'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert': How Jimmy Kimmel, Rachel Zegler, Ben Stiller & others reacted to CBS' decision to end the iconic show

As CBS announces to end ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ in 2026, several prominent names from the field of politics and entertainment showed their shocking reaction to this development.

Apart from celebs like Jimmy Kimmel, Ben Stiller, John Cusack, Andy Richter, Rachel Zegler, and Michael Ian Black, among others, prominent Democratic politicians such as Elizabeth Warren, Pramila Jayapal, and Adam Schiff have taken to social media to denounce the decision.

As per claims of entertainment industry figures and politicians, this move by CBS was linked to parent company Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media, with the deal seeking regulatory approval from the President Donald Trump administration.

Stephen Colbert has been one of the most prominent critics of Donald Trump, who has skewered the President on his show.

Under the video of Colbert’s monologue announcing the news on Instagram, several celebs replied in the comment section. While filmmaker and producer Judd Apatow commented, “My admiration and appreciation for you is bottomless. Excited to see what other brilliance you put into the world,” former Late Show band leader Jon Batiste wrote, “The greatest to ever do it.”

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“I am extremely sad. I adore you, Stephen,” wrote Snow White actress Rachel Zegler. On the other hand, Severance star Adam Scott commented, “Love you Stephen. This is absolute bullshit, and I for one am looking forward to the next 10 months of shows. ✊😡💔”

CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery.

America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.

Watch and share his message. pic.twitter.com/Rz7HcWFLYM

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 18, 2025

Stephen Colbert’s show was canceled three days after he called out Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for folding to Trump with a $16M settlement for a lawsuit that even they called “without merit."

People deserve to know if this is a politically motivated attack on free speech.

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) July 18, 2025

Sorry to hear @CBS is canceling one of the best shows they have.

Wishing all the people who work so hard on that show all the best.@colbertlateshow

— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) July 18, 2025

Popular host, Jimmy Kimmel, wrote,“Love you Stephen. Fuck you and all your Sheldons CBS.” “CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery. America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons,” Warren wrote on X.

In his Monday monologue, Colbert said he was “offended” by the $16 million settlement reached by Paramount, whose pending sale to Skydance Media needs the Trump administration’s approval. He said the technical name in legal circles for the deal was “big fat bribe.”

“I don’t know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company,” Colbert said. “But, just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help.”

Trump had sued Paramount Global over how “60 Minutes” edited its interview last fall with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Critics say the company settled primarily to clear a hurdle to the Skydance sale.

Colbert took over “The Late Show” in 2015 after becoming a big name in comedy and news satire working with Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show” and hosting “The Colbert Report,” which riffed on right-wing talk shows.

The most recent ratings from Nielsen show Colbert gaining viewers so far this year and winning his timeslot among broadcasters, with about 2.417 million viewers across 41 new episodes. On Tuesday, Colbert’s “Late Show” landed its sixth nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding talk show. It won a Peabody Award in 2021.

David Letterman began hosting “The Late Show” in 1993. When Colbert took over, he deepened its engagement with politics. Alongside musicians and movie stars, Colbert often welcomes politicians to his couch.

With inputs from AP