Cousins described the cancellation as a 'blatant act of bribery' against free speech.
New York state assembly member Tony Simone and city council member Erick Bottcher attended the rally. Saima Akhter, a former Meta employee, warned of censorship and 'dangerous ties between fascist Trump, bought-out politicians and corrupt corporations.'
