logo
Comedians support CBS 'Late Show' host Colbert, Jon Stewart rips Paramount

Comedians support CBS 'Late Show' host Colbert, Jon Stewart rips Paramount

Reuters19 hours ago
LOS ANGELES, July 22 (Reuters) - Late-night rivals and other celebrities rallied to support CBS "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert after the network canceled his show, and comedian Jon Stewart lashed out at Paramount Global (PARA.O), opens new tab for the decision to end the long-running TV program.
On "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Monday, several comedians and talk-show hosts appeared in a sketch that also featured an animated Trump hugging the Paramount logo. The bit spoofed the viral moment in which a tech CEO was caught on camera embracing his company's chief people officer during a Coldplay concert.
"The Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon and NBC colleague and "Late Night" host Seth Meyers were spotted sharing beers together in the audience. HBO's "Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver was seated with Stewart, both former colleagues of Colbert's on "The Daily Show."
Colbert joked about his show's demise in his opening remarks, quipping that "cancel culture has gone too far." He suggested the show's venue, The Ed Sullivan Theater in Manhattan, might be converted to "self-storage" after the show ends.
CBS executives said last week they would end "The Late Show" in May 2026 in what they called "purely a financial decision."
U.S. lawmakers and others have called the timing suspicious, noting that Paramount is seeking government approval for an $8 billion merger. Colbert is a frequent critic of President Trump and had called that payment a bribe.
Stewart addressed the cancellation on Monday's episode of "The Daily Show," which runs on Paramount-owned Comedy Central.
"If you're trying to figure out why Stephen's show is ending, I don't think the answer can be found in some smoking gun email or phone call from Trump to CBS executives or in CBS QuickBooks spreadsheets on the financial health of late night," Stewart said.
"I think the answer is in the fear and pre-compliance that is gripping all of America's institutions at this very moment, institutions that have chosen not to fight the vengeful and vindictive actions of our ... commander in chief."
Paramount representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social last Friday, applauded the cancellation, writing, "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired."
Colbert responded Monday night with what he called a "satirical witticism" that included a vulgarity.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron sue far-right podcaster Candace Owens over false claims French president's wife is a man
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron sue far-right podcaster Candace Owens over false claims French president's wife is a man

The Independent

time6 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron sue far-right podcaster Candace Owens over false claims French president's wife is a man

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron have filed a defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens over the far-right influencer's 'relentless and unjustified smear campaign' falsely accusing Brigitte of being a man. The 219-page defamation complaint filed in Delaware state court on Wednesday accuses Owens of proliferating 'demonstrably false' claims through her platforms, including in an eight-part podcast and on social media, designed to feed a 'frenzied fan base' in 'pursuit of fame,' the Macrons allege. 'These lies have caused tremendous damage to the Macrons,' according to the lawsuit, which names Owens as well her business entities, which are incorporated in Delaware. The false claims have subjected the Macrons to a 'campaign of global humiliation, turning their lives into fodder for profit-driven lies,' the complaint says. 'Owens has dissected their appearance, their marriage, their friends, their family, and their personal history — twisting it all into a grotesque narrative designed to inflame and degrade,' the complaint alleges. 'The result is relentless bullying on a worldwide scale. Every time the Macrons leave their home, they do so knowing that countless people have heard, and many believe, these vile fabrications. It is invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust.' The Independent

Charlie Kirk, who bashed Murdoch media ‘hit job, tapped to host Fox & Friends Weekend
Charlie Kirk, who bashed Murdoch media ‘hit job, tapped to host Fox & Friends Weekend

The Independent

time6 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Charlie Kirk, who bashed Murdoch media ‘hit job, tapped to host Fox & Friends Weekend

