Jamie Lee Curtis Reacts to CBS Cancelling “The Late Show”

Jamie Lee Curtis, the star of “Freakier Friday,” expressed her feelings about CBS’s decision to cancel Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” during her appearance at the Rascalchurista Culture Awards last Thursday.

“That’s bad,” Curtis said. She mentioned that she was looking forward to attending his show in about two weeks, noting that she had never been to one before.

“I really like him,” she added. “He’s a smart, funny, and lovely person. That’s awful.”

Her comments came on the same day CBS announced that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would conclude in May 2026, after the upcoming season.

The network claimed that the cancellation was a “pure financial decision,” which sparked quite a bit of backlash and discussion.

CBS indicated that Colbert considered the show irreplaceable and would retire from the “Late Show” franchise in May 2026. “I’m proud that Stephen invited CBS into his home,” the network said, emphasizing his significant contribution to late-night television.

They clarified that this decision wasn’t tied to the show’s performance, content, or any other issues at Paramount.

Colbert addressed the situation while filming a Thursday night show at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York. He disclosed that he learned about the cancellation on Wednesday and expressed gratitude to CBS for allowing him to host the program for over a decade.

“I’ve not been replaced. All this will go away,” Colbert stated. He expressed his appreciation for the CBS team, saying, “I’m very grateful to the Tiffany Network for calling this chair and this beautiful theatre home.”

He continued to show gratitude towards the audience and acknowledged the hard work of the 200 staff members who help produce the show.

“It’s a great job. I wish someone else had got it,” he concluded, hinting at his mixed emotions about the future.

However, not all reactions were as composed. Fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel criticized CBS for the cancellation, stating, “Love you Stephen, F-K you and all your Sheldon CBS,” on his Instagram story. Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon expressed his surprise, saying he was “just as shocked as everyone else” and praised Colbert as one of the sharpest hosts.

With the end of “The Late Show” set for May 2026, Colbert will have completed ten full seasons and over 1,600 episodes. He took over the late-night desk in 2015, succeeding David Letterman after his 22-year run.