I teared up last Thursday when “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” signed off for the final time.
Colbert’s show was like a member of the family. I watched him every night. His show was therapeutic. With all the chaos and cruelty coming from the Trump Administration, Colbert had a way of lifting my spirits.
The disturbing part is that Colbert was fired because he dared to criticize the government. Likewise, I know three columnists from a local newspaper who were fired for the same reason.
Stephen Colbert accepts the award for Outstanding Variety Talk Series award for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 14, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
To refresh your memory, Donald Trump has been a harsh critic of Colbert for years, calling him “a total loser.”
Last year, Trump sued CBS for $10 billion, claiming that the network deceptively edited an interview on “60 Minutes,” with presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The suit was bogus, and Trump had no chance of winning.
Meanwhile, Paramount, the owner of CBS, was attempting to merge with Skydance Media. That merger needed approval from the Trump Administration.
So, CBS settled the lawsuit by giving Trump $16 million.
Colbert went on the air and rightfully called the settlement a “Big fat bribe.” Three days later, he was fired.
Trump said, “I absolutely love that Colbert was fired.” CBS said it was a financial decision. Where have I heard that before?
The reality is that “The Late Show” had the highest ratings of any late-night talk show, was critically acclaimed, and two years earlier, CBS wanted to sign Colbert to a long-term deal.
Oh, and Trump’s Federal Communications Commission approved the merger between Paramount and Skydance. Since then, Skydance has made a $111 billion deal to take over Warner Brothers Discovery. Skydance CEO David Ellison and Trump are close friends.
You might say, just go ahead and watch talented Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers. Well, Trump has already had Kimmel yanked off the air once and is trying again. And once Paramount Skydance controls Warner Brothers Discovery, it will be the boss of Stewart, Maher, and Oliver.
It all stinks more than Robert F Kennedy Jr’s dead animal collection.
Meantime, I will always cherish my experience of being in the audience of “The Late Show.” I went a few years ago with my wife and two daughters.
Jim Shaw and family at Stephen Colbert
The worst part was having to stand up and wait to get into the Ed Sullivan Theater for more than two hours, as they checked our tickets and identification, and we went through security. This was a real strain on my bad back.
After that, the fun began. The terrific band members were introduced to us, and played solos and as a group. We were shown how the cameras worked. The warm-up comedian told some good jokes, and then the place went wild when Colbert came out to talk to us and answer questions.
When Colbert returned to deliver his opening monologue, it was like watching a maestro at work. He was brilliant and funny. The gags and video clips were extremely creative. The questions and his answers with his guests were interesting and revealing.
All told, it was a thrill for the four of us to be there.
And now, he’s gone from CBS. It’s a big loss for the country. In an amusing way, Colbert told us what’s truly happening in the U.S. He was innovative, gutsy, and fearless.
Moreover, as we have been horrified by the corruption and inhumanity coming from the Trump Administration, Colbert made us feel like we weren’t alone in feeling this way.
Whether it be a network talk show or local newspaper, America was founded on the principle of speaking out against those in power. Colbert’s departure sends a chilling message that there’s less tolerance of that now from media ownership, especially if you’re making fun of the wrong person.
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