We're Losing More Than Colbert Tonight

John Adams said: "Tonight is the final episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”. I think many people are saddened, and are mourning the anticipated absence of Colbert. It's being called,“the end of an era”, etc. but there is a bigger loss that’s being masked by: a) nearly a year’s time since this was first announced, and b) the insidious history of how and why this moment came to be.

I want to focus on that “b” section because I feel that the timeline of that history was elongated, over an extended period; elongated enough that it’s easy to lose sight of the whole timeline and its consequence.

So… Here’s the entire history, all in one place, as broadcast by CBC News (CBC/Radio-Canada is a Canadian public broadcast service), on the “Two Blocks from the White House” podcast. This episode is from May 20, 2026. Scrub forward to the 4:45 timestamp to begin:

Tonight is a bigger loss than just Stephen Colbert (although I will miss himimmensely). Tonight a bit of our right to free speech is being officially silenced."

Nobody lost any free speech with Colbert and the Late show ending. Can Colbert do concerts across the country and bash Trump all he wants; the answer is yes. Is Colbert free to try and get another show with different networks, the answer is yes. Could Colbert start his own podcast, the answer is yes. Late night talk shows have lost their audience and part of that is because they became too political. It is fine to tell jokes about the party in power and the current POTUS but having guests like Adam Schiff or Chuck Schumer is not entertaining to most people.

Best part of the show was with Paul McCartney. Very nice gift of autographed picture of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show he gave Colbert. McCartney doing "Hello Goodbye" with people like Elvis Costello was perfect song to end it. The bit at the end of McCartney and Colbert turning off the lights of the Ed Sullivan theater was funny and touching.

Zeppie2022 said: "Nobody lost any free speech with Colbert and the Late show ending."

You're wrong.

I wrote: "Tonight a bit of our right to free speech is being officially silenced." Your harangue is just a smoke screen (logic error).

Although I can agree that McCartney was an excellent bookend for the Ed Sullivan Theater, given that the theater's future role is not currently known.

Updated On: 5/22/26 at 12:24 PM

kdogg36 said: "If a network cancels a show for its own reasons, that's not a free speech issue. Just like it's not a free speech issue if a newspaper decides not to run my letter to the editor or Amazon chooses not to publish my review of a product.

If the government steps in and pressures any of these entities when making thiskindof decision, that's obviously censorship and very much a free speech issue. I don't really think there's any reasonable doubt that the current administration applied such pressure in this case."

Like "John Adams", you have chosen to ignore the fact that the Late Show was losing 40-50 million dollars annually may have played a part in the cancelation of the show. I can't tell you how a network handles pressure from government to cancel a show, but I can tell you they don't like losing money. In addition, most people concede the "late night" shows are a genre that is dying.

John Adams said: "Zeppie2022 said: "Like 'John Adams'"

Really? Air quotes?

I can't think of a single instance or reason why, irl I, or anyone would/should write a person's name using air-quotes.

But that doesn't imply "unique". It just means nobody else does it."

I thought since it was not your real name and your username that it should be in quote marks. It appears from what you said I was wrong, my apologies. There was no malice intended. People can make mistakes.

John Adams said: "Zeppie2022 said: "It appears from what you said I was wrong, my apologies. There was no malice intended. People can make mistakes."

Forgiven or Forgotten. Pick the one you find most attractive. That's the one that's yours."

There is nothing to be forgiven for, I made innocent mistake with no intent to hurt anyone. So, the answer after this reply is forgotten.

Sutton Ross said: ""