In a blistering monologue that blended satire with raw emotion, Stephen Colbert addressed the cancellation of The Late Show and fired back at former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had publicly praised CBS for “taking a good stand” in pulling the plug on Colbert’s late-night programme.
“How dare you, sir?” Colbert said, with faking anger. “Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?”
Cueing up a segment titled ‘Eloquence Cam’, Colbert then glared into the camera, adopted a thick New York accent, and delivered an unambiguous message: “Go f**k yourself.” The explicit word was censored for broadcast, but the sentiment rang loud and clear.
Colbert Makes Sure That Trump Steers Clear from the Other Late Night Show Hosts
Colbert wasn’t done. He referenced Trump’s social media remark that “Jimmy Kimmel is next,” and replied with biting sarcasm: “Nope, no, no. Absolutely not. Kimmel, I am the martyr. There’s only room for one on this cross. And the view is fantastic from up here. I can see your house!”
Opening the show with a sardonic take on so-called cancel culture, Colbert remarked, “Folks, I’m gonna go ahead and say it: Cancel culture has gone too far. Over the weekend, it sunk in that they’re killing off our show. But they made one mistake: They left me alive.”
He went on to declare that for the remaining ten months of The Late Show, the “gloves are off,” adding, “I can finally speak unvarnished truth to power and say what I really think about Donald Trump, starting right now.”
Then, with a comic pause, he offered a deliberately tame critique: “I don’t care for him. Doesn’t have the skillset to be president. Not a good fit, that’s all.”
What Happened to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The announcement of The Late Show’s impending end was first made during the taping on Thursday, July 17, with Colbert informing the studio audience and the wider world shortly after via a video release. He revealed he had learned of CBS’s decision the previous evening.
While expressing regret over the show’s cancellation, Colbert took a gracious tone towards the network. “It is a fantastic job,” he told his audience. “I wish somebody else was getting it.” He added, “The folks at CBS have been great partners.”
Monday night’s episode featured appearances from actors Sandra Oh—of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Killing Eve’ fame—and Dave Franco, known for films such as ‘Now You See Me’, ‘Together’, and ‘The Disaster Artist’.