Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon Shocked Over CBS' Decision to End ‘Late Show': 'F*** You and All Your Sheldons'
The likes of Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ben Stiller, John Cusack, Andy Richter, Michael Ian Black as well as prominent Democratic politicians such as Elizabeth Warren, Pramila Jayapal and Adam Schiff have taken to social media to decry the decision. Some entertainment industry figures and politicians have already claimed that CBS' move was linked to parent company Paramount Global's merger with Skydance Media, with the deal seeking regulatory approval from the Trump administration. Colbert has been among the most prominent critics of Donald Trump on television, and has arguably built his commanding lead in the late night ratings for more effectively skewering the president than some of his rivals.
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On Instagram, under the video of Colbert's monologue announcing the news, a number of celebrities replied in the comments. 'The greatest to ever do it,' wrote former Late Show band leader Jon Batiste. 'My admiration and appreciation for you is bottomless. Excited to see what other brilliance you put into the world. ❤️,' wrote filmmaker and producer Judd Apatow. 'I am extremely sad. I adore you, Stephen,' wrote Snow White actress Rachel Zegler. 'Love you Stephen. This is absolute bullshit, and I for one am looking forward to the next 10 months of shows. ✊😡💔,' wrote Severance star Adam Scott.
Kimmel, the host of ABC's late night staple Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was forthright in his condemnation of the news. The longtime friend of Colbert's who also shares an agent with his late night rival posted a story to his Instagram, in which he wrote simply, 'Love you Stephen. Fuck you and all your Sheldons CBS.'
Meanwhile, Fallon, veteran host of NBC's The Tonight Show, posted a statement on his Instagram Stories on Friday morning saying, 'I'm just as shocked as everyone. Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I'd ride this out with him for years to come.'
He then quipped, 'I'm sad that my family and friends will need a new show to watch every night at 11:30p.m,' before he continued on to say, 'But honestly, he's really been a gentlemen and a true friend over the years — going back to The Colbert Report, and I'm sure whatever he does next will be just as brilliant.'
Seth Meyers, Colbert's fellow late night host on NBC's Late Night, posted a lighter tribute on his Instagram Stories, also on Friday, writing, 'For as great a comedian and host he is, [Stephen Colbert] is an even better person. I'm going to miss having him on TV every night but I'm excited he can no longer use the excuse that he's 'too busy to hang out' with me.'
Colbert's longtime pal, Late Show visitor and actor-activist Julia Louis-Dreyfus, however, was more outspoken in her reaction, writing on Instagram that she 'stands' with her friend Colbert. She then called out CBS, Paramount Global, Paramount+ and Paramount mogul Shari Redstone and cited a quote from The Atlantic's David A. Graham: 'Institutions that are willing to sacrifice their values for the government's favor are likely to end up with neither.'
When reacting to the news, Jamie Lee Curtis told The Associated Press on the red carpet that 'they're trying to silence people but that won't work. We will just get louder.'
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who in May opened an investigation into whether Paramount Global was engaging in bribery with Trump for the approval of the Skydance merger, bluntly questioned the motives behind ending the Late Show. '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,' Warren wrote on X. 'America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.'
Former New York Times media reporter Bill Carter, author of the books The Late Shift and The War for Late Night, wrote on X, 'My first impression [about] the cancellation of Colbert: The financial side of that business has definitely been under pressure, as CBS release asserts, but if CBS believes it can escape without some serious questions about capitulating to Trump, they are seriously deluded.'
In a lengthy statement, the Writers Guild of America also voiced 'significant concerns' that the Colbert cancellation 'is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval.'
On his podcast that released hours before Colbert shared the news, Jon Stewart also had wondered if The Daily Show would get canceled. 'They may sell the whole fucking place for parts, I just don't know,' he said on The Weekly Show. 'And we'll deal with it when we do. But I'm so happy and proud of everybody that works over there. They want to do that? Knock themselves out.'
Read on for more reaction to the Late Show news, which we are adding as they come.
Jackie Strause, Hilary Lewis and Lexy Perez contributed to this story.
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