“Stephen is going to evolve and shine brighter than ever in a new format that he controls completely,” O’Brien said about Colbert’s future after ‘The Late Show’ ends
Conan O’Brien is showing support for fellow comedian Stephen Colbert, after news broke that The Late Show will be ending.
O’Brien spoke while being honored by the Television Academy Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 16. During his speech, he said he worries about the future of late-night TV but believes strong voices like Colbert’s will continue to be heard.
“Late-night television, as we’ve known it since around 1950, is going to disappear,” O’Brien said. “But those voices are not going anywhere. People like Stephen Colbert are too talented and too essential to go away.”
He added, “Stephen is going to evolve and shine brighter than ever in a new format that he controls completely.”
Colbert announced on July 17 that his show was canceled, saying CBS made a “financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.” Since then, there’s been talk about the job security of other late-night stars like Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, with rumors fueled by President Donald Trump.
O’Brien admitted there’s “a lot of fear” about what comes next for late-night shows. But he also pointed out that streaming and other platforms give comedians new ways to reach their audiences.
“The life we’ve all known for almost 80 years is undergoing seismic change,” O’Brien explained. “This might just be my nature. I choose not to mourn what is lost, because I think in the most essential way, what we have is not changing at all. Streaming changes the pipeline, but the connection, the talent, the ideas that come into our homes… I think it’s the focus.”
The cancellation of The Late Show happened only days after Colbert criticized CBS’ parent company, Paramount, for paying President Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit. The close timing has made some politicians question whether there were other motives behind the decision.
With Trump’s well-known dislike of late-night hosts, many wonder if the whole format is in danger. But O’Brien is confident the demand for strong, outspoken voices won’t go away.
“It still won’t matter, if the stories are good, if the performances are honest and inspired, if the people making it are brave and of goodwill,” he said.
