“They’re Renaming The Late Show — and Stephen Colbert Is Out as Host”
The red light on the camera blinked for what may have been the last time. Stephen Colbert adjusted his papers, smiled that knowing smile, and delivered the monologue like it was any other night. But it wasn’t.
Hours earlier, CBS executives had dropped a quiet-but-lethal bombshell: The Late Show would return — under a brand-new name. And Stephen Colbert? He wouldn’t be returning with it.
After years of defining late night’s political punch and satirical sharpness, the man who once dethroned Letterman’s shadow was being quietly shown the door. Official statements talk about “creative evolution” and “a bold new direction.” Insiders call it what it is: a breakup. And not a mutual one.
Behind the curtain, network brass are scrambling for a replacement, eyeing everyone from stand-up mavericks to streaming-era disruptors. Comedy fans are already split. Some see a fresh start. Others see the slow death of a late night institution.
Monday night’s broadcast might not just be a goodbye. It could mark the opening shot in late night’s bloodiest shake-up in years.