After years of political satire, celebrity chaos, and viral monologues, CBS is now officially preparing to close the curtain on Stephen Colbert’s run on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, replacing the legendary late-night slot with Comics Unleashed, led by Byron Allen later this month. And if modern late-night television ever had a defining era, Colbert’s reign would easily stand among its most unforgettable chapters.

Reacting to the news in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stephen Colbert addressed CBS’s decision to replace The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with Comics Unleashed, the comedy panel series created by Allen. Rather than responding bitterly, Colbert jokingly praised Allen and reflected on his long-standing comedy legacy, even bringing up how Allen became the youngest comedian ever to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at just 18 years old.

"God bless him. I know Byron. We got to know each other last year, actually. He's fascinating. You know his history with Carson?" Colbert told The Hollywood Reporter.

Colbert further revealed that he even texted Byron Allen the morning after the news broke, jokingly congratulating him for taking over the slot and humorously suggesting he should probably “drop Mr. Carson a note,” referencing legendary late-night icon Johnny Carson. But when asked how he felt about CBS replacing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with a non-traditional late-night format, Stephen Colbert kept his response surprisingly brief and calm, simply stating, “It’s none of my business.”

And while Stephen Colbert prepares to exit CBS, his late-night legacy has already carved its own era in television history.

Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show legacy

Over 11 seasons, Stephen Colbert transformed The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from a sharp political satire machine into what many critics now describe as television’s emotional “grief counselor.” Blending biting monologues with unusually personal empathy, Colbert’s era reshaped modern late-night television while surviving elections, strikes, and cultural chaos across an entire decade. Now, as the show races toward its May 21 finale, CBS has packed Colbert’s final week with what fans are already calling a “late-night Avengers reunion.”

The farewell lineup includes a massive Strike Force Five reunion featuring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver, alongside guests like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, and Barack Obama. A massive Broadway medley featuring stars like Ben Platt and Bernadette Peters will also headline the emotional sendoff.

And while The Late Show now makes way for a new title, Colbert has already carved a late-night legacy that will continue living far beyond the CBS stage itself.

What are your thoughts on Colbert's The Late Show being cancelled? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Lisa Roy

Edited by

Aliza Siddiqui