Stephen Colbert's Show Canceled: Protest Falls Flat Amid Alleged Political Pressure
"Shocking Cancellation of Stephen Colbert's Flagship Show Sparks Frenzied Protests and Outrage: But Was it Really a 'Big Fat Bribe'?"
In a stunning turn of events, a rally organized to protest the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's flagship show on CBS fell flat, with a paltry 20 people showing up to voice their outrage. The meager turnout was a far cry from the expected sea of protesters that gathered outside the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City on Sunday.
The "We're with Colbert" rally, which aimed to decry the network's decision to axe the comedian's decade-long run with "The Late Show," was met with more crickets than a collective gasp of shock. Images taken at the protest show a small group of die-hard fans holding banners and placards, some emblazoned with the defiant slogan "I'm with Colbert." A video captured at the scene shows the sparse gathering, which seemed more like a family reunion than a force to be reckoned with.
But what's behind the sudden cancellation of Colbert's show? Insiders claim it was all about the benjamins – or rather, the lack thereof. Sources close to the matter tell The Scholarly Note that "The Late Show" was hemorrhaging money at an alarming rate, with losses totaling a whopping $40 million per year.
But don't believe the hype, say critics who claim the real reason behind Colbert's ousting has nothing to do with ratings and everything to do with politics. You see, just days prior to the announcement of "The Late Show"'s cancellation, Paramount, which owns CBS, settled a lawsuit filed by President Trump over allegedly deceptive editing in a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris for a whopping $16 million.
And then, there was Colbert's infamous "big fat bribe" comment about the settlement. Coincidence? We think not! Two days after that eyebrow-raising remark, CBS announced it would be cutting ties with Colbert.
But what about the real reason behind the cancellation? Some have suggested that Paramount needed to grease the wheels of a merger with media company Skydance at the time and needed the approval of Trump's Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The merger cleared the way for an $8.4 billion sale of some of the most prominent names in entertainment, including CBS, Paramount Pictures, and Nickelodeon.
And what about FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's claims that the agency's review of the proposed merger was not connected to the lawsuit? Critics are skeptical, pointing out that Skydance has promised to appoint an ombudsman to evaluate complaints of editorial bias or other concerns about CBS in an effort to promote transparency and increased accountability.
In a bizarre twist, Trump himself took to Truth Social to gloat over Colbert's ousting, declaring, "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings." Oh, burn!
Meanwhile, Skydance has assured the FCC of its commitment to unbiased journalism that represents diverse viewpoints. But can we really trust them? After all, Paramount eliminated its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to align with the new administration's view that such affirmative action policies are discriminatory.
The FCC voted 2-1 to approve the deal, with Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez dissenting. And what about Colbert's whopping paycheck? The comedian was paid between $15 million and $20 million a year for his failing show – no wonder he's not too broken up about it!
As the dust settles on this bombshell news, one thing is clear: Stephen Colbert's cancellation has sparked a firestorm of controversy that shows no signs of dying down anytime soon. Stay tuned, folks!