Byron Allen's 'Comics Unleashed' premiered on CBS to fewer than one million viewers, marking a stark contrast to Stephen Colbert's 'The Late Show,' which ended last week. The show, which airs at 11:35 pm, inherits the slot previously held by Colbert, whose program was cancelled amid a media merger.
The debut episode featured an aggressive barrage of applause and canned laughter, overwhelming introductions and upstaging the studio audience. Allen, 65, delivered no monologue, as the show lacks writers and a clear comedic direction. Critics describe it as more akin to an infomercial than a traditional late-night program.
Allen, a comedian turned media mogul, has syndicated 'Comics Unleashed' since 2006. Under the CBS deal, he retains most advertising revenue while renting the time slot. In interviews, he boasted that network executives offered no creative input, and the show remains largely unchanged from its original format.
The premiere week avoided topical issues such as the Iran conflict or papal statements on AI, with Allen explaining that the show aims to be timeless. However, the low viewership suggests a challenging future for the program in the competitive late-night landscape.
