Colbert’s The Late Show ends after 11-year run on Thursday

Stephen Colbert's top-rated late-night television program, "The Late Show," will air its final episode on Thursday, ending an 11-year run and silencing one of the most prominent comedic critics of former President Donald Trump. The show's cancellation has ignited a debate about the intersection of entertainment, politics, and corporate pressure.

The network, CBS, stated last summer that the decision was made for economic reasons. However, Colbert and others have expressed skepticism, suggesting Trump's repeated criticism of the program played a role. The cancellation followed a $16 million settlement by CBS's parent company, Paramount, to resolve a lawsuit from Trump related to a separate "60 Minutes" interview. At the time, Paramount's proposed sale to Skydance Media was pending approval from the Trump administration. Colbert publicly characterized the settlement as a "big fat bribe."

Trump celebrated the show's end on his Truth Social platform, writing, "I absolutely love that the host got fired." He added a warning about another late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel. Two months later, ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel following remarks he made about an activist's assassination, a move...