Stephen Colbert’s Final Year on ‘The Late Show’

Stephen Colbert’s tenure on CBS’s ‘The Late Show’ is concluding, marked by strong criticisms of President Donald Trump and support for Democratic agendas. Since taking over from David Letterman in 2015, Colbert has transformed the show into a platform for political commentary.

In July 2025, CBS announced the show’s cancellation, prompting Colbert to embark on a ten-month farewell. He stated, ‘For the next 10 months, the gloves are off.’ As his show wraps up on May 21, Colbert has not shied away from addressing Trump, including a pointed remark directed at the president after his taunts regarding the cancellation.

The show featured numerous guests who align with Colbert’s ideology, including MSNBC’s Jen Psaki, Chris Hayes, Rachel Maddow, and CNN’s Jake Tapper, Kaitlan Collins, and Anderson Cooper. Other liberal hosts such as Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers also appeared.

Notable political figures also made appearances, including former President Barack Obama, Senators Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Jon Ossoff, and Mark Kelly, along with other Democratic leaders. Hollywood celebrities like Mark Ruffalo, Jane Fonda, and Bette Midler joined to express their admiration.

Colbert faced disputes with CBS, particularly over an interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, which was alleged to have been blocked by the network. The interview was eventually uploaded to YouTube. The New York Times reported that Talarico was aware it would air online, contradicting Colbert’s claims.

Colbert’s criticism of CBS began even before the show’s cancellation. He accused the network’s parent company, Paramount, of settling a lawsuit with Trump as a form of ‘big fat bribe’ related to Skydance Media’s acquisition.

CBS claimed the cancellation was a financial decision due to challenges in late-night television. However, many believe it aimed to please Trump and secure the network’s merger.

As his final year unfolded, Colbert often used his platform to criticize CBS executives. He recently joined David Letterman for a segment satirizing the network, where Letterman smashed a CBS logo.

Variety’s Daniel D’Addario noted that Colbert received extensive praise during his final months, though he argued the focus on Colbert overshadowed broader issues that the audience sought in his political commentary.