Stephen Colbert.
Photo: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS/Getty Images

Stephen Colbert, get behind us. CBS is canceling The Late Show following the 2025–2026 season with its last show being in May of next year. “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,” Colbert said on his July 17 episode, in a clip now uploaded to Instagram. “This is all going away.” CBS said the cancellation “is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” in a July 17 statement. Colbert recently called out the parent company of CBS, Paramount, for giving Donald Trump a “big fat bribe” to settle Trump’s lawsuit against 60 Minutes. Paramount is currently being sold to the Ellisons and Skydance and needs FCC approval for the deal to go through. Several CBS productions have felt the fallout, including the resignation of longtime 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens.

Donald Trump himself celebrated Colbert being canceled on Truth Social. “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” he wrote. “His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.” Below, find responses from Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Bowen Yang to Colbert’s Late Show getting canceled.

Conan O’Brien, king of getting screwed over by the network, has seen the writing on the wall for a while. Speaking at his induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame, O’Brien acknowledged the seemingly inevitable end of late night TV. “Yes, late-night television as we have known it since around 1950 is going to disappear. But those voices are not going anywhere,” he said. “People like Stephen Colbert are too talented and too essential to go away. It’s not gonna happen.” Hopefully O’Brien can help Colbert pivot to travel shows and a podcasting empire.

The former Late Night host shamed Paramount and CBS for the “gutless” and “pure cowardice” decision to cancel Colbert. “I think it’s sad, but what this indicates also is [David Ellison, future Paramount CEO doesn’t] want any trouble along the lines of freedom of the press or free speech or freedom of expression,” Letterman suspicted. “They don’t want to get their hands dirty; they don’t want the government going after them.”

While guesting on The Late Show, Sandra Oh quoted Mercutio when venting her ire against Paramount and CBS. “A plague on both of your houses,” she said. Freestyling a little, she added, “And also, a pox on all those they serve.” Colbert partially disavowed Oh’s bombastic remarks, looking to camera and saying to Paramount and CBS, “I think you’ve been great partners.”

Hours after their deal with Paramount Global went through, the creators of South Park poked fun at their/Colbert’s corporate overlords. In the season premiere, “Sermon on the ’Mount” (short for Paramount, get it?), Jesus urges the people of South Park to do whatever Trump says. “You really wanna end up like Colbert?” he says. “You guys gotta stop being stupid. Just shut up or we’re going to get canceled.”

John Oliver said the news of The Late Show’s cancellation was “very, very, very sad” while being interviewed at a minor-league baseball game (he was giving out Moon Pies there). “I love Stephen, I love his staff. I love that show, it’s incredibly sad,” he said. Oliver said late night still means a lot to him, as “even growing up in England, I would watch Letterman’s show, which of course was Stephen’s show, and think about what a glamorous world that was.” Oliver added that he is “partly excited to see what they’re gonna do for the next ten months.”

“I’m just as shocked as everyone,” Jimmy Fallon shared on Instagram on July 18. “Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I’d ride this out with him for years to come. I’m sad that my family and friends will need a new show to watch every night at 11:30. But honestly, he’s really been a gentleman and a true friend over the years, going back to The Colbert Report, and I’m sure whatever he does next will be just as brilliant.”

Jimmy Kimmel lambasted CBS on Instagram on July 17. “Love you Stephen,” Colbert’s fellow late-nighter and Strike Force Five co-host wrote on his Instagram Story following the news. “Fuck you and all your Sheldons CBS.”

“Sorry to hear @CBS is canceling one of the best shows they have,” Ben Stiller posted on X on July 17. “Wishing all the people who work so hard on that show all the best.”

The author was in disbelief hearing the news, simply writing, “Colbert canceled? Please tell me it’s a joke.”

“CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump — a deal that looks like bribery,” Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote on X. “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”

“Love you Stephen,” Severance actor Adam Scott wrote in the comments of Colbert’s Instagram clip. “This is absolute bullshit, and I for one am looking forward to the next 10 months of shows.”

Jon Batiste, the show’s former bandleader, called Colbert “the greatest to ever do it” via Instagram comments.

On the Las Culturistas Culture Awards red carpet, co-host Bowen Yang told iHeartRadio, “I don’t think so, honey, CBS canceling The Late Show — it’s so tragic. Late-night TV is one of the only ways we have of processing the news in a way that is tangible and beautiful and funny.” Jimmy Fallon, now our nation turns to you.

“I think it’s a sad day for late-night television,” Cohen shared with Deadline at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards. “I think it’s a sad day for CBS. I think Stephen Colbert is a singular talent. He’s going to have an incredible next chapter. I can’t believe CBS is turning off the lights at 11:30 after the local news. I’m stunned. He’s one of three late-night shows deemed worthy enough for an Emmy nomination. He produces a brilliant show.”

Katie Couric got her journalist on in the comments of the clip’s Instagram, writing, “I am so upset about this. I need more information.”

Zegler expressed her disappointment in the comments as well, writing, “i am extremely sad. i adore you, stephen.”

The Say Anything actor criticized the CEO of Oracle in his response to the cancellation, writing, “He’s not groveling enough to American fascism — Larry Ellison needs his tax cuts — doesn’t need comedians reminding people they are not cattle.”

Comedy overlord Judd Apatow wrote on Instagram, “My admiration and appreciation for you is bottomless. Excited to see what other brilliance you put into the world.”

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