The Future of “The Late Show” Comes Into Question
Under Stephen Colbert’s leadership, “The Late Show” transformed into a platform primarily for Democrats and left-leaning media figures. It’s notable that there have been in excess of 200 episodes featuring various liberal guests.
Recently, CBS announced that the show would officially conclude in May 2026. This comes on the heels of a broader investigation into the political landscape of late-night television, particularly focusing on its left-leaning tendencies.
The trouble seems to stem from a line-up heavily weighted with guests from the liberal media, which has led to concerns about balance.
For instance, figures like Anderson Cooper, who appeared 20 times, were regulars. Cooper even showed up for a recent audience skit, hinting at support for Colbert amid corporate troubles involving CBS and Paramount.
Notably, Jake Tapper joined the show a dozen times, while many other liberal journalists from CBS and rival networks were frequent guests. It’s interesting, I suppose, how these affiliations seemed to foster a sort of mutual promotion—a strategy that frequently played out in the show’s dynamics.
John Heilemann and Alex Wagner from MSNBC shared their presence on the show at least ten times, likely benefiting from their connections through other projects airing on Showtime.
Although some hosts feel let down by the upcoming cancellation, others, like John Stewart, suggest that this was a corporate strategy rather than a financial miscalculation. Despite CBS’s assertion that the show operated at a loss of about $40 million a year, it had lost its attraction, perhaps not entirely unconnected to the political climate.
In the viewership department, liberal late-night shows were averaging 3.1 million viewers—outpacing CBS’s “Gutfeld!” show. Meanwhile, the demographics favored by advertisers depicted that Colbert’s show had about 288,000 viewers aged 25-54, compared to Gutfeld!’s 398,000. It raises questions about how the future of late-night television—and its political alignment—will unfold.
