The optics are hard to ignore: a top-rated show, led by one of Trump’s most vocal critics, axed just weeks after Paramount settled a lawsuit with Trump and began courting conservative media figures for leadership roles in the post-merger company. 

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who opened an investigation into Paramount’s settlement with Trump, took note. “CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery,” she wrote on X. “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”

The Writers Guild of America also weighed in, calling the cancelation a possible “bribe” and urging the New York Attorney General to investigate. “Given Paramount’s recent capitulation to President Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, the Writers Guild of America has significant concerns that The Late Show’s cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval,” it said in a statement.

Other late night hosts and stars also reacted with disgust. ABC’s Kimmel, never one to mince words, responded with a blunt “Fuck you CBS” on his Instagram story. And NBC’s Jimmy Fallon also expressed surprise: “I’m just as shocked as everyone. Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I’d ride this out with him for years to come.”

And Colbert may not be the only one on the chopping block. As Status previously reported, Jon Stewart’s future at Paramount-owned Comedy Central is also uncertain. Stewart, who returned to “The Daily Show” last year on a part-time basis, addressed the situation on his podcast this week: “Unfortunately, we haven’t heard anything from them. They haven’t called me and said like, ‘Don’t get too comfortable in that office, Stewart!’” He added, “But let me tell you something: I’ve been kicked out of shittier establishments than that. We’ll land on our feet.”

The cancellation of “The Late Show” marks more than just the shuttering of a comedy program; it’s the end of an era for the Tiffany Network. Once a symbol of journalistic excellence and cultural leadership, CBS now appears determined to dismantle its own legacy in pursuit of short-term political favor and corporate consolidation. As the network trades its identity for expediency, the message is clear: no institution, no matter how storied, is safe from the forces reshaping American media.