Jon Stewart slams CBS for axing Stephen Colbert's late evening present

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"The Every day Present" host Jon Stewart lambasted CBS on Monday over its choice to cancel "The Late Present with Stephen Colbert," dismissing the declare that it was a monetary choice and never meant to appease President Donald Trump .

"Clearly, I'm definitely not essentially the most goal to touch upon this matter," Stewart conceded earlier than revisiting Colbert's late-night rise on Comedy Central on "The Every day Present" and "The Colbert Report," earlier than singing his praises at CBS.

"Watching Stephen exceed all expectations within the position and develop into the primary late-night present on community tv has been an plain nice pleasure for me as a viewer and as his buddy, and now Stephen has been canceled for ‘purely monetary causes,’ Stewart mentioned whereas casting doubt on the community's declare.

Comedy Central and CBS are sister networks beneath the Paramount umbrella.

CBS CANCELS ‘THE LATE SHOW,’ STEPHEN COLBERT TO END PROGRAM IN MAY 2026

"Every day Present" host Jon Stewart took CBS to job for its cancellation of "The Late Present" hosted by his buddy Stephen Colbert. (Screenshot/Comedy Central)

Stewart acknowledged late-night TV broadly is struggling financially, however harassed that "when your trade is confronted with modifications, you do not simply name it a day."

"The truth that CBS did not attempt to save their quantity one-rated community late-night franchise that is been on the air for over three many years is a part of what's making everyone marvel, ‘Was this purely monetary, or possibly the trail of least resistance on your $8 billion merger?'" he requested.

"Was killing a present that you already know rankled a fragile and vengeful president so insecure, struggling terribly from a case of continual penis insufficiency," Stewart mentioned. "I imagine CBS misplaced the good thing about the doubt two weeks prior after they offered out their flagship information program to pay an extortion payment to mentioned president."

CBS STAFFER CALLS STEPHEN COLBERT'S CANCELLATION A ‘CHILLING OF FREE SPEECH’

Stewart mentioned he understood making selections with an $8 billion merger at stake, however grew critical, saying, "The exhibits that you just now search to cancel, censor and management, a not insignificant portion of that $8 billion worth got here from these f---ing exhibits."

"That is what made you that cash! Exhibits that say one thing, exhibits that take a stand, exhibits which are unafraid," he mentioned. "We attempt. We f---ing attempt each evening. And when you imagine, as firms or as networks, you may make yourselves so innocuous, that you may serve a gruel so flavorless that you'll by no means once more be on the boy king's radar, why will anybody watch you, and you're f---ing incorrect."

CBS introduced it was canceling "The Late Present with Stephen Colbert" for monetary causes and that the present will end airing in Could 2026. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS through Getty Photographs)

The Comedy Central host went on to say critics will not discover a "smoking gun electronic mail or cellphone name" to reply why Colbert's present was being canceled however that the reply is "within the concern and pre-compliance that's gripping all of America's establishments at this very second."

"This isn't the second to provide in. I am not giving in. I am not going wherever, I feel," Stewart mentioned, jokingly alluding to how Comedy Central can be owned by CBS' mum or dad firm Paramount. "To these establishments, to these firms and advertisers and universities and legislation companies, all of them. In the event you nonetheless assume that bending the knee to Trump will prevent, I've one factor to say… sack the f--- up."

COLBERT'S ‘LATE SHOW’ WAS REPORTEDLY LOSING CBS $40M A YEAR AS CRITICS SPECULATE POLITICS DROVE CANCELLATION

Stewart acknowledged final week he would not know what his future is at Comedy Central as soon as Paramount and Skydance full their merger. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS through Getty Photographs)

Stewart completed his monologue with a gospel choir behind him, preaching to the viewers, "In the event you're afraid and also you defend your backside line, I've obtained however one factor to say, only one little phrase: go f--- your self!"

CBS shocked the nation with its announcement final week that it could finish "The Late Present" in Could 2026. Liberal critics accused CBS and Paramount of being politically motivated, however a report from Puck's Matt Belloni confirmed that Colbert's present was costing the community $40 million a yr and that it had been working on a whopping $100 million funds per season.

Stewart himself admitted final week he doesn't know this future at Comedy Central beneath future possession.

Colbert's cancellation comes on the heels of Paramount settling Trump's lawsuit in opposition to CBS Information over its modifying of a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris final yr. Colbert was among the many voices who had been harshly essential of the transfer, likening it to paying a bribe with the merger looming and needing administration approval.

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In the meantime, Fox Information Channel's " Gutfeld !" has surged to develop into late-night's highest-rated program. Within the second quarter of 2025, the present notched 3 million viewers and 365,000 within the 25-54 age demographic on the 10 p.m. ET hour, placing it forward of "The Late Present," "The Every day Present," and late-night packages ABC and NBC.

Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox Information Digital. Story ideas may be despatched to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.