Stephen Colbert’s final episode of The Late Show is set to air on May 21. His departure was confirmed in 2025, with CBS describing it as “purely a financial decision” amid a difficult late-night television landscape.
The timing of the exit, however, drew attention as Paramount—the parent company of CBS—was simultaneously seeking federal approval from the Trump administration for its merger with Skydance.
Around the same period, Paramount also settled a $16 million lawsuit involving President Donald Trump, a move Colbert criticized on air as a “big fat bribe.”
The situation led to speculation among some viewers that Colbert’s political commentary may have influenced the decision to end the show. That view was echoed by Bruce Springsteen, who appeared on The Late Show on May 20 in support of Stephen Colbert.
Before performing his protest song “Streets of Minneapolis,” Springsteen said he was there to stand with Colbert, suggesting his show had been ended in part because he was “the first guy in America whose lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke,” and also criticized the Ellison family in relation to the merger situation.
He added that the situation reflected, in his view, “small-minded people” who misunderstand the freedoms the country is built on, dedicating the performance to Colbert in solidarity.