Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 22, 2025 · Entertainment

Stephen Colbert Declares Martyrdom and Warns: 'The Gloves Are Off' Against Trump

Stephen Colbert jokingly referred to himself as a 'martyr' before delivering a crude, star-studded response to his cancellation and Donald Trump taking glee in his talk show's end

COLBERT'S CANCELLATION CAUSES CHAOS: LATE NIGHT LEGEND TAKES AIM AT TRUMP, CELEBRITIES UNITE IN SUPPORT

The news that Stephen Colbert's 10-year run on CBS' The Late Show has come to an end sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. And it seems like the entire world is talking about it! But did you know that Colbert had a warning for his longtime foe, Donald Trump? In a scathing monologue on Monday night, Colbert fired off a crude message at Trump, saying "the gloves are off" after the president gloated over the show's cancellation.

The Late Show has been a staple of late-night television since its inception in 1993 under David Letterman. But with ratings slipping and profits dwindling, CBS had no choice but to axe the show. And let's be real, it was only a matter of time before Trump weighed in on the news. He took to his Truth Social platform to celebrate Colbert's ouster, saying "I absolutely love that Colbert" got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings."

The comic turned to an 'Eloquence Cam' and said 'Go f*** yourself' to Trump in response to the president's glee in his cancellation

But Colbert wasn't having it! In a hilarious and scathing response, he took aim at Trump, saying "How dare you, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism? Go f* yourself." Ouch!

And it seems like Colbert's got some company in his rant against Trump. Almost every other liberal late-night talk show host - including Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers - came out in support of their colleague, as did Adam Sandler and Lin-Manuel Miranda! The group even put together a hilarious skit parodying the recent Coldplay kiss cam scandal.

But what's behind the cancellation? Insiders say that The Late Show was losing anywhere from $40 to $100 million per year. And it seems like CBS just couldn't keep throwing good money after bad. But did you know that Colbert himself knew his time was up back in July? He even took a vacation to give CBS time to plot behind his back, CNN reports.

He addressed his bosses at CBS - who he said 'have always been great partners' - before talking about Paramount's decision to cancel the show which he took over from David Letterman in 2015

And what's next for Colbert? He'll be hosting his final show in May 2026, and we can't wait to see what he has in store for us. But in the meantime, it seems like he's not too broken up about the whole thing. In fact, he was reportedly "not angry, actually" about the news.

So there you have it - the drama, the intrigue, the Trump-related chaos! It's been a wild ride for Colbert and his fans, but we're excited to see what the future holds for this beloved late-night legend.

In the show's second segment, Colbert pulled out every name from his celebrity address book. He brought out Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and long-time parody songwriter 'Weird Al' Yankovic

He then cut to various famous people in pairs on the 'kiss cam,' including CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and Bravo stalwart Andy Cohen, who pretended to make out. Adam Sandler and Happy Gilmore co-star Christopher McDonald, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers and John Oliver and Jon Stewart also appeared

Then candidate Donald Trump (left) appears on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert (right) in September 2015, when Trump was first running for president and the first year Colbert hosted the show

CBS execs weighed the pros and cons of canceling the increasingly unprofitable show during its hosts usual summer vacation this month, sources told CNN Friday. They said the move was financially driven even while speaking anonymously, as did insiders who spoke to Puck