Fox News has tapped MAGA activist Charlie Kirk to guest host the right-wing network's weekend version of its flagship morning program, a network spokesperson confirmed to The Independent . This will be the Turning Point USA founder's first time hosting a show on Fox News. As Axios first reported, Kirk is set to join regular Fox & Friends Weekend co-hosts Rachel Campos-Duffy and Charlie Hurt on the curvy couch this coming Saturday and Sunday. With the dog days of summer upon us, cable news networks are reaching deep into their benches to fill out hosting slots, as this is prime vacation time for anchors and reporters. Therefore, it isn't surprising to see Fox News turn to outside personalities for one-off hosting gigs during this time of year, especially someone with a well-established audience like Kirk, who hosts a radio show and a top-rated podcast. What does make this stand out, though, is that Kirk was one of the MAGA influencers who was highly critical of the Wall Street Journal's bombshell story on the 'bawdy' birthday card Donald Trump allegedly sent deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. According to the WSJ , the card included a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, with Trump's signature mimicking pubic hair. The report, which Trump immediately described as 'fake,' led to the president suing the Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch, who also owns Fox News. Meanwhile, the story appeared to dissipate the MAGA uproar over the Epstein files, as prominent conservatives who had grown increasingly frustrated with the administration's handling of the saga quickly rallied around the president over their shared disdain of the mainstream media. MAGA podcaster and TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk is set to serve as a guest co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend this coming Saturday and Sunday. (Getty Images) 'This is not how Trump talks at all. I don't believe it,' Kirk tweeted in response to the Wall Street Journal story shortly after it was published. He would go on and share other social media posts from Vice President JD Vance, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Donald Trump Jr. blasting the report as defamatory. Kirk would be even more outspoken about the story on his radio show this week, where he fumed that the WSJ 'attempted a terrible drive-by… of our phenomenal president' while applauding Trump for his $10 billion lawsuit against Murdoch. 'As soon as I read this story, I said this is the dumbest, obviously fakest thing. I don't believe it,' he declared. 'Now I quickly, and we quickly, came to the president's defense because this thing was obviously a hit job. Obviously, a drive-by shooting trying to go after President Trump and trying to tie some of the Epstein news to President Trump to try to bring down his approval rating.' Meanwhile, the MAGA backlash against the WSJ as Trump comes for Murdoch has put Fox News in something of a bind, especially considering that the conservative cable giant shares a symbiotic relationship with the president and has helped staff up his administration. Left without the option of doing what is the network's standard modus operandi, which is parroting Trump's attacks on the mainstream media, Fox News has also decided against defending its sister publication and its owner. This has resulted in the network largely ignoring both the WSJ's blockbuster article and the president's lawsuit, mentioning both only a handful of times since last week. Additionally, the network has also devoted significantly less airtime to the Epstein controversy than its cable news rivals and even other right-wing outlets. After the president began ordering his supporters to 'stop talking about' Epstein, Fox News has pulled way back on its coverage of the drama surrounding the administration's handling of the flies, prompting MAGA media competitors to outright mock the 'terrified' network for not wanting to 'p*ss off' Trump. Sharing common ground with Fox News on the issue, Kirk has also sought to heed the president's demand that the MAGA base move on from Epstein and instead concentrated on the various seeming distractions he's tossed out into the ether, such as changing sports teams' names back to racist caricatures or reigniting the 'Russia Witch Hunt' conspiracy and demanding 'Barack Hussein Obama' be charged with treason. After hosting a TPUSA student event that featured young activists railing against Trump over the DOJ memo that concluded Epstein died by suicide and didn't keep a 'client list,' Kirk returned to his podcast that Monday and said he was 'done talking about Epstein' and would instead 'trust my friends in the government.' That announcement came shortly after it was reported that Trump personally called Kirk to ask him to ease up on the criticism of Attorney General Pam Bondi, who had come under intense fire from MAGA loyalists over the memo, particularly because she had previously said she had the so-called 'client list' on her desk for review. Kirk would later backtrack from his proclamation that he was moving on from Epstein, declaring the following day that he had merely meant 'yesterday' when he said 'for the time being,' grousing that the 'fake news' had taken him out of context.

Charlotte Otton: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)
Charlotte Otton: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)

The Guardian

time7 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Charlotte Otton: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)

I love internet. I love screen. I love laugh. I'm a certified eight-hour-a-day screen user. I'm like a little iPad kid except I'm a six-foot-two, 31-year-old woman. Getting access to the family computer at 10 years old sparked something in me. It unlocked the deep, dark and wonderful world of the internet and my profound desire to explore every corner of it. Unfortunately for me, my algorithm at the moment is feeding me the worst the internet has to offer. My show I Watched Someone Die on TikTok forces me to watch, save and muse on mostly distressing digital content. Fortunately for you, though, gorgeous internet stranger, this list is all the delightful and joyous things I've witnessed on the internet. Please enjoy my curated list (and then please buy tickets to my show. I promise the show itself is not distressing and is in fact very sexy, fun and fresh.) This is a classic. It's the embodiment of everything going so wrong during a live performance but you having the chutzpah to power through and publicly call out everyone around you for it going downhill. A masterclass in diva-ism. I never call for 'line' onstage. I simply say, 'Where my background singers?' This article includes content provided by TikTok. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Look, is it funny? No. Is it delightful, soothing, scary, awe-inspiring, never before seen, adorable, bus, club, another club, the absolute best use of AI? Everyone in my life says no. Another true diva. What I like about this video is Kim's earnestness as she delivers this showstopping scat. Personally, I'm requesting that 'well he bit all the he-dogs and winked at all the she-dogs' be sampled into a DJ mix and played at my funeral. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Vic Michaelis is a genius and they are, in fact, very important. This talkshow consists of improvised interviews with comedians playing surreal characters. You can watch the full eps on Dropout or via the very generous free official shorts platform on YouTube. I love this little freak made out of rocks so much. A choir of 30 gay men singing about moments in film you didn't realise were gay. If you're ever feeling depresso, please watch this three-minute clip to immediately make you feel better. I love when so much time, resources and talent go into creating a piece so SILLY. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion This article includes content provided by TikTok. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Jake's topical and ultra-silly ballads are everything right about TikTok and gen Z. He takes the overwhelming feeling of world-ending despair circulating in our feeds and turns it into little ditties that soothe your rotted brain. Caleb is one of my favourite comedians and his interview with Ziwe is incredible. He's so witty and talented it makes me sick. This article includes content provided by TikTok. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. What we know: AI poses extreme risks to society and humanity. What we also know: when someone puts this AI filter on a dog I immediately feel very good. My friend's dog recently passed and I thought sending her videos of her dog with this filter on it would cheer her up. Again, everyone in my life said no. Fergie has had some iconic live performances (notably the 2018 national anthem performance). For me, this one takes the cake for most insane and most impressive. One of the best Conan segments was getting the sweetest, most polite man alive (Jack McBrayer) and putting him in confrontational situations. This video is peak late night to me. I went to the Wieners Circle in 2015 to see if the staff actually act like this and when I ordered a hotdog they said, 'You want a dick in a bun?'. Being a 20-year-old virgin at the time, the only response I could muster was 'no onions please'. Charlotte Otton is an award-winning theatre maker. Her show I Watched Someone Die on TikTok has picked up five-star reviews in Perth and Melbourne and is heading to Pact for Sydney fringe festival from 3 to 13 September

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store