The Writers Guild of America, representing writers from both the East and West coasts, has reached out to New York Attorney General Letitia James, urging her to investigate CBS’s decision to cancel “Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
The guild is looking into whether or not writers from the Colbert show would be included in this investigation, which they believe could shed light on Paramount, CBS’s parent company, and its dealings with former President Trump.
According to the guild, Paramount recently settled a lawsuit with Trump concerning CBS News for a hefty $16 million. This settlement, they claim, was part of a larger strategy connected to Paramount’s dealings with Hollywood.
In a statement, the guild expressed its concerns, suggesting that the cancellation of late-night shows might be influenced by undue political motivations. They commented, “Given Paramount’s recent concession to Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, we have significant worries that these cancellations may be reflective of bribery.”
Colbert announced on Thursday that the “Late Show” would be concluding with its final season, wrapping up in May 2026. CBS, however, stated that the show’s cancellation was due to “financial reasons.”
As the media landscape evolves and more people opt for alternatives to cable, late-night ratings and revenues have been on the decline. Nonetheless, the sequence of events prior to this decision raises questions about potential political influences.
Just two days before the cancellation announcement, during an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris on “60 Minutes,” Colbert criticized Paramount’s settlement with Trump, calling it “a big fat bribe.”
The situation escalated further with Trump’s lawsuit against CBS, leading to CBS News president Wendy McMahon’s resignation and the former president threatening to revoke CBS’s broadcasting license.
The Writers Guild commented, “While cancellations are routine in the industry, those motivated by explicit or implicit political pressure undermine democratic values and are quite concerning.”
They further noted that Paramount’s actions in the context of the lawsuits against CBS and ABC appear to fit into a larger pattern of Trump’s assaults on press freedom, which could lead to severe repercussions for media organizations.
In a reaction to the show’s cancellation, Trump celebrated on social media, stating, “I absolutely love Colbert being fired. His talent was even less than he rated.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) echoed concerns regarding the cancellation’s timing, suggesting that it coincided suspiciously with Colbert’s remarks about the settlement with Trump, framing it as potentially politically motivated. “America deserves to know if his show was cancelled for reasons tied to politics,” she remarked.
Letitia James has previously criticized various administrations and has been involved in legal actions related to issues such as after-school programs and immigration policy.
