Late-night host Stephen Colbert suffered an on-air meltdown while responding to President Donald Trump mocking the news of his show’s cancellation.
In a fiery and predictable response to Trump’s mockery, Colbert had some choice words for the president: “Go f**k yourself.”
The cancellation of “The Late Show” was officially announced last week by CBS.
The network cited a “financial decision” amid increasing challenges in late-night television.
Colbert’s show, once a fixture of the network’s late-night programming, will be retired in May 2026.
CBS executives offered a rather nonchalant explanation:
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘The Late Show’ franchise.
“We are proud that Stephen called CBS home.
“He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television.
“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.
“It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.”
However, the timing of Colbert’s cancellation immediately followed his scathing remarks regarding CBS’s $16 million settlement with President Trump.
Colbert referred to it as a “big, fat bribe” tied to the Skydance merger, a statement that some critics saw as a veiled political attack.
This has led to accusations that the cancellation was politically motivated, though financial records suggest that Colbert was costing CBS around $40 million a year in losses, despite employing a full staff of 200 people.
In a move that can only be described as quintessential Colbert, Trump took a moment to gloat over the news.
In a post on social media, Trump wrote: “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.
“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.”
During the opening of his Monday night broadcast, Colbert wasted no time firing back at Trump’s taunt.
With a smug grin and a satirical tone, Colbert declared, “Go f**k yourself,” before launching into a mock-serious monologue.
“How dare you, sir?” Colbert said.
“Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?”
He then turned to the camera with a broad New York accent and declared, “Go f**k yourself.”
The studio audience erupted into applause.
Trump had also suggested that Jimmy Kimmel would be the next late-night host to face the axe.
Colbert, never one to shy away from a jab, immediately dismissed the idea.
“Nope, no, no. Absolutely not,” Colbert said.
“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!”
WATCH:
Beyond Colbert’s jabs and insults, the conversation surrounding “The Late Show” cancellation raises an important point about the intersection of politics, media, and late-night television.
Colbert’s embrace of progressive politics was a major aspect of his show’s identity, and the backlash from conservative viewers was undeniable.
With a network struggling to keep its audience and a show that was increasingly seen as a platform for political commentary rather than comedy, the financial decision to cancel Colbert’s show may not be as shocking as it initially seems.
Yet, Colbert’s response to the news, a mixture of comedic bravado and thinly veiled bitterness, leaves little doubt that the late-night host still views himself as a warrior for left-wing ideals in a battle for the soul of American entertainment.
As Colbert becomes just another casualty of the competitive and ever-changing late-night landscape, it’s worth considering whether his brand of humor, which often veers into political grandstanding, has turned off more viewers than it attracted.
Trump’s commentary on Colbert’s fall, while biting, seems to echo the growing discontent among many conservatives with how entertainment and news have become increasingly politicized.
In the end, Colbert may have had his moment as the darling of liberal late-night TV, but as the ratings falter and the corporate bottom line catches up, it’s clear that even the “irreplaceable” Colbert couldn’t escape the financial reality of television.
So, whether or not Colbert’s response to Trump will be remembered as a clever retort or just another tired jab in an increasingly polarized media landscape is yet to be seen.
READ MORE – Trump Shreds Stephen Colbert After Show Canceled by CBS
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