For a man who’s been a fixture in America’s living rooms for over a decade, you’d expect a big crowd when his show is canceled.
But when supporters of The Late Show host Stephen Colbert gathered outside the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City over the weekend, the scene was… surprisingly quiet.
Fewer than 20 people turned up, despite passionate calls online to stand up for Colbert, who was recently dropped by CBS.
The protest, dubbed We’re with Colbert, was intended to be a bold show of support—but instead, it ended up making headlines for how few actually showed up.
Protestors Blame Politics, Not Ratings
Protesters weren’t buying CBS’s official reason for the cancellation, which pinned the decision on declining ratings and lost revenue.
Instead, several attendees suggested something more sinister: political pressure from former President Donald Trump.
“This is a First Amendment attack. We can’t stand for that,” one protester told the New York Post.
Photos from the scene showed a few individuals holding signs like I’m with Colbert, and a video circulating online confirmed just how small the crowd really was.
The Fallout From a Comment About Trump
The timing of Colbert’s cancellation is what’s really raising eyebrows.
Just days before CBS announced they were ending The Late Show, Colbert had publicly mocked Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump over a 60 Minutes interview, calling it a “big fat bribe.”
Critics believe that was the final straw.
Paramount, which owns CBS, was deep in negotiations over a major merger with media company Skydance. And to make that deal go through, they needed the green light from Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Merger Moves Forward Amid Controversy
Whether or not Colbert’s firing was politically motivated, the Skydance-Paramount merger has now officially been approved.
That deal, valued at $8.4 billion, affects some of the biggest names in entertainment—CBS, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures among them.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr insisted the decision to approve the merger had nothing to do with the Trump lawsuit or Colbert’s firing.
However, the optics were hard to ignore. Two days after Colbert’s dig at the settlement, his exit was announced.
Trump Responds With a Victory Lap
Unsurprisingly, Trump wasted no time celebrating the news. On Truth Social, he wrote: “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.
His talent was even less than his ratings.” The jab echoed Colbert’s long-standing role as one of Trump’s most vocal late-night critics.
Colbert’s take on late-night television was never neutral—he made it political, he made it pointed, and he made it personal.
For fans, that boldness was exactly what made him great. For critics, it was why he had to go.
Skydance Promises a New Editorial Direction
As part of their agreement with the FCC, Skydance has promised to shift CBS’s tone.
That includes hiring an ombudsman to monitor for bias and pledging to represent “a diversity of viewpoints.”
The company also agreed to roll back Paramount’s DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs—moves that have been applauded by the new administration.
FCC’s Brendan Carr praised the decision, calling it a win for “eliminating invidious forms of DEI discrimination” and pushing for balanced programming.
The commission voted 2-1 to approve the deal, with Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez voting against it.
Was Colbert Just Too Expensive?
Politics aside, there’s still the money factor.
Sources told outlets like Variety and Puck that The Late Show was costing CBS a staggering $40 million a year while paying Colbert between $15 and $20 million annually.
Despite its strong ratings, the show was becoming financially unsustainable, especially in a post-cable world where ad dollars are spread thin.
Whether Colbert was canceled for financial reasons, political convenience, or a mix of both, the end result is the same: one of late-night’s loudest voices is leaving the stage.
Celebrities and Politicians Cry Foul
Not everyone is taking CBS’s word at face value.
Progressive politicians and left-leaning celebrities have spoken out, calling the decision a clear case of political suppression.
To them, this wasn’t just about ratings—it was about silencing a voice that challenged the status quo and held power to account.
And even if only 20 people showed up in New York, plenty more are watching closely from afar.