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CBS cancels Late Show with Stephen Colbert
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Date: July 17th, 2025 7:42 PM Author: aromatic gas station CBS Cancels The Late Show With Stephen Colbert—Show to End in May 2026 ​ Summarize ​ Jed Rosenzweig15 minutes ago /
Stephen Colbert Photo: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS This is a developing story. More to come
CBS has announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, bringing the show’s historic run—and the Late Show franchise itself—to a close.
“‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,” the network said in a statement. “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘The Late Show’ franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.”
The statement was issued jointly by George Cheeks (Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President and CEO of CBS), Amy Reisenbach (President of CBS Entertainment), and David Stapf (President of CBS Studios).
CBS emphasized that the decision was not related to performance or content: “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
“Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult,” the statement continued. “Stephen has taken CBS late night by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in entertainment, politics, news and newsmakers across all areas. The show has been #1 in late night for nine straight seasons; Stephen’s comedy resonates daily across digital and social media; and the broadcast is a staple of the nation’s zeitgeist.”
CBS concluded: “The accomplishments of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ are memorable and significant in performance, quality and stature. With much gratitude, we look forward to honoring Stephen and celebrating the show over the next 10 months alongside its millions of fans and viewers.”
Colbert addressed the show’s cancellation himself while taping tonight’s show, which the show has just released: |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 8:06 AM Author: charismatic useless yarmulke roommate Colbert is not funny Colbert is stupid Colbert is a Jewish tool
Like everything US, where nothing is live, nothing is spontaneous, not news nor sports, the show is being poured over by sociopath and paranoid Jewish censors, before being emitted to mock the people(=‘goyim’ in Jewspeak) |
Date: July 17th, 2025 7:45 PM Author: Massive blathering resort Wtf? It was so funny. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110251) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 7:52 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate cr wtf although i found him lame, especially compared to his Daily Show days.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/17/media/cbs-cancels-stephen-colbert |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 7:53 PM Author: Contagious fishy wagecucks all i think of when i think of him is the dancing COVID jab bit (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110276) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 7:54 PM Author: Doobsian electric furnace That will forever be associated with him. Also the way his jaw hit the floor when Stewart, who still has a show btw, implied that the lab leak theory was the most likely origin of Covid. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110290) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:03 PM Author: aromatic gas station (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110341) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:40 PM Author: walnut pit mediation that demented election night special w/ cartoon full of self-projections (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110579) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:45 PM Author: abusive sienna area karate What demented election night special? Surely for such a major event, it will be easy to provide a link? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110590) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:49 PM Author: Exciting Field Keepsake Machete (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110603) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:47 AM Author: galvanic house regret (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111147) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:00 PM Author: diverse boltzmann scourge upon the earth (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112974) |
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Date: July 23rd, 2025 7:09 PM Author: pink provocative orchestra pit (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49125803) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 9:07 AM Author: Curious olive people who are hurt water buffalo (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111350) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:56 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110635) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 6:48 PM Author: Rusted trip puppy market i think of the literal naked mens cocks he had on air followed five minutes later by trump winning and him having a mental breakdown (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112937) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 7:55 PM Author: Hideous Odious Church Building least funny person to ever have a late night show (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110295) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 7:58 PM Author: Doobsian electric furnace I genuine thought his Colbert Report character was very funny. I think he did a good job of getting under uptight people's skin. Some really great interviews on there if you go back and watch them.
But when he transitioned to CBS he lost all his charm immediately. I even remember in the promo leading up to his show beginning how weird and off-putting it was. Some people were just meant to play a heel. When he was using his acerbic wit to mimic a William F Buckley type somehow it was very funny. But the second he changed his shtick to a babyface and started preaching to the choir it got terrible fast. He always came across as so smug and holier than thou. |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:02 PM Author: Carmine boistinker principal's office He has very good charm and hosting skills. The problem was the DNC-mandated talking points and shitty writing.
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:06 PM Author: Doobsian electric furnace He REALLY leaned into the character of the smarmy lib wokescold. He was sort of giddy about it. Like Ceaușescu or something. He was one of Lenin's Pioneers. He really sold his devotion to the regime. He grinned as dissidents were flayed. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110354) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:36 PM Author: crystalline big spot i think it's more than the politics stuff. seems like he seriously phoned it in. he is obviously extremely talented and a capable host but he turned into a personality-less husk at the late show. kimmel for example seems willing to be far more political in the plain sense but somehow does it with a distinct personality (albeit a distinctly retarded one), i'd even go so far to say he goes so overboard with the shitlib fagginess that he takes some risks in doing so, though probably in spite of himself. colbert has done nothing worth clipping and sharing on the internet the last decade or so except the bizarre vaccine thing and then the 2016 election night clip that went viral. he let himself become a sanitized corporate empty vessel.
