Goodbye to Colbert’s Late Show
Recently, there was some intriguing news for those who appreciate real comedy. CBS has decided to end “Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
I can almost hear your thoughts—didn’t that already happen? Well, in a way, yes. It feels like it’s been canceled mentally, emotionally, and creatively for some time now. Think about it: the last time Colbert truly made people laugh, the comedy landscape looked very different.
Now, I’m not suggesting nobody ever chuckled at his jokes. But if they did, it was probably more of a sympathetic laugh. Colbert’s show was often labeled as funny. Yet, it’s essential to recognize that humor can happen elsewhere on TV at the same time. That aspect matters, doesn’t it?
Honestly, Colbert’s show often lulled its audience to sleep, with the applause track making it feel even more monotonous.
Sleepy Comedy for the Elite
From the outset, Colbert carved a niche by making fun of conservatives. His early work at Comedy Central leaned heavily on parody. I mean, he played the role of someone who was outraged at real conservatives while acting superior in a sort of smart-aleck way.
It worked… for a while. But, as with many one-note acts, that humor lost its punch. When he transitioned to CBS, the biting parody morphed into genuine advocacy. Colbert seemed to become a true left-leaning figure, finding himself telling jokes that would resonate only with like-minded individuals.
In truth, Colbert was more of an actor pretending to do comedy than an actual comedian. He seemed a bit more genuine than many contemporary experts falsely donning the journalist hat.
A Culture of Echoes
There’s a deeper layer to this. Colbert is part of a cultural bubble, like the late-night writing staff filled with NPR executives, university diversity officers, and Ivy League graduates who believe their perspective is entirely impartial.
They claim to address bias, but they rarely acknowledge the ideological lens that colors their viewpoint. They genuinely think they’re just stating “the truth,” rarely critiquing their own side.
That’s why his show often felt self-parodic. You kept waiting for a moment when he would drop the facade and recognize the absurdity, but it never happened.
Instead, he offered gentle chuckles at the quirks of Democrats—a “Teehee, aren’t they adorable?” vibe—before launching into a fierce rant against figures like Trump or DeSantis. It wasn’t satire; it was raw partisanship masquerading as comedy.
Many wanted a bit more than what he delivered. But, in the end, it was just the same old Colbert night after night. Until it finally reached its breaking point, leading to its cancellation.
Reflecting on Colbert’s Spark
To be fair, Colbert did have moments of genuine brilliance, particularly during his “Colbert Report” days. One standout occasion involved a conversation with Lawrence Krauss, the physicist known for his views on the universe coming from nothing.
Krauss was promoting his book, “The Universe from Nothing,” which Colbert deftly challenged. The brilliant exchange highlighted how Colbert could cut through intellectual pretensions with sharp wit. That signature moment remains a teaching point in philosophy classrooms.
If only Colbert had maintained that kind of clever comedy instead of devolving into a diatribe against society over the years, he might have left a more lasting legacy.
Longing for Real Humor
It’s heartbreaking, really. Genuine late-night humor has been missing for far too long. The other night, I stumbled upon a rerun of Johnny Carson. It felt like finding an oasis in a desert. Carson navigated humor across the political spectrum without the burden of apologizing for his love of country. He never got caught up in the cultural guilt that has plagued entertainment in recent years.
That contrast makes it even clearer: Colbert never quite got there.
So, goodbye, Stephen Colbert. It’s been a long time coming, and by this point, we’ve all grown accustomed to preparing for the occasion.
