The Writers Guild of America is calling foul on the shocking cancellation of one of CBS’ most beloved programs, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
In a move that has raised more than a few eyebrows, Colbert’s long-running show was pulled without warning just days after the host ripped into his network’s parent company, Paramount, for paying what he described as a “big fat bribe” to the Trump administration in a legal settlement.
“The Writers Guild of America has significant concerns that The Late Show’s cancellation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration,” The WGA wrote in a statement.
“A corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society.”
On July 2, Paramount agreed to settle a lawsuit brought against 60 Minutes and CBS News by President Donald Trump for $16 million. Colbert alleged on his July 15 show that the settlement was designed to sway the administration over a proposed $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and American media company Skydance, which is currently under investigation in California.
Calling on New York State Attorney Letitia James, who has previously won a $454 million lawsuit against Trump and his family’s illegal business practices, the WGA has demanded an investigation into potential wrongdoing at Paramount.
“We call on our elected leaders to hold those responsible to account, to demand answers about why this beloved program was canceled, and to assure the public that Colbert and his writers were not censored due to their views or the whims of the President,” they wrote.
Their calls join those of Democrats, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA), who expressed concern over the “coincidental” firing. Schiff wrote on Thursday that “if Paramount and CBS ended The Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know.” (Schiff also happened to be a guest on Thursday night’s episode.)
Unsurprisingly, Trump was delighted with the news, having long taken issue with Colbert. The president wrote in a post on Truth Social that he “absolutely love[s] that Colbert got fired” and suggested that fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel could follow.
CBS, for their part, has claimed that the decision to cancel The Late Show is “purely a financial” one.
“It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” a joint statement from CBS heads read.
Colbert issued a statement on Thursday announcing the cancellation and thanking his staff and viewers.
His contract will come to an end in May of next year, giving him roughly 10 months to continue his unapologetic tirades against the Trump administration. If his ire on Thursday is anything to go by, viewers could be in for a biting season of television.
