Just days after CBS announced it was pulling the plug on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, former host David Letterman weighed in — in classic Letterman fashion.
On July 21, the 78-year-old comedy legend posted a montage video to YouTube featuring clips of himself poking fun at CBS during his 22-year run on The Late Show (1993–2015). The caption on the video delivered a pointed jab: “You can’t spell CBS without BS.”
While Letterman didn’t directly mention Colbert or the show’s cancellation, the timing of his post — just four days after the news broke — has been widely interpreted as a show of solidarity with Colbert, who succeeded Letterman in 2015.
Colbert, 61, announced on his July 17 episode that The Late Show will end in May 2026. “Next year will be our last season,” he told the audience. “The network will be ending The Late Show in May.” Colbert emphasized that he wasn’t being replaced — the show itself is being entirely shut down.
“It’s not just the end of our show,” he added, “but it’s the end of The Late Show at CBS.”
CBS called the decision “purely financial” in a statement to PEOPLE, saying it was unrelated to the show’s ratings, content, or ongoing issues at the network’s parent company, Paramount. The network said the decision was “agonizing” and praised Colbert, expressing “admiration, affection, and respect.”
However, the cancellation came just days after Colbert publicly criticized Paramount for settling a lawsuit with former President Donald Trump. On his July 14 show, Colbert called out the $16 million settlement over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 election — an episode Trump alleged was deceptively edited.
The settlement is part of broader turbulence at Paramount, which is currently navigating a proposed merger with Skydance — a deal that may require sign-off from the Trump administration.
In the wake of the cancellation, Colbert has received an outpouring of support from fellow late-night hosts. Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, and John Oliver all made surprise appearances on Colbert’s July 21 episode. Jimmy Kimmel also chimed in via Instagram, writing: “Love you Stephen. F— you and all your Sheldons CBS.”
Letterman’s video, filled with years of CBS barbs and sarcasm, served as a vintage reminder that the network has long been a target of late-night skepticism — including from the man who once led the Late Show stage himself.
