NEW YORK (AP) — Thursday night marks the end of an era as Stephen Colbert takes his place at the CBS desk one last time to conclude his run hosting ‘The Late Show.’
The network has kept details about the farewell episode under wraps, though the production team has had several months to plan for the conclusion of CBS’s three-decade-plus late-night programming tradition.
The show’s final week featured an impressive roster of celebrity visitors including Michael Keaton, Jon Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Steven Spielberg, David Byrne and Bruce Springsteen, along with a comedic musical number transforming ‘It’s Raining Men’ into ‘It’s Raining Fish.’
Last summer, CBS revealed plans to end Colbert’s program after 11 seasons, pointing to financial considerations despite the show’s position as the top performer in late-night television ratings. Colbert himself, along with numerous observers, have questioned whether President Donald Trump’s ongoing attacks on the program influenced the network’s decision.
The cancellation announcement followed parent company Paramount’s $16 million settlement of Trump’s legal action regarding a ’60 Minutes’ segment, as the company sought the incoming administration’s green light for its proposed acquisition by Skydance Media. Colbert had previously characterized the settlement as a ‘big fat bribe.’
Dustin Kidd, a professor of sociology at Temple University, points out that Colbert’s departure comes while he maintains his dominant position in late-night ratings, making purely economic explanations insufficient.
‘I would argue that it’s answerable, frankly, through politics,’ Kidd said. ‘There’s been a lot of political pressure levied against this show and a lot of political pressure at work within CBS more generally. And I think that has a lot more to offer in terms of explaining why this show, at this time.’
Competing networks ABC’s ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’ have scheduled repeat episodes during Colbert’s farewell broadcast Thursday evening.
CBS plans to replace ‘The Late Show’ with ‘Comics Unleashed,’ a program featuring comedians telling personal anecdotes. The show’s host Byron Allen has pledged to steer clear of political content.
