Late Show With Stephen Colbert to Be Replaced By Comedy Shows

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Next month, Stephen Colbert‘s show will be followed by programs that prioritize traditional comedy and jokes, rather than focusing on political anger.

Now that Stephen Colbert’s time on The Late Show is finishing up in May, the network has decided not to continue the show with a new host or a similar format. Instead, they’re ending the late-night program altogether. Byron Allen will take over the 11:35 p.m. timeslot with two of his comedy shows, Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask.

Not another desk. Not another monologue. Not another lecture disguised as entertainment.

Just stand-up comedy and panel humor.

And that alone tells you everything you need to know about where late night has been.

CBS Walks Away From The Late-Night Talk Show Model

Rather than keep funding a typical late-night show, CBS is trying a new approach: they’re leasing the time slot to Allen Media Group. CBS will receive payment for the hour, and Allen Media Group will be responsible for creating the show and selling the advertising.

Financially, this makes sense. Late-night talk shows have been losing viewers for a while, and the expense of making them keeps increasing.

But culturally, this is something else entirely.

This isn’t just the end of a TV show; it marks the end of a style of late-night programming that lost touch with what originally made the format successful.

When Comedy Took a Backseat

Late night used to be simple. You tuned in to laugh at jokes.

Eventually, things shifted, particularly with hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. The late-night shows started focusing less on jokes and more on political commentary, often heavily focused on President Trump, where delivering a message became more important than making people laugh.

That strategy alienated Republican voters and made the show less appealing to a wide audience, harming what had previously been a broadly entertaining format.

And now CBS appears ready to reset.

Byron Allen Brings the Focus Back to Laughter

Look, Allen isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel here, and honestly, I appreciate that. His whole approach is beautifully simple: he’s giving comedians a space to do what they do best – make people laugh. It’s a refreshingly direct idea, and it really works.

Twenty years ago, I started ‘Comics Unleashed’ to give comedians a place to share their humor and make people laugh,” said Allen, founder, chairman, and CEO of Allen Media Group. “I’m grateful CBS believes in the show enough to air both ‘Comics Unleashed’ and ‘Funny You Should Ask,’ because you can never have too much laughter in the world.”

It’s a stark contrast to what late night has become — and maybe that’s the point.

A Signal About Where Late Night Is Headed

CBS isn’t just making a programming change. It’s making a statement.

Rather than trying to stay current by constantly commenting on news events, the network believes viewers ultimately just want to relax and enjoy a good laugh. They’re aiming for entertainment without the pressure of daily news cycles, hidden agendas, or the need to be informed to understand the humor.

Just comedy.

What a refreshing change of pace.

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2026-04-07 16:57