The Writers Guild of America issued a sharply worded statement Friday in response to CBS’s decision to cancel Stephen Colbert’s Late Show, suggesting that the network bowed to political pressure from Donald Trump—and calling for a state-level investigation into potential corporate wrongdoing.
“Paramount canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colber, a show currently performing first in its timeslot, giving vague references to the program’s ‘financial performance’ as the only explanation,” the Guild wrote. “Given Paramount’s recent capitulation to President Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, 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 statement links the July 2 announcement of a $16 million settlement paid by Paramount to end Trump’s lawsuit against 60 Minutes—a case widely seen as meritless—to Colbert’s July 15 on-air commentary, in which he described the payout as a “big fat bribe” to grease approval of Paramount’s proposed merger with Skydance Media, whose CEO, David Ellison, is a prominent Trump ally. Less than 48 hours after that segment aired, CBS told Colbert his show was being canceled, with the public announcement following a day later.
The Guild emphasizes that The Late Show has been not only CBS’s most-watched late-night program but also a cultural force for a decade. “For ten years, the show has been one of the most successful, beloved and profitable programs on CBS, entertaining an audience of millions on late night television, on streaming services and across social media,” the statement reads.
WGA leadership did not mince words about the stakes: “Cancelations are part of the business, but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society.”
The Guild’s statement comes as scrutiny around the cancellation has intensified. While CBS executives insist the move was purely a financial decision—with sources claiming the show ran a $40 million deficit this year—critics point to the timing, Colbert’s vocal Trump criticism, and the network’s recent legal settlement as evidence of something more calculated.
In the statement, the WGA calls on New York Attorney General Letitia James to investigate “potential wrongdoing at Paramount,” and urges elected officials “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.”
The Guild also pledged support for its members at The Late Show, and across late night, “as they speak truth to power,” adding: “We will explore all potential legal and political avenues to fight for our members in the aftermath of this decision.”
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Glad to see Colbert off the air. Maybe now I can resume watching late night TV. Colbert was an out of control leftist. I was a faithful viewer of Letterman. Like millions of others, turned my TV off when Colbert took over.
Watch any old Johnny Carson tonight show…just 10 minutes of it. Then make up your own mind why the show was cancelled. People…me included want to be entertained, not indoctrinated with Colbert’s personal Trump vendetta. Bernie Sanders was on 41 times…how many amazing dog tricks? The Great Carnack? Etc. I dont want to go to bed thinking about all of the bull sh…t I politics. I want to go to bed laughing. This is not rocket science. Blaming Trump and calling for an investigation is total denial.