Stephen Colbert will host "The Late Show" for the final time on Thursday, marking the end of an era for the CBS late-night fixture. While finale details remain undisclosed, the team has had months to prepare for the conclusion of the network’s 33-year franchise.
The final week saw guests like Michael Keaton, Jon Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Steven Spielberg, David Byrne, and Bruce Springsteen, plus a wacky "It’s Raining Fish" segment.
CBS announced the show's end last summer, citing economic reasons after 11 seasons. Yet, despite Colbert being the ratings leader, many – including the host himself – have expressed skepticism that President Donald Trump’s repeated criticism wasn't a factor.
The decision to shutter the show came after parent company Paramount’s $16 million settlement of Donald Trump’s lawsuit over a "60 Minutes" interview. This occurred as Paramount awaited his administration's approval of a pending sale to Skydance Media, a situation Colbert famously labeled a "big fat bribe."
Dustin Kidd, a professor of sociology at Temple University, notes that Colbert is at the top of his game and the ratings leader in late-night.
“Canceling him can’t be explained strictly through economics," he said. "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."
Colbert’s chief rivals, ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and NBC’s "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," will both run reruns on Thursday night at the same time as Colbert's goodbye.
CBS will fill "The Late Show" slot with "Comics Unleashed," in which comedians share stories. Host Byron Allen has vowed to avoid politics.
