The news that CBS is cutting The Late Show after next year came as a shock to both viewers and industry insiders alike, but it seems no one was more stunned by the news than those who work at the show.
With Colbert noting in yesterday’s cancellation announcement that he himself “found out just last night”—Wednesday—staffers clearly didn’t get word much longer in advance than the rest of the world did.
After the news broke, many of Colbert’s writers, producers, and performers took to social media to share their shock and sorrow about the news.
Colbert’s former bandleader, Jon Batiste, commented on the show’s cancellation announcement with words of praise for Colbert. “The greatest to ever do it,” he wrote, adding emojis of a goat and a broken heart to a post of his own.
Writer Felipe Torres Medina also called Colbert “absolutely the greatest” before alluding to what kind of energy the show may have in store in the months ahead. “We got ten more months of this so you better tune in bc you know we about to go f*ckin loco.”
“Was the run of a lifetime. So grateful for this job and the people I’ve met here,” said producer/director Jake Plunkett. “One thing I will say, Stephen Colbert is an insanely good man who treated us with a tremendous amount of love. Also, he’s insanely funny. I will run through a wall for him the next 10 months.”
Plunkett also lamented the changing face of late night, as CBS has announced it’s ending the Late Show franchise altogether. “The fall of late night is so sad. I grew up loving Conan, SNL, Ferguson, Letterman,” he said.
Writer Carley Moseley celebrated the staff of the show in an IG story, writing, “I love this show, I love these people, I love these people and this show forever and ever amen SEE YALL TIL MAY”
Writer Michael Cruz Kayne shared a similar sentiment, calling his Late Show gig “the best job I could imagine” in an Instagram story, and noting the team had ten months left.
Producer and segment director Ballard C. Boyd cited “Some unfortunate news from the home office” in his own post on Instagram acknowledging the news. Boyd also shared a screenshot of AV Club headline about Colbert’s announcement, whose subhead noted “CBS execs bent over backwards to deny” the cancellation was related to Colbert’s calling out Paramount on Monday night. “The important part of the story,” Boyd captioned.
Writer Asher Perlman, who has begun appearing on air in recent months on Colbert’s “Prove It!” segments, shared a photo of him and Colbert during one of those appearances alongside a broken heart emoji.
Actress Laura Benanti, who has become The Late Show’s on-call Melania Trump impressionist, offered praise of her own to Colbert: “The greatest of them all. 💔”
Being staffers of a comedy show, others naturally took a more humorous tone. Opus Moreschi, a co-executive producer and head writer for Colbert datingback to The Colbert Report, wrote simply: “Not much, and you?”
Colbert’s show will remain on the air until May 2026, giving his team ten more months of work—and workplace memories.
CBS-“CANNOT BEAT STEPHEN!
Where will all the good men go? Can’t wait to find out. We need you, Colbert!