By Katherine Tinsley
10:57am PDT, Jul 22, 2025
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Stephen Colbert publicly criticized CBS' parent company, Paramount, for settling their lawsuit with Donald Trump for $16 million. Days later, the news broke that the network axed his show. "Folks, I'm just going to go ahead and say it: Cancel culture has gone too far," Colbert said in a monologue. He noted that the news was beginning to "sink in." He then joked of CBS, "But they made one mistake. They left me alive!"
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Stephen Colbert mentioned that Donald Trump celebrated his firing on social media. "On Friday, Donald Trump posted, 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings,'" the comedian shared.
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"How dare you, sir?"
Stephen Colbert said in response to Trump's comments. "Would an 'untalented' man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?" The late-night host turned to a camera labeled "Eloquence Cam" before delivering his punchline: "Go f*** yourself," Colbert said to an audience of cheerful viewers.
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CBS asserted that the cancelation of
The Late Show was "purely a financial decision." But
Stephen Colbert has pushed back at the assertion. "How could it be purely a financial decision if
The Late Show is No. 1 in the ratings?" Colbert asked. "Yeah, it's confusing. A lot of folks are asking that question, mainly my staff's parents and spouses."
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In his Truth Social post, Donald Trump predicted
Jimmy Kimmel would be the next late-night host to receive a cancelation notice. "No, absolutely not, Kimmel,"
Stephen Colbert joked. "I am the martyr, OK? There's only room for one on this cross, and I gotta tell you, the view is fantastic from up here."
