Stephen Colbert is getting by with a little help from his friends after CBS canceled The Late Show last week.
A bevy of Colbert’s fellow late night competitors, including Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, appeared in the audience during the Monday, July 21, episode of the CBS talk show to show solidarity with Colbert. Also in the crowd were The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart, Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver, Watch What Happens Live’s Andy Cohen and CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
In true late night satirical fashion, the stars popped up on screen during a parody of last week’s viral Coldplay concert debacle involving former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and chief people officer Kristin Cabot. Colbert brought out Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Weird” Al Yankovic to perform a number to cheer up the studio audience amid the cancellation news.
As Miranda and Yankovic began performing Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida,” the camera panned to various celebrities in the audience: Fallon and Meyers were spotted enjoying beers, actor Adam Sandler raised a toast — or rather a basket of popcorn shrimp — to Colbert, Cohen planted a kiss on Cooper, and Stewart and Oliver expressed surprise at being shown on camera.
The camera then moved on to a cartoon version of President Donald Trump (from the Colbert-produced animated series Our Cartoon President) embracing CBS parent company Paramount’s logo. Much like Byron at the Coldplay concert, the cartoon president quickly ducked out of the shot after being shown on camera as Yankovic channeled Coldplay’s Chris Martin, declaring, “These two! Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
Colbert then took a swipe at CBS and Paramount, stopping the musical number and informing Miranda and Yankovic, “Your song has been canceled. It says here, ‘This is a purely financial decision,’” referring to CBS’ recent statement sharing their reasoning for canceling The Late Show.
The Trump reference follows speculation over whether The Late Show’s cancellation was politically motivated. Just days before announcing the end of his show, Colbert criticized Paramount for settling a $16 million lawsuit brought by Trump, who claimed CBS’ 60 Minutes had unfairly edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. (Paramount is in the midst of merging with media company Skydance — a deal that must be approved by the Trump administration.)
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders wrote via X last week, “CBS’s billionaire owners pay Trump $16 million to settle a bogus lawsuit while trying to sell the network to Skydance. Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late night host, slams the deal. Days later, he’s fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO.”
In his opening monologue Monday night, Colbert alluded to such speculation, asking, “How could it purely be a financial decision if The Late Show is No. 1 in ratings?”
Before The Late Show goes off the air in May 2026, Colbert vowed that “for the next 10 months, the gloves are off.”
“I can finally speak unvarnished truth to power and say what I really think about Donald Trump — starting right now,” he said, before quipping, “I don’t care for him.”
Colbert also responded to Trump’s Truth Social post celebrating his cancellation last week. “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next,” Trump wrote Friday, July 18.
“How dare you, sir,” Colbert said. “Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?” he continued before joking, “Go f*** yourself.”
As for Kimmel being next on the chopping block, Colbert quipped, “Nope! No, no. Absolutely not, Kimmel. I am the martyr. There’s only room for one on this cross.”
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