Key Points
David Letterman slammed CBS’ claims that the Late Show was canceled over financial reasons.
“I’m just going to go on record as saying: They’re lying,” Letterman told the New York Times.
The network announced in July 2025 that the long-running talk show franchise would air its last episode this May.
David Letterman is not mincing words when it comes to CBS’ cancellation of The Late Show franchise.
In an interview with the New York Times, Letterman got candid when asked if he believed the network needed to cancel the historic talk show for financial reasons.
“They don’t share the books with me. All of television seems to have been nicked by digital communication and streaming platforms and on and on. TV may not be the money machine it once was,” Letterman responded. “On the other hand, what about the humanity for Stephen [Colbert] and the humanity of people who love him and the humanity for people who still enjoyed that 11:30 respite?”
Letterman, who hosted the series from 1993 until his retirement in 2015, then suggested those overseeing Skydance Media’s $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, “dumped” Stephen Colbert so he didn’t make any more “trouble” for the network.
“I’m just going to go on record as saying: They’re lying,” Letterman said. “Let me just add one other thing… They’re lying weasels.”
‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’
Credit: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS
CBS announced in July 2025 that The Late Show would be ending the following May. “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time,” CBS said in a statement at the time. “We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.”
The statement continued, “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Colbert soon addressed the cancellation on his show. “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away,” he said at the time.
“Let me tell you, it is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it. And it’s a job that I’m looking forward to doing with this usual gang of idiots for another 10 months. It’s going to be fun.”
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Letterman told the Times that when he learned the Late Show was canceled, his initial thought was “disbelief.”
“Then I wondered: What the hell have they done to Stephen [Colbert]?” Letterman said. “And I would say farther down on the list is your point: Wait a minute, this used to be my show. It’s like driving by your old neighborhood and realizing that where you used to live, they’re putting up an adult bookstore.”
The last episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs on Thursday, May 21, on CBS. Starting May 22, Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen will take over Colbert’s 11:35 p.m. ET/PT slot.
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