“The Late Show” and Its Liberal Leanings
During Stephen Colbert’s time as host, “The Late Show” became a notable stage for not just Democrats, but also for various left-leaning journalists and personalities.
According to data from Fox News Digital, at least 200 episodes featured individuals from the liberal media.
Now, with CBS’s announcement last week about the show’s cancellation—scheduled for May 2026—the political dynamics of “The Late Show” are under the microscope.
Remarkably, CNN anchor and “60 Minutes” correspondent Anderson Cooper stands out with a record of 20 guest spots on the show.
Cooper recently supported Colbert with a playful cameo that poked fun at CBS’s parent company, Paramount, and Donald Trump.
Other notable faces included CNN’s Jake Tapper, who made 12 appearances, along with the “Pod Save America” crew with 10, and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow with eight. Whoopi Goldberg also had a few appearances on the show.
Colbert frequently invited colleagues from CBS’s news division, helping to cross-promote their work.
In terms of numbers, John Dickerson has appeared 19 times, Gayle King 14, Nora O’Donnell six, and Margaret Brennan three.
On multiple occasions, Colbert shared the screen with King and other CBS Morning hosts.
Other regulars from MSNBC, like John Heilemann and Alex Wagner, have also appeared at least 10 times, thanks to their roles on “The Circus,” which aired on Showtime, another Paramount network.
Colbert welcomed liberal journalists from other major networks, including ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, to name a few.
While the CNN and MSNBC hosts consistently leaned toward anti-Trump sentiments, they became familiar faces at the Ed Sullivan Theater.
Co-hosts of “Morning Joe,” Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, have each been on the show four times, while Joy Reid appeared before her departure from MSNBC this year.
Notably, MSNBC figures like Nicolle Wallace and Jen Psaki each appeared three times, along with Christiane Amanpour from CNN International.
Other prominent media personalities who graced Colbert’s stage include Katie Couric, Bob Costa, and Maggie Haberman, among others.
This cancellation has sparked anger among liberals, many of whom, including Jon Stewart, believe the decision was aimed more at making a statement against Trump than a financial one, as CBS claims.
Still, it’s reported that “The Late Show” lost $40 million annually, burning through $100 million per season.
Despite the challenges faced by liberal late-night hosts, they recorded an average of 3.1 million viewers until mid-July, overshadowing CBS’s “Gutfeld!” which averaged 1.9 million.
In comparison, ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” drew 1.5 million viewers, while NBC’s “Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” managed 1.1 million, and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” reached 751,000.
Regarding the valuable 25-54 demographic, Colbert averaged 288,000 viewers against “Gutfeld’s” 398,000.
