{"id":2429776,"date":"2026-05-24T00:29:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T00:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2429776"},"modified":"2026-05-24T00:29:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T00:29:06","slug":"heres-the-blunt-pitch-byron-allen-made-to-cbs-to-get-stephen-colberts-time-slot-after-the-late-show-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/heres-the-blunt-pitch-byron-allen-made-to-cbs-to-get-stephen-colberts-time-slot-after-the-late-show-ends\/","title":{"rendered":"Here&#8217;s the blunt pitch Byron Allen made to CBS to get Stephen Colbert&#8217;s time slot after \u201cThe Late Show\u201d ends"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\">Key Points<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Byron Allen revealed the pitch he made to CBS to get <em>Comics Unleashed<\/em> in the <em>The Late Show<\/em>&#8216;s time slot after it ends.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The businessman asked the network, &#8220;Do you like money?&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Allen then offered to buy the time slot, calling himself a gift from the money and comedy gods: &#8220;I&#8217;m putting a lot of money in their cash register.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It&#8217;s no laughing matter. Byron Allen has pulled back the curtain on the very blunt pitch he made to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/entity\/cbs\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:CBS;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;CBS&quot;}\" class=\"link \">CBS<\/a> to get <em>Comics Unleashed<\/em> in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:The Late Show;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;The Late Show&quot;}\" class=\"link \"><em>The Late Show<\/em><\/a>&#8216;s soon-to-be-vacant time slot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The comedy talk show will officially <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/cbs-reveals-replacement-for-the-late-show-11943687\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:take over the network's 11:35 p.m. slot Friday night;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;take over the network'&quot;}\" class=\"link \">take over the network&#8217;s 11:35 p.m. slot Friday night<\/a>, just one day after the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/person\/stephen-colbert\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Stephen Colbert;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Stephen Colbert&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Stephen Colbert<\/a>\u2013hosted late-night franchise airs its final episode. <em>Comics Unleashed <\/em>will be followed by another Allen-produced series, <em>Funny You Should Ask<\/em>, which will air at 12:35 a.m.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;When Colbert got unexpectedly canceled, I said, &#8216;Okay, do you like money?&#8217; They said, &#8216;Yes,'&#8221; Allen told <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xbdidt-a2wQ\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:NBC News;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;NBC News&quot;}\" class=\"link \">NBC News<\/a> of his pitch to CBS. &#8220;I&#8217;ll buy the time period and you can save over $110 million.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><i>Byron Allen<br \/>Credit: Paramount+<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Last July, CBS announced that <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert-to-end-in-2026-cbs-retiring-franchise-11774759\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:The Late Show would conclude its 33-year run;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;The Late Show would conclude its 33-year run&quot;}\" class=\"link \"><em>The Late Show<\/em> would conclude its 33-year run<\/a> at the end of the broadcast season. The network called the move &#8220;purely a financial decision&#8221; that wasn&#8217;t &#8220;related in any way to the show&#8217;s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Now, Allen has revealed that he plans to lease the time slot from the network and sell its ad revenue himself. &#8220;I&#8217;m putting a lot of money in their cash register,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I am a gift from the money gods. And the comedy gods.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">His series, however, will stay far away from the type of political humor that defined <em>The Late Show<\/em>.\u00a0&#8220;I don&#8217;t care who you vote for. I just don&#8217;t care,&#8221; Allen said. &#8220;That&#8217;s your business. Go do what you gotta do, you know? I&#8217;m just here to make you laugh.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Instead, <em>Comics Unleashed<\/em> will maintain its original format and feature, as Allen explained, &#8220;nothing political, nothing sexist, nothing racist, nothing antisemitic, nothing homophobic.&#8221; He added that he wants his show to &#8220;just be funny.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong><em>Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with\u00a0our\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/ew-dispatch-newsletter-11812417\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:EW Dispatch newsletter;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;EW Dispatch newsletter&quot;}\" class=\"link \">EW Dispatch newsletter<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The businessman also revealed that <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/stephen-colbert-byron-allen-lunch-late-show-11977702\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:he recently had lunch with Colbert;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;he recently had lunch with Colbert&quot;}\" class=\"link \">he recently had lunch with Colbert<\/a>, about whom he had only good things to say. &#8220;He is a phenomenal human being,&#8221; Allen said. &#8220;Stephen Colbert is truly special. I mean, I love him. He is so gracious, so kind, so genuine. And he texted me and said, &#8216;Congratulations on getting the time period.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Before <em>Comics Unleashed <\/em>is unleashed on CBS, <em>The Late Show<\/em> <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/stephen-colbert-final-late-show-will-be-extra-long-11978479\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:will get a proper send-off Thursday night;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;will get a proper send-off Thursday night&quot;}\" class=\"link \">will get a proper send-off Thursday night<\/a>, running <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/stephen-colbert-final-late-show-will-be-extra-long-11978479\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:19 minutes longer;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;19 minutes longer&quot;}\" class=\"link \">19 minutes longer<\/a> than usual and wrapping at 12:54 a.m.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It is currently unclear <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert-final-episodes-guests-11977818\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:who will join Colbert;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;who will join Colbert&quot;}\" class=\"link \">who will join Colbert<\/a> in the Ed Sullivan Theater for his last day on the job. The Emmy-winning host invited a large group of celebrities to the show for its penultimate episode Wednesday night, including Robert De Niro, Aubrey Plaza, and Jeff Daniels \u2014\u00a0who <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/stephen-colbert-questionert-answers-11980931\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:helped administer the Colbert Questionert to him;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;helped administer the Colbert Questionert to him&quot;}\" class=\"link \">helped administer the Colbert Questionert to him<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I&#8217;ve always said that I wouldn&#8217;t give my answers to any of those questions until the show was over,&#8221; Colbert remarked. &#8220;But\u2026 this is close enough.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Read the original article on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/byron-allen-pitch-to-cbs-to-get-stephen-colbert-time-slot-after-late-show-ends-11981396\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Entertainment Weekly;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Entertainment Weekly&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Entertainment Weekly<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Points Byron Allen revealed the pitch he made to CBS to get Comics Unleashed in the The Late Show&#8216;s time slot after it ends. The businessman asked the network, &#8220;Do you like money?&#8221; Allen then offered to buy the time slot, calling himself a gift from the money and comedy gods: &#8220;I&#8217;m putting a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2422245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[427418,450004,22653,33798],"class_list":["post-2429776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-byron-allen","tag-comics-unleashed","tag-stephen-colbert","tag-the-late-show"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Byron-Allen-details-lunch-with-Stephen-Colbert-prior-to-being.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2429776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2429776"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2429776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2429777,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2429776\/revisions\/2429777"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2422245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2429776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2429776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2429776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}