David Letterman, the once-revered late-night host, is back in the spotlight, unleashing a scathing attack on CBS for what he calls the “pure cowardice” of its handling of Stephen Colbert.
The veteran late-night talk show host, who retired in 2015, voiced his criticism over the network’s decision to part ways with Colbert.
However, it’s no secret that Colbert’s show was losing millions of dollars every year.
In an unexpected return to the public stage, Letterman, now largely absent from pop culture, accused CBS of misleading the public with their reasons for canceling “The Late Show.”
Letterman described the network’s decision as “cowardly.”
In a video posted on YouTube with his former executive producer, Barbara Gaines, Letterman took aim at CBS’s claims that the decision to cancel Colbert’s show was purely financial.
“The idea that they’re hiding behind money — they’ve given Colbert another 10 months, that’s another huge chunk of money they’re gonna lose, according to them,” Letterman said.
“I don’t think it was money.
“I think it was all to make sure [Skydance head David Ellison, set to become CEO of Paramount after its merger with CBS] was solid spending dad’s money.”
He went further, suggesting that CBS had been losing money on Colbert for much longer than they admit.
“If they were losing that kind of money, you’re telling me losing this kind of money happened yesterday?” Letterman said.
“I bet they were losing this money a month ago or six weeks ago.
“Or they were never losing that kind of money.”
He continued by asserting that CBS mishandled Colbert’s tenure and failed to treat him with the respect he deserved.
Letterman dismissed CBS’s financial concerns, noting the network’s willingness to throw more money at Colbert’s failing show before ultimately pulling the plug.
This frustration was compounded by his conspiracy theory that Colbert’s firing was politically motivated to please President Donald Trump, claiming, “This is pure cowardice.”
He took particular aim at “60 Minutes,” a flagship CBS program that also suffered under financial losses, suggesting the network’s executives were trying to placate Trump.
Letterman pointed to CBS’s decision to offer Colbert a $20 million payout and expressed disbelief at the network’s inability to make a difficult but necessary decision sooner.
“You’re telling me 60 Minutes, the pinnacle of journalistic excellence and integrity for decades … they decided, ‘Aw, we’re sorry, let us give you $20 million,’” he said.
“I believe this is in the wake of that.”
Despite his criticism, Letterman admitted that the cancellation of Colbert’s show was “sad,” but couldn’t help wondering if it would ultimately boost Colbert’s image, transforming him into a kind of martyr for the Left.
“They did not handle Stephen Colbert, the face of that network, in the way he deserves,” he said.
However, Letterman’s theory doesn’t explain why CBS executives would be embarrassed by Colbert’s cancellation.
With “The Late Show” failing to draw more than 2.5 million viewers on a good night, Colbert’s audience simply wasn’t large enough to create any lasting political or cultural waves.
His inevitable exit from the late-night scene is unlikely to stir much emotion, and his absence will likely be forgotten quickly by viewers.
And with his multi-million dollar payout, Colbert won’t have any trouble moving on.
READ MORE – Stephen Colbert Melts Down Over Trump Mocking His Show’s Cancellation
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