makes me think he's really not very charming or creative at all, i think in a general sense he's capable of being just as funny as letterman but letterman had true ability as a host and figured out some stupid shit to do to keep things light. colbert truly offers nothing distinct as a host, he needs to be running shtick to be funny. |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:43 PM Author: Doobsian electric furnace Letterman was a dick most of the time to the guests, which made him cheeky and edgy. Colbert just booked other libs and they had Marxist struggle sessions where they all disavowed half the country every night. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110587) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 11:33 PM Author: Multi-colored wild lettuce menage (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110867) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:50 AM Author: Orchid bbw crotch (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111151) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 9:01 AM Author: galvanic house regret (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111344) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:49 AM Author: Mildly autistic national chad (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111149) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:51 AM Author: Orchid bbw crotch (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111152) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 7:56 PM Author: emerald french hissy fit dog poop As long as no Gen Xer gets to host a TV show I'm fine. Cancel it to prevent Gen X from getting a foothold. Good riddance. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110301) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:03 PM Author: Massive blathering resort (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110342) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:49 AM Author: galvanic house regret (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111148) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 8:06 AM Author: emerald french hissy fit dog poop (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111270) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:00 PM Author: Carmine boistinker principal's office Classic bullshit administrative beurocratic corporate creep.
The legit spend $2M+ per week to produce that show -- exclusive of Cobert's salary.
Starting a new show from scratch, they could produce something just as good for $2M per year.
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:02 PM Author: Doobsian electric furnace Obviously this is true but also the ratings haven't been great, the optics for the network are bad. Of course they can throw some young random guy in the chair and pay him peanuts and tell him to build an organic audience. But it's also a rebrand at the same time. Colbert was locked into a small niche. Execs get sick of hearing "network talk shows are dead" etc. This is a chance to break from the woke idpol era, too. It's both. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110330) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:03 PM Author: Carmine boistinker principal's office (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110340) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:00 PM Author: Grizzly Crackhouse Pozpig “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
huh? what other performance is there besides financial? |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:02 PM Author: Doobsian electric furnace They never fired Leno. Leno was #1. Leno was always #1. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110332) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:48 PM Author: abusive sienna area karate Kill the daughter raise the son Reno Reno numba 1 |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:49 PM Author: Doobsian electric furnace 🤯 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110604) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 10:44 PM Author: jet-lagged stage (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110792) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:45 AM Author: Hideous Odious Church Building (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111252) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 8:24 AM Author: pale boyish mad-dog skullcap (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111295) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 9:57 AM Author: Dark floppy indirect expression (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111436) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 10:06 AM Author: galvanic house regret (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111451) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 8:02 PM Author: Bat-shit-crazy Space Black Woman Getting to close to Epstein I see (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110333) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:52 PM Author: Onyx Garrison i used to work with his brother Ed Colbert. The name is pronounced Coal-Burt. not Cole-bear.
that's pretty much all you needed to know about this fake hack. |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:57 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate he changed his name he changed his accent all to chase approval
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:57 PM Author: Grizzly Crackhouse Pozpig tbf, max iq not to know his name isnt pronunced like some faggot french shit (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110639) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 9:59 PM Author: crystalline big spot wasn't that just part of his original shtick
funny that he just ran with it though. i think he's just not great as himself regardless. |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 10:25 PM Author: Copper shrine O'Reilly said that when he interviewd him. That was funny (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110751) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 11:12 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate it was telling that on the night Colbert announced the termination, the lead guest was Adam Schiff. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110839) |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 11:31 PM Author: vigorous green friendly grandma pistol Yeah I never understood this.
Like half the time his guests are politicians. Who the fuck is watching this? |
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Date: July 17th, 2025 11:50 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate i think Colbert leads the late night talk shows, but is a tick behind Gutfeld.
yet the entire segment suffers horribly and has been decimated over the decades:
"For thirty years, from October 1, 1962, to May 22, 1992, Johnny Carson presided over American popular culture from the 11:30 P.M. throne of “The Tonight Show.” At its peak, the show was regularly watched by seventeen million people. (The current late-night ratings winner, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” averages about 2.5 million viewers.)"
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Date: July 17th, 2025 11:52 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate Steve Krakauer @SteveKrak "Sir Colbert is costing us millions and the ratings keep hemorrhaging. Should we consider moving on?"
"Let's see, who does he have on tonight?"
"Well, Senator Adam Schiff..."
"No, like the lead guest? You know the big actor or comedian?"
