Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” has essentially turned into a left-leaning talk space, reflecting a clear bias over the years.
Since 2022, he’s hosted an overwhelming 176 guests with liberal views but only featured one Republican, as highlighted in a recent analysis by Media Watch Dog News Busters. The figures reveal a strikingly one-sided guest list from early 2025, showing 43 liberals and not a single conservative.
As aptly put by an editor from Newsbusters, “The Colbert show has become like late-night therapy for liberals.” It’s evident that many viewers are losing interest in such partisan humor.
Colbert’s lineup has included various Democratic politicians and liberal figures like Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and a mix of journalists from outlets such as MSNBC and HBO. Liz Cheney is noted as the sole conservative guest during this period, having appeared once and even challenged Colbert on his critiques of the GOP.
Her opposition to Trump remains firm, and she has made headlines for teaming up with politicians across party lines during the 2024 campaign.
Interestingly, Colbert hosted Adam Kinzinger in January 2025, but some analysts didn’t count him due to his critical stance on Trump, which aligned more with a Democratic viewpoint.
Now, in May 2026, CBS has announced they will be canceling “The Late Show” due to significant financial losses, citing this as solely a fiscal decision. Yet, the timing seems rather peculiar. Just days prior, Colbert had voiced strong opinions regarding CBS’s dealings with Trump, hinting at deeper issues than just budget cuts.
It’s been reported that the show incurs over $100 million per year in costs, along with substantial annual losses. As one commentator noted, the show’s decline perhaps mirrors a broader issue of alienation among audiences who feel targeted by its messages.
The ongoing analysis documented a stark contrast, revealing that across late-night television, the guest appearances of liberals dominated heavily, with figures showing 511 liberal guests compared to only 14 conservatives.
In the first half of 2025 alone, “The Daily Show” featured 32 left-leaning personalities, with other shows following suit in a similar pattern. The observations call into question the very framework of political discourse presented in these platforms.
Colbert, who has yet to address the recent findings, is slated to continue airing through spring 2026, while his competitors like Kimmel and Fallon are forging ahead with their own contracts.
Steve Bannon has called for a review of the campaign financing strategies used by these entertainment networks, highlighting what he perceives as a pattern of bias favoring Democratic perspectives. He argues that the financial losses attributed to “The Late Show” reflect a larger systemic problem.
