As Byron Allen prepares to take over CBS’s 11:35pm slot Friday night, the media mogul is describing the transition in blunt financial terms.
“I’m putting a lot of money in their cash register,” Allen told NBC’s Chloe Melas in a new interview promoting the launch of Comics Unleashed in the former home of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “I am a gift from the money gods—and the comedy gods.”
Beginning Friday, Allen’s long-running comedy panel series will officially replace Colbert with back-to-back episodes airing nightly at 11:35pm on CBS. The move expands Allen Media Group’s existing time-buy arrangement with the network, which already included the 12:35am hour that was previously home to After Midnight and The Late Late Show.
To hear Allen describe it, it was a deal the network couldn’t refuse.
“When Colbert got unexpectedly canceled, I said, ‘Okay, do you like money?’” Allen told NBC. “I’ll buy the time period and you can save over $110 million.”
Though Colbert was a thorn in the side of Donald Trump and his cancellation came as CBS parent Paramount was seeking regulatory approval from Trump’s FCC, CBS has insisted the decision was “purely a financial decision,” despite The Late Show remaining the top-rated program at 11:35.
Content-wise, Allen will take the time period in a dramatically different direction from the topical, politics-heavy approach that defined the Colbert era. Allen has emphasized that Comics Unleashed will continue to focus on “evergreen” comedy designed to avoid controversy—and age well in repeats.
“I don’t care who you vote for,” he said. “I’m just here to make you laugh.”
Allen added that viewers shouldn’t expect major changes to his show’s format as it moves into one of television’s most historically significant time slots.
“Nothing political, nothing sexist, nothing racist, nothing anti-Semitic, nothing homophobic,” he said. “Just be funny.”
For Allen, the move represents both a business play and a personal milestone. In the NBC interview, he reflected on watching Johnny Carson as a child while visiting NBC with his mother, who worked there as an intern, before eventually becoming one of the youngest comedians ever to perform on The Tonight Show.
“In the history of television, in almost 100 years, you’ve never had a Black person at 11:30 on ABC, NBC, CBS,” Allen said. “I think that’s important.”
Comics Unleashed makes its 11:35pm CBS premiere Friday.
“In the history of television, in almost 100 years, you’ve never had a Black person at 11:30 on ABC, NBC, CBS,” Allen said. “I think that’s important.”
Agreed….best of luck Byron Allen.
KKK Democrats will hate you, but replacing a mediocre white man like Colbert will make you a target from them
Since when tf is racist turd like you wishing luck for a black person? You described Obama as an ape, and you think people won’t notice!
And it’s Republicans who are the party of the Klan, Mucky Boy! Ever since Nixon’s Southern Stragedy!
Really? That makes Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and Al Gore and Colbert as the KKK?
Yeah it does..
Don’t listen to them Byron!
Colbert was Jim Crow 2.0, but you will be a success.
Meanwhile, your precious toddler Drumpf is the biggest piece of racist shit to ever occupy the White House in modern times! Do you approve of him trying to wipe out and eliminate the efforts and achievements of black Americans? Because that’s what he’s trying to do!
Hypocrite, that’s you!
How is he trying to wipe out their achievements? Is he trying to replace Clarence Thomas, bc thats what KKK Democrats want to do.
For starters, Mucky Boy! And Thomas is being targeted because he’s a hack jurists who’s bought and paid for by billionaire Republican doners!
Stop being obtuse!
We know CBS loves money..Mr Allen you are not a pimple on Colbert’s behind The fact that you had to buy your way into this time slot speaks volumes about you and CBS.