Comics Unleashed to Replace Late Show After Stephen Colbert's Departure
CBS has announced that Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen will move into the 11:30 p.m. time slot following the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which goes off the air on May 21. The network sold the slot to Allen, a television and film producer, marking a significant shift in its late-night programming strategy.
New Comedy Block Schedule
Starting May 22, CBS will air back-to-back, 30-minute episodes of Comics Unleashed, followed by Allen's comedic game show Funny You Should Ask at 12:30 a.m. This creates a two-hour comedy block aimed at filling the void left by Colbert's departure. The talk show, which premiered in 2006 and is hosted by Allen, features various comedians and is currently broadcast right after The Late Show.
In a statement, Allen expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "I created and launched Comics Unleashed 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh. I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask because the world can never have enough laughter."
End of an Era for The Late Show
CBS ordered the cancellation of The Late Show last July, ending a landmark late-night program that began in 1993 when David Letterman defected from NBC to CBS after being passed over as host of The Tonight Show for Jay Leno. Colbert took over in September 2015 after leaving his Comedy Central show The Colbert Report, where he played a satirical version of right-wing media pundits.
Upon joining The Late Show, Colbert dropped his satirical persona but leaned into progressive viewpoints on social and political issues. He became known for passionate monologues criticizing former U.S. President Donald Trump, with some critics arguing he made politics too central to what was intended as a comedy show.
Controversy and Cancellation Factors
Audience numbers reportedly declined, with Colbert averaging only 2.4 million viewers per night—a relatively low figure in late-night television. Reports indicated the show was losing $40 million annually. While some speculated that political pressure from CBS's parent company, Paramount, influenced the decision, Paramount stated the cancellation was "not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
However, Variety noted that Paramount Global was being acquired by Skydance and required approval from the Trump administration for the deal to proceed. Days before the cancellation announcement, Colbert criticized CBS for paying Trump $16 million to settle a libel lawsuit related to a 60 Minutes segment, calling it "a big fat bribe." This added fuel to rumors of political motivations behind the show's end.
The transition to Comics Unleashed represents a strategic pivot for CBS, focusing on comedy-centric programming to attract viewers in the post-Colbert era. As Allen's shows take over the late-night slot, the network aims to reinvigorate its lineup with laughter and entertainment, distancing itself from the politically charged atmosphere that characterized Colbert's tenure.