"It's just Schiff sir."
"Cancel it."
https://x.com/SteveKrak/status/1946001775393210842 |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 12:49 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate https://x.com/staceyabrams/status/1946221621485683178
Stacey Abrams @staceyabrams The news of Stephen Colbert’s late-night show cancellation is disheartening. I’ve been fortunate to appear on @colbertlateshow four different times. Each time, Stephen asked important questions and made sure to make us laugh. |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:08 PM Author: up-to-no-good volcanic crater "welcome back, stacey!! have a seat on our reinforced chair!" (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112714) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:11 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate "why is my audience 1/20th of the audience Johnny Carson had forty years ago? i mean, i have guests like Adam Schiff, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, and Elizabeth Warren. boffo box office stuff!" |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:53 AM Author: Mildly autistic national chad https://x.com/SenAdamSchiff/status/1945991349339042169
He’s making a stink about it too |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 12:47 AM Author: aromatic gas station Pocahontas calling for an investigation lmao
https://x.com/SenWarren/status/1946003619821580369
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 share his message. |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 12:59 AM Author: Curious olive people who are hurt water buffalo Libs are freaking out about this (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49110992) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 6:02 PM Author: Puce dingle berry They're usually so level-headed (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112852) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:34 AM Author: Territorial Goyim Terrible (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111145) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:39 AM Author: Territorial Goyim https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zzvx3L3DQb8 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111146) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:58 AM Author: turquoise wonderful brunch sound barrier https://x.com/NewRightPoast/status/1946061913135194294/video/1 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111165) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:51 AM Author: Orchid bbw crotch he’s what happens when a comedian starts to take himself too seriously (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111153) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 6:55 AM Author: Red Chapel Idea He Suggested CBS/Paramount desperately needs a buyer and they're trying to make a deal with Skydance.
It really looks like purging a good share of this dead weight shitlib content is part of that. |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 6:57 AM Author: galvanic house regret Paramount+ is the Gen X of streaming services (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111208) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:18 AM Author: Red Chapel Idea He Suggested How so? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111228) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:43 AM Author: marvelous cream nursing home pocket flask It makes no money and no one knows or cares about it? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111249) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 8:30 AM Author: galvanic house regret both those things + old yet paradoxically late to the game + catalog is gen x fare including reboots of gen x franchises (beavis and butthead, star trek, frasier).
cbs and mtv had their heyday during the gen x era and those are the two biggest legacy networks paramount has. |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 9:19 AM Author: Red Chapel Idea He Suggested Fun fact: Paramount+ started as CBS All Access in 2017, so it's actually considerably older than Disney+, HBO Max, et al. Prior to that, there was really only Netflix, Prime, and Hulu.
So, not really late to the game, but I think you're right otherwise. |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 10:05 AM Author: galvanic house regret that resolves the paradox but further proved my gen x comparison: it was there the whole time, but nobody noticed (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111449) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 6:46 PM Author: Red Chapel Idea He Suggested (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112932) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 3:40 PM Author: Excitant abode the rolling stone article about this is lulzy, it's like "yeah tv is totally dead and shitlib comedy is out of vogue, but this is really about a quid pro quo with trump to grease a future paramount sale." (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112288) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:50 AM Author: arousing dun hospital persian ljl if Modi did this BBC/NYT wld go crazy
US is a dictatorship |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 9:10 AM Author: Mildly autistic national chad Who’s the Colbert of India? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111356) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:02 PM Author: Fragrant trump supporter kitty TT (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112980) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 3:32 PM Author: Ivory office hairy legs I'm sure the 17 people who are huge fans and actively watch "steven colbear" are really upset by this (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112264) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 8:18 AM Author: Irradiated temple If Colbert is in such high demand, I’m sure he’ll find another network or substack. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111287) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 9:23 AM Author: spruce idiot degenerate i see him moving to CNN News actually. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111378) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 2:12 PM Author: Massive blathering resort I hope so. That would complete his transformation into the bizarro world version of his Colbert Report character. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112073) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 3:05 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate exactly. his apogee was playing a loud-mouth no-nothing driven by partisan politics -- and then he became just that. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112199) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 8:35 AM Author: Curious olive people who are hurt water buffalo lol at how thoroughly Trump destroys people who insult him. All libs should be scared shitless. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111310) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 10:55 AM Author: Massive blathering resort (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49111551) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 3:18 PM Author: Orchid bbw crotch luckily they always double down and thus are just next to get torn down (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112226) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 3:31 PM Author: Ivory office hairy legs Libs banned humor after Obama was reelected in 2012. late night comedy ahs been dead since then. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112253) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:09 PM Author: up-to-no-good volcanic crater until gutfeld came along he's solid, but to be fair, there is a lot more material to work with if you're willing to make fun of libs |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:18 PM Author: Ivory office hairy legs gutfeld is an unfunny fag and also is very short (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49113014) |
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Date: July 23rd, 2025 7:16 PM Author: Abnormal point potus tyrus is not permanent line-up caliber.
for some reason, Michele Tafoya and Jim Norton are constantly on now. cannot stand to listen to either of them.
