Stephen Colbert's Bittersweet Boss Tribute: A Late Show Joke for the Ages

THE BOMBSHELLS KEEP COMING: STEPHEN COLBERT'S LATE-NIGHT SHOW GETS CANCELED, BUT HE'S NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT

In a shocking turn of events, CBS has announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be coming to an end after its 10-year run. But don't worry, folks, the inimitable Colbert is not going quietly into the night. In his latest monologue, he delivered a scathing critique of Paramount CEO David Ellison's recent acquisition of CBS Global, and the network's decision to cancel his show was seen as a "purely financial" move.

But what really got our attention was when Colbert turned on the charm and professed his "love" for his new boss live on air. Yes, you read that right - in a tongue-in-cheek tribute to National Boss's Day, Colbert jokingly declared his affection for Ellison, quipping that it might just "buy us a couple more months" on the air.

The late-night host marked the occasion with a pointed jab at Ellison's Skydance Media acquisition of CBS Global, which was finalized in August. The $8 billion merger has been seen as a game-changer for the industry, but Colbert was having none of it. "I hope you all treated your boss to their favorite gift," he said wryly, "two minutes of awkward chitchat until the elevator arrives."

But don't be fooled - Colbert's playful jabs were just a smokescreen for his true feelings about the cancellation of his show. Insiders claim that the network's decision was motivated by the $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump over allegations of misedited footage from an interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The payment, which some have criticized as a "big fat bribe," included a whopping $15 million in earned media for Trump and his conservative allies.

Colbert himself has been vocal about the controversy, calling the settlement an example of censorship by Trump. And it seems he's not backing down now that his show is set to air its final episode in May 2026. In fact, he's been using his platform to poke fun at the situation, even going so far as to praise Trump's recent Gaza deal and cheekily asking if his doomed show might be saved.

But what really caught our attention was Colbert's announcement of a new venture - he'll be lending his voice to the upcoming animated series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, where he'll play the role of Digital Dean of Students. It's clear that Colbert is not going down without a fight, and we can't wait to see what other surprises he has in store for us.

A TALE OF TWO BOSSES

So who is this mysterious David Ellison, the new big cheese at CBS Global? As it turns out, Ellison is the 41-year-old CEO of Skydance Media, which acquired CBS Global and its assets - including CBS Entertainment, BET, MTV, Nickelodeon, and a national movie theater chain - in August. It's clear that he's got his work cut out for him, but Colbert's sarcastic tribute suggests that he's not exactly thrilled about the situation.

But what really gets our blood pumping is the controversy surrounding Trump's settlement with CBS. According to reports, the payment was made to cover Trump's legal fees over allegations of misedited footage from an interview with Kamala Harris. And while the network claims it was "purely a financial decision," some are crying foul, accusing Ellison and his team of caving in to Trump's demands.

COLBERT'S FAREWELL TOUR

It's clear that Colbert is not going down without a fight - and we're here for it. In fact, he's been using his platform to poke fun at the situation, even going so far as to praise Trump's recent Gaza deal. "There is some good news out there," he said with a straight face. "Because today, thanks to Trump's newly brokered ceasefire in Gaza, all living Israeli hostages and almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners have been released. It's important."

And while his show may be coming to an end, Colbert is not going quietly into the night. In fact, he's got a slew of new projects lined up, including a voice-acting gig in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. "I am honored to announce that my beautiful voice will be joining 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' as the Digital Dean of Students," he said with a grin. "Where I'll get to announce things like, 'Attention Ensign Krebs, you Talaxian Furfly has exited the replicator and is now mating with itself.'"

It's clear that Colbert is not going down without a fight - and we can't wait to see what other surprises he has in store for us.