As you likely have heard, CBS is ending "The Late Show" in 2026. There have been a lot of murmurs that the decision was motivated by Paramount trying to appease Donald Trump to grease the wheels of Paramount's sale to Skydance. People have come out of the woodwork online to express their love for host Stephen Colbert, usually with the assertion that this was, indeed, politically motivated. And, sure, maybe it was, but late night is not what it once was, and CBS had already done away with its 12:30 a.m. ET show.
With late-night shows returning from the weekend on Monday, there was an opportunity for hosts to voice their thoughts on television. Colbert did plenty of that, naturally, but he wasn't the only one talking "The Late Show" being canceled. Even retired hosts have been dunking on CBS, with the David Letterman YouTube page posting this compilation:
It's unsurprising when, say, Jon Stewart dedicates several minutes to discussing Colbert's show getting the ax. The two worked together for years. But when Jimmy Fallon is dunking on CBS, you know it's open season on the "Tiffany Network."
In addition to his jokes, Fallon also said,"I don’t like what’s going on one bit. These are crazy times." The reason Fallon's criticism feels notable is because that runs counter to Fallon's entire ethos. He's the late-night host who plays it safe and is super enthusiastic about everything. Boat rocking is not Fallon's game. As such, if he's criticizing CBS' decision and making jokes at the network's expense, you know it's a tough beat for CBS.
(h/t The Hollywood Reporter)
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