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Date: July 24th, 2025 12:49 AM Author: up-to-no-good volcanic crater what do you mean by tyrus is not permanent line-up caliber? he's been there from the beginning, he makes points that are unlike the others, and he's independently famous so if you mean he's not good enough to be there all the time, i disagree. i like his takes. i also really like that i like a black guy's takes and i don't have to qualify it at all. i usually listen to the show more than watch it so i can't even tell you what i think of tafoya or norton because they aren't memorable |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 4:24 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate libs mad
The Atlantic
Is Colbert’s Ouster Really Just a ‘Financial Decision’? CBS no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt. By David A. Graham Stephen Colbert Scott Kowalchyk / CBS / Getty July 17, 2025, 11:05 PM ET Share
Save Building an empire takes decades. Destroying it can take only a few years, and sometimes the vandals are in the palace, not outside the gates. For much of the 20th century, American broadcast television revolved around three networks: NBC, ABC, and CBS. William S. Paley, CBS’s longtime CEO, made sure that his company—the Columbia Broadcasting Service—was a leader among them. The network was home to Edward R. Murrow, who brought World War II in Europe home to Americans on CBS Radio; after the war, Murrow’s reporting played a pivotal role in bringing down Senator Joseph McCarthy. Walter Cronkite dominated American evenings from his perch at the Evening News. And from the days of Mike Wallace to the more recent era of Lesley Stahl and Scott Pelley, 60 Minutes set the standard for long-form television reporting. Yet CBS’s current ownership seems determined to demolish this legacy. This evening, the network announced plans to end The Late Show With Stephen Colbert when the host’s contract ends next May. Late-night personalities come and go, but usually that happens when their ratings sag. Colbert, however, has consistently led competitors in his time slot. CBS said this was “purely a financial decision,” made as traditional linear television fades. Perhaps this is true, but the network that once made Cronkite the most trusted man in America no longer gets the benefit of the doubt. CBS’s owners have made a series of decisions capitulating to President Donald Trump, and the surprise choice to allow Colbert—a consistent, prominent Trump critic—to walk seems like part of that pattern. One reasonable starting date for the trouble would be 2016. That was both the year that Trump was first elected president and the year that Sumner Redstone, the cussed but aging owner of CBS’s parent company, Paramount, surrendered control to his daughter, Shari Redstone. In 2023, Shari Redstone began seeking a buyer for the company, eventually striking a deal, in 2024, with Skydance. The merger requires federal approval. During the 2024 presidential campaign, 60 Minutes interviewed Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent. Trump sued CBS, alleging that the network improperly edited her interview. As supposed evidence, he cited different excerpts of the interview that had aired on different CBS shows. (If CBS was seeking to hide anything, then airing the clips on its network wasn’t a very effective way to do it.) He demanded $20 billion, a sum that was preposterous especially because—as most First Amendment lawyers agreed—the suit had no merit. But Trump had major leverage: He won the November presidential election, giving him a role in approving the proposed Skydance-Paramount merger. During his first term, he’d already demonstrated his willingness to use his approval power to punish political opponents in the media, unsuccessfully seeking to block the merger of AT&T and Time Warner. Since the election, CBS has seemed eager to please Trump however it can, though the company continues to insist the merger has no bearing on its decisions. The network handed over transcripts of the 60 Minutes interview to Brendan Carr, the close Trump ally appointed to lead the Federal Communications Commission. In April, the 60 Minutes chief Bill Owens, a widely respected journalist, stepped down. “It’s clear the company is done with me,” he told staff during a meeting. In a memo, he elaborated: “Over the past months, it has become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it, to make independent decisions based on what was right for ‘60 Minutes,’ right for the audience.” Some of the shows’ reporters, who are not prone to histrionic statements or partisanship, raised alarms in interviews and speeches. Earlier this month, CBS agreed to a $16 million settlement to end Trump’s lawsuit. The agreement doesn’t pay Trump directly, but the network agreed to pay legal fees for him and a co-plaintiff, and to contribute to Trump’s future presidential library. Trump has stated that the deal also includes unspecified “advertising,” reportedly for public-service announcements that boost Trump-approved causes. Paramount denies this. Now comes Colbert’s departure. If the reasons are truly financial, one wonders how his salary compares to the money spent to settle a dubious lawsuit. The president now seems favorably disposed toward the merger. Last month, he spoke highly of Skydance head David Ellison, who is the son of Oracle founder and Trump pal Larry Ellison. Still, the deal has not yet been approved by the FCC. Paramount’s and Skydance’s executives have demonstrated that they aren’t interested in defending CBS’s journalism or its editorial independence, to the detriment of not only the network’s historical reputation but also the many excellent journalists still working there. Journalism, along with Colbert’s program, makes up only a small portion of Paramount’s portfolio, and so business executives might view sacrificing them to preserve a deal as a prudent, if cold-blooded, maneuver. But the recent experience of another Columbia—Columbia University—offers a warning. When assailed by the Trump administration, the university’s administration struck a conciliatory stance, trying to make a deal with the president. The capitulation only encouraged Trump, who then sought a judicial decree for oversight of the school. (The two parties are still in talks.) What happened at Columbia is the same thing Trump has done to many other adversaries: If you give him an inch, he’ll take a yard, and immediately scheme to grab a mile, too. Institutions that are willing to sacrifice their values for the government’s favor are likely to end up with neither. About the Author
