A comedian from Chicago expressed on Tuesday that the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” might actually lead to increased jokes about President Donald Trump, contrary to concerns raised by liberal critics.
Following CBS’s announcement a few weeks back regarding the cancellation, many, including commentators and lawmakers, labeled the move as authoritarian. They suggested CBS had capitulated to Trump after a recent settlement related to a lawsuit.
While some feared this could result in more censorship or political maneuvering, local comedians trained by Colbert seemed to lean more towards optimism.
Mark Baser, a late-night host, noted, “It’s about targeting someone in the presidency. That’s part of the job. I doubt there are many comedians or late-night hosts who bend their knees.” He added that Colbert might be able to “take off his gloves” when making jokes about Trump, free from the pressures of maintaining his show.
Baser further commented on the tradition of late-night talk shows, stating it’s common to poke fun at those in power.
James Dugan, a local comic known for performing in Chicago’s improvisational shows, shared that his team often pulls jokes from headlines featuring Trump. He mentioned concerns about overdoing it with Trump jokes: “We check several newspapers and have to consider if we should ease up on Trump material because people may be getting weary of it.”
Nonetheless, some comedians expressed worries about the implications of Colbert’s cancellation for the comedy scene. Woong Kim, a stand-up comic, remarked on the dangerous nature of civil servants facing numerous private lawsuits, suggesting such situations could have broader implications for comedy.
Despite the recent announcement, CBS and its parent company, Paramount, assert that the show’s cancellation is grounded in financial considerations, rather than political motivations. An insider indicated that the decision came shortly before Paramount’s agreement with Trump.
Colbert himself has not shied away from criticizing Trump since the show’s cancellation. Just last week, he told Trump to “go F-K for himself” after Trump celebrated the end of “The Late Show.”
