'Daily Show' co-creator sounds off on cancellation of Colbert's show, accuses CBS of being 'afraid'
"To just drop the franchise itself, right, its not like Stephen Colbert, its a double, its a twofer, right? And that says to me, you're afraid, because we've watched, with 'The Daily Show,' with John Oliver, we've watched how people who do not have a dog in the fight, and what I mean by that is people who call BS no matter who the powerful person is, on their hypocrisy or screwing up. And that's what Stephen has done brilliantly, Jon [Stewart] has done brilliantly, John Oliver has done brilliantly," Winstead said.
Winstead wrote a piece for Rolling Stone on Friday about the cancellation of Colbert and said she didn't believe CBS' explanation for canceling the show.
CBS announced that Colbert's show would be canceled at the end of its broadcast season and said it was a "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."
"So when the truthtellers are the comics and those comics are actually resonating with the people that Donald Trump has not been able to reach, then he's got to go plan b and plan b is, 'oh, look at me, I have a merger I need, look at me. I can ask for what I want, and I can silence those voices because my, lardo-thin skin cannot take the ridicule,' that most people can who are grown adults running a nation," she continued.
Liberals have overwhelmingly argued that Colbert's show was canceled for political reasons.
Days before the cancellation, Colbert slammed Paramount's recent settlement with President Donald Trump over his lawsuit against "60 Minutes" as a "big fat bribe" ahead of a pending merger between Paramount and Skydance Media.
Winstead argued Colbert, along with other comedians, was an authentic voice on late-night television.
"When you are authentic, people gravitate to you, and there is nothing and no one more authentic than Stephen, John. You look at these passionate pleas that they give nightly, and you're like, that is real. And the fire is what makes people come back. And if you lack the fire, man, do you hate it. And if that fire is directed at you, you have no other choice, because you're small, to want to squelch it and put it out," Winstead continued.
Winstead wrote in Rolling Stone that she didn't believe CBS' financial excuse and suggested networks didn't want progressive voices.
"This is why Colbert's cancellation hits different. Not just because he's one of the greats, but because his ousting is a warning shot. It tells comedians — even the white, male, successful ones — that there's a line. And if you cross it, they'll find an excuse to take you out," Winstead, who identified herself in the commentary essay as a loud and proud, pro-abortion progressive, wrote.
"Underneath those thinly veiled excuses is fear. Fear of the power comedians have. Fear that people might actually listen while they are laughing," she continued.
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