David A. Graham
Follow David A. Graham is a staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter. |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 4:42 PM Author: Orchid bbw crotch libs all over Twitter are saying this is “scary” and resembles how dictators of history got rid of dissent lol
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Date: July 18th, 2025 5:12 PM Author: up-to-no-good volcanic crater libs have shit for brains no problem with outright election tampering by cbs, but fire a lib hero? wahhhh!!! |
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Date: July 23rd, 2025 7:13 PM Author: Unhinged Beta Parlor Gaping Cr. Classic playbook of dictators giving the dissent a platform capable of reaching millions upon millions of people, letting the dissent say whatever the fuck they want for a decade and waiting for the dissent to lose $40 million dollars a year. Really makes you think. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49125823) |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 3:29 AM Author: Orchid bbw crotch I do think someone from the FCC or whatever went to them and said “listen, we love comedy as much as anyone. but if you continue to subsidize blatant DNC propaganda we are going to fine you $100 million a year or maybe shut you down”
and rightfully so |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 6:53 PM Author: Navy motley community account senate Kimmel needs to go next, he might be worse imo. His smugness is unbearable (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112946) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:04 PM Author: diverse boltzmann scourge upon the earth Yeah, he sucks ass (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112984) |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 12:52 AM Author: up-to-no-good volcanic crater kimmel is a piece of shit you cannot go from the man show (a funny, irreverent show) to defender of libs! (an unfunny, completely faggot stalwart) and expect anyone with any self respect to take you seriously bring on the libs. they take him seriously. |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 10:06 AM Author: Massive blathering resort I assume Kimmel will get a lot of Colbert's audience. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49126981) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:05 PM Author: diverse boltzmann scourge upon the earth Can't believe he was on for 11 years, Jesus. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49112985) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:53 PM Author: snowy jew The Daily Show was layers of fucked up. They had John "FUCKING" Oliver from the UK from day one, then they brought in a South African, all orchestrated by Leibowitz under a fake name. This Late Show gig was some kind of parking lot for Colbert and a safe space for him to wig out (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49113109) |
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Date: July 23rd, 2025 7:31 PM Author: spruce idiot degenerate Oliver, Samantha Bee, and Trevor Noah were all foreigners who made a show biz fortune in the US by shitting on the US. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49125881) |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 12:54 AM Author: up-to-no-good volcanic crater i don't know samantha bee trevor noah had some okay material, i thought oliver was genuinely funny at first, imo, but then he lost it with tds and being a shitlib libs have scum for brains |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 10:10 AM Author: spruce idiot degenerate every one of them could be and sometimes were quite funny. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49126993) |
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Date: July 18th, 2025 7:15 PM Author: snowy jew USAID (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49113012) |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 10:07 AM Author: Massive blathering resort Colin Cowherd had this interesting bit where he explained that Colbert had the highest ratings but lowest ad revenue because his audience was 68 years old and advertisers didn't want to associate with politics.
Fallon had the lowest ratings but the highest revenue for the opposite reason. |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 10:19 AM Author: Dark floppy indirect expression "Colin Cowherd had this interesting bit" Why would you even admit to listening to this (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49127015) |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 10:45 AM Author: Massive blathering resort Cowherd is 180. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49127120) |
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Date: July 24th, 2025 10:16 AM Author: concupiscible base queen of the night (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5751555&forum_id=2Elisa#49127008) |