By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Late-night rivals and other celebrities rallied to support CBS “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert after the network canceled his show, and comedian Jon Stewart lashed out at Paramount Global for the decision to end the long-running TV program.
On “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Monday, several comedians and talk-show hosts appeared in a sketch that also featured an animated Trump hugging the Paramount logo. The bit spoofed the viral moment in which a tech CEO was caught on camera embracing his company’s chief people officer during a Coldplay concert.
“The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon and NBC colleague and “Late Night” host Seth Meyers were spotted sharing beers together in the audience. HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver was seated with Stewart, both former colleagues of Colbert’s on “The Daily Show.”
Colbert joked about his show’s demise in his opening remarks, quipping that “cancel culture has gone too far.” He suggested the show’s venue, The Ed Sullivan Theater in Manhattan, might be converted to “self-storage” after the show ends.
CBS executives said last week they would end “The Late Show” in May 2026 in what they called “purely a financial decision.”
U.S. lawmakers and others have called the timing suspicious, noting that Paramount is seeking government approval for an $8 billion merger. Colbert is a frequent critic of President Trump and had called that payment a bribe.
Stewart addressed the cancellation on Monday’s episode of “The Daily Show,” which runs on Paramount-owned Comedy Central.
“If you’re trying to figure out why Stephen’s show is ending, I don’t think the answer can be found in some smoking gun email or phone call from Trump to CBS executives or in CBS QuickBooks spreadsheets on the financial health of late night,” Stewart said.
“I think the answer is in the fear and pre-compliance that is gripping all of America’s institutions at this very moment, institutions that have chosen not to fight the vengeful and vindictive actions of our … commander in chief.”
Paramount representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social last Friday, applauded the cancellation, writing, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.”
Colbert responded Monday night with what he called a “satirical witticism” that included a vulgarity.
(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine;Editing by Mary Milliken and David Gregorio)
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