By Katherine Tinsley
4:21pm PDT, Jul 21, 2025
_
CBS credited the decision to finances, which Joe Scarborough agreed with.
"The economics of the late night shows just didn't make the kind of sense that it's made for the past 50 years through Jack Paar, the age of [Johnny] Carson, of course [David] Letterman, you go on and on," Scarborough said on Morning Joe.
"So, the economics were making less and less sense, but the timing of this actually is terrible, and it's terrible because you had the settlement with Donald Trump, and then you had [Stephen] Colbert and Jon Stewart criticizing that decision," he continued. "And then a week later they're saying, 'Oh, unfortunately we don't have the money to continue this.'"
_
The timing of the announcement created rumors about why
Stephen Colbert's really ended.
"I mean, it's not even like they're trying to hide the main purpose of it," the host continued. "I mean, it's certainly, again, you can make that economic argument, but that economic argument should've been made weeks before this or should've been made a couple months down the road. This just makes it look completely connected with the
60 Minutes settlement."
_
Willie Geist pointed out that the broadcast world is struggling.
"It's true that there's trimming happening all over the place at broadcast networks. There are late-night shows having to give up their bands and things like that," Geist explained. "But
Stephen Colbert two nights ago on his show called that settlement on the
60 Minutes interview a bribe. He was very critical on the air of Paramount."
"And then about 48 hours later, you have this decision coming down that his show would be canceled," Geist noted.
_
In his announcement,
Stephen Colbert admitted he was disappointed by the news.
"Yeah, I share your feelings," Colbert said, while his studio audience reacted. "It's not just the end of our show, but it's the end of
The Late Show on CBS. I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away."
