The rumor mill is swirling on social media that Steven Colbert has signed a deal with Netflix after “The Late Show” announced its cancellation, but a closer look at the claims paints the true story.
During Colbert’s final show on Aug. 7 before his hiatus, the host referenced a Daily Beast story on vice president JD Vance, who was accused of requesting the water level of the Little Miami River be raised for his family’s boating excursion.
“This is such an insane, spoiled-baby emperor move that I have no choice but to break out my new character: Wittle Pwince Vance,” Colbert said during the show, using a baby voice while wearing a mask of Vance’s face with a crown. “Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! I want my wiver waised for my birthday! Also, I don’t like how bwue the sky is — paint it wed! Now, give me juice box.” When a staffer handed Colbert a juice box, he whined, “Not fwuit juice — apple! Kill him! Kill him!”
Colbert then took the mask off and said, “Netflix, call me. I’m available in June.” This joke, made a few weeks after CBS announced it would be axing “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in May 2026, became the foundation for the online claim.
According to Newsweek, the claim circulating online stated that Netflix had secured a roughly $13.5 million, seven-episode deal with Colbert.
The speculation was amplified after Politico and Bloomberg wrote that Netflix Co-founder and Chairman, Reed Hastings, donated $2 million to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting efforts.
Additionally, an X user wrote a false claim on the platform stating that “Television legend Stephen Colbert has just signed a $13.5 million deal with Netflix for a 7-episode series,” Newsweek added.
The post quickly went viral, racking up over 1 million views, 39,000 like and 1,700 comments.
However, a context note underneath the X post read, “There is no confirmation that Stephen Colbert has signed a deal with Netflix” and sourced the media outlet Netflix Junkie, which said the claim “is nothing more than a hoax as there has been no confirmation of such a project, nor any indication of Colbert’s next move.”
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
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