
Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers and other stars take over ‘The Late Show' audience to support Stephen Colbert after cancellation news
The battalion of comics, including several competing late-night talk show hosts, headed over to the rival Ed Sullivan Theater to speak out against CBS's decision to axe the top-rated talk show.
The cameos began when Colbert brought out 'Weird Al' Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda to play some music to cheer up heartbroken fans.
6 A slew of comedy's biggest stars took over the audience of 'The Late Show' with Stephen Colbert Monday night.
CBS
The pair played Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida' — a bit poking fun at the Coldplay concert CEO cheating scandal — as the cameras scanned the audience and landed on several famous spectators.
Andy Cohen stole a smooch from Anderson Cooper; Fallon and Meyers exchanged high-fives while drinking beers; Sandler, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (and Robert Smigel), and Christopher McDonald ate fried food in the stands; and Oliver and Stewart threw an excited fit over being on camera.
The skit ended with the camera panning over to an animated President Trump holding a Paramount sign before the Trump cartoon ducks, like Astronomer CEO Andy Byron did when caught with alleged HR chief mistress Kristin Cabot on camera at a Coldplay concert last week.
Colbert took a shot at Paramount — CBS's parent company — last week when he slammed the $16 million settlement it brokered with Trump over the station's controversial '60 Minutes' interview of Kamala Harris during the 2024 election campaign.
Less than three days later, the company announced it was cancelling 'The Late Night Show' after May 2026.
6 The cameos began when Colbert brought out 'Weird Al' Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda to play some music to cheer up heartbroken fans.
CBS
6 Fellow late-night TV hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers made an appearance in the audience.
CBS
During Monday night's episode, Colbert, who took over the show following the legendary David Letterman's departure in 2015, didn't shy away from the topic of his cancellation — using his monologue to bash the network's decision.
'Folks, I'm gonna say it. Cancel culture has gone too far,' he joked at the beginning of the show.
The CBS mainstay, while being critically acclaimed, reportedly started losing upwards of $40 million annually off of an already steep $100 million budget per season.
6 John Oliver and Jon Stewart also made a cameo appearance.
CBS
6 'Happy Gilmore' stars Adam Sandler and Christopher McDonald were also in attendance.
CBS
'$40 million's a big number. I could see us losing $24 million, but where would Paramount have possibly spent the other $16 million? Oh yeah,' Colbert added, referring to the settlement.
The comedian said he doesn't hold ill will towards CBS, but questioned the reasoning for his show's cancellation.
'How could it purely be a financial decision if 'The Late Show' is number one in ratings?' he asked.
6 (L-R) Oliver, Stewart, Fallon, Meyers, Bravo's Andy Cohen, and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.
CBS
Jimmy Kimmel, whose own ABC late-night show is currently on hiatus, was notably missing from 'The Late Show' stands but had earlier shared a message in support of his competitor on social media.
'Love you, Stephen. F—k you and all your Sheldons, CBS,' Kimmel wrote on Instagram last Thursday.
Monday night's guests, actor Dave Franco and Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh, also offered their praise of Colbert and sorrow at the show's cancellation.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gwyneth Paltrow is Astronomer's ‘temporary spokesperson' in new video
There's a lot of buzz around Astronomer, the data infrastructure company that skyrocketed into public attention after its executives - now former executives - gave us the viral Coldplay 'kiss cam' moment. With all this recent popularity, the business brought on some extra help, hiring a 'temporary spokesperson' with experience in Coldplay internet fame: Gwyneth Paltrow. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. 'I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300+ employees at Astronomer,' the actress said in the minute-long video posted to social media Friday. 'Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones.' The Goop chief executive happens to be the ex-wife of Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin and co-author of the original 'break-the-internet' breakup statement when the pair announced their 'conscious uncoupling' in 2014. If you're searching for answers to the company's real frequently-asked questions, you won't find them in the tongue-in-cheek clip. The questions 'OMG! What the actual f' and 'How is your social media team holding' get comically cut off by Paltrow as she explained the much less juicy details of Astronomer's business. 'We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation,' Paltrow said. Astronomer's chief executive Andy Byron and human resources chief Kristin Cabot both resigned after they were filmed cuddling at a Coldplay concert in Boston earlier this month. They appeared on the arena video board in a 'kiss cam' segment before looking uncomfortable, with Cabot turning around and Byron ducking out of sight as Martin quipped from the stage that the two might be having an affair. Mark Borkowski, a British public relations and crisis consultant, described using Paltrow to front a video parodying the incident as 'utter genius' that shows the company has a sense of humor. 'It's a savvy use of media to create a viral moment,' he told The Washington Post in a phone interview Saturday. 'In a way you're laughing with everybody else.' Astronomer choosing Paltrow will not go unnoticed, Borkowski said. 'Astronomer is a meme now. Owning the ridiculous nature of how it became a meme is far better than apologizing for it.' A representative for Paltrow didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. As for how he advises clients caught in such situations, Borkowski said acting in a dignified way and 'using as few words as possible' is always the best approach. Paltrow's cameo is reminiscent of the scared Peloton wife discourse from 2019. After actress Monica Ruiz's worry-stricken expression in a Peloton holiday commercial became the butt of internet jokes, she laughed it off, later using her horrified face for an Aviation Gin ad. 'We will now be returning to what we do best: delivering game-changing results for our customers,' Paltrow closed out the ad. 'Thank you for your interest in Astronomer.' - - - Tatum Hunter contributed to this report. Related Content Hulk Hogan was a well-known Trump supporter. Their ties go back 40 years. Mendelson reaches deal with Commanders on RFK site amid growing pressure Amy Sherald cancels major Smithsonian show over 'censorship' Solve the daily Crossword

USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Donald Trump says Beyoncé should be 'prosecuted' for alleged Harris endorsement payment
Donald Trump still has a political bone to pick with Queen Bey. The president, who has previously voiced criticism of celebrities who showed support for his election counterpart, Kamala Harris, took to social media on Saturday, July 26, to renew his unfounded claim that pop star Beyoncé was allegedly paid $11 million to endorse Harris' presidential bid. In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, the "Cowboy Carter" songstress made her endorsement of Harris official when she appeared at the former vice president's abortion rights rally in her hometown of Houston in October. She also cleared the usage of her 2016 song "Freedom" for Harris, and the tune became the Democratic nominee's official campaign song. "I'm looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats after the presidential election and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, $11 million dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note...)," wrote Trump in a fiery Truth Social post, also citing alleged endorsement payments to media mogul Oprah Winfrey and civil rights activist Al Sharpton. USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Beyoncé for comment. "Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them. All hell would break out!" Trump concluded. "Kamala and all of those that received endorsement money BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for your attention to this matter." Trump's digital tirade comes just two months after he accused the Grammy-winning singer and other celebrities of being paid to publicly support Harris' candidacy. In a May Truth Social post, the GOP president announced plans for a "major investigation" into the Harris campaign's celebrity endorsements. Catch up: Trump calls Beyoncé's endorsement of Kamala Harris 'illegal' Did Beyoncé receive payment for Kamala Harris endorsement? At the time of Trump's original allegations in May, the Federal Election Commission had no record of an $11 million payment to Beyoncé from Harris' presidential campaign. Additionally, the agency does not have rules explicitly prohibiting candidates from paying for endorsements. It is unclear where Trump got the unsubstantiated $11 million figure. The Harris campaign last year rejected a rumor that it paid Beyoncé $10 million for her endorsement that spread on social media shortly after the music star's October 2024 appearance with Harris. Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, also pushed back at the $10 million rumor in a November 2024 Instagram post, calling it "false information" and a "lie." She added that the singer "actually paid for her own flights for her and her team." Oprah Winfrey says she was not paid a 'personal fee' for Kamala Harris rally What has Beyoncé said about Kamala Harris campaign? During her October 2024 appearance at Harris' rally, Beyoncé, who was joined by fellow singer and Destiny's Child alum Kelly Rowland, said "It's time for America to sing a new song" when describing Harris' presidential bid. "I'm not here as a celebrity. I'm not here as a politician. I'm here as a mother," the pop star added. "Your freedom is your God-given right, your human right." Harris has long been a fan of Beyoncé. The California-born politician attended the singer's Renaissance World Tour in 2023 just outside of Washington, D.C., after she gifted Harris tickets. Contributing: Caché McClay, Joey Garrison and Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Coldplay Fan Addresses Posting Jumbotron Video of Astronomer Executives: ‘Play Stupid Games'
The Coldplay concertgoer who shared footage of Astronomer executives Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot on social media has no regrets about posting the now-viral moment online. 'I had no idea who the couple was. Just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it,' a woman identified as Grace told The Sun on Friday, July 18. 'A part of me feels bad for turning these people's lives upside down, but, play stupid games … win stupid prizes.' After quoting Taylor Swift's 'Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,' Grace added: 'I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them. I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise.' Grace and a handful of her friends attended Coldplay's Wednesday, July 16, concert in Boston. She filmed the band's 'Kiss Cam' segment, where a camera highlighted loved-up couples in the crowd, and shared it on social media. Stars React After Coldplay Jumbotron Seemingly Exposes Affair Between Astronomer Executives In Grace's clip, Byron and Cabot were spotted cuddling from their seats before they noticed all eyes were on them. In response, Byron swiftly ducked out of frame while Cabot turned around and buried her face in her hands. 'Whoa, look at these two. Alright, come on. You're OK,' Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped. 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy. I'm not quite sure what to do. Holy s***. I hope we didn't do something bad.' Neither Byron nor Cabot, who are reported to be married to other people, has addressed their relationship status. Us Weekly reached out for comment. As for Grace, she told The Sun that there was 'a lot of talk' about Byron and Cabot's identities inside Gillette Stadium. 'It was definitely a hot topic, but no one knew who they were,' Grace said. 'When I posted [my video] late last night before bed, it was picking up traction with a couple thousand views. I woke up to seven million. Now over 30 million. Overwhelmed to say the least.' Who Is Andy Byron? 5 Things to Know About Married CEO Caught on Kiss Cam at Coldplay Concert Byron and Cabot have worked together since 2024, when she joined Astronomer as its Chief People Officer. 'At Astronomer, our people are the most valuable asset in helping our customers do more to gain a competitive advantage with their data,' Byron, the CEO of the tech company, said in a November 2024 press release. 'Kristin's exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory. She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.' Solve the daily Crossword