When legends speak up, people listen.
And this week, David Letterman made it clear he wasn’t going to stay silent after CBS decided to pull the plug on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show.
The 78-year-old comedy veteran, who ruled CBS late nights from 1993 to 2015, turned to YouTube to air his frustrations—bluntly and loudly.
“You Can’t Spell CBS Without BS”
On Monday, Letterman dropped a 20-minute video on his YouTube channel, filled with sharp, decades-old jokes aimed at the very network he once called home.
His caption? A not-so-subtle jab: “You can’t spell CBS without BS.”
The montage featured eight different clips from 1994 to 2013, painting a pretty clear picture of how Letterman has felt about CBS for a while.
And in this moment of Colbert’s cancellation, the message landed with extra weight.
Colbert Returns with Fire and Famous Friends
The same night, Colbert made his on-air return—this time with an edge.
Facing an audience that erupted in support, Colbert didn’t hold back, taking aim at cancel culture and, of course, Donald Trump.
“I’m going to go ahead and say it: Cancel culture’s gone way too far,” he told the crowd, who chanted his name throughout.
Despite CBS insisting the show’s cancellation was “purely financial,” many—including Colbert—are skeptical.
Especially since The Late Show still leads in ratings.
The Timing Has People Talking
Colbert didn’t miss the fact that CBS’ announcement came just days after he slammed Paramount (CBS’ parent company) for its $16 million settlement in Trump’s lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview.
On Monday, he said it had finally hit him over the weekend: “They killed off our show.
But they made one mistake. They left me alive.”
Now, he added, “I can say what I really think of Donald Trump, starting right now.”
Colbert Tears Into Trump On-Air
Colbert took the gloves off.
Reading aloud one of Trump’s social media jabs that called him “untalented,” Colbert snapped back: “How dare you, sir.”
Then, looking into the camera, he let out a censored but clearly mouthed “F*** you,” complete with a bleep and blurred mouth.
He didn’t stop there.
“If this was a purely financial decision,” he said, “why would you cancel the top-rated show?”
He even poked fun at reports that The Late Show was bleeding between $40 million and $50 million annually.
“I could see us losing $24 million,” he said with a raised eyebrow.
“But the other $16 million? Oh, yeah.” (A not-so-subtle callback to Paramount’s payout to Trump.)
Coldplay, Comedy, and Community
Monday’s episode had some star-powered solidarity.
Colbert welcomed “Weird Al” Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda to belt out Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, while the audience included fellow late-night allies like Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, and celebrity friends like Adam Sandler, Anderson Cooper, and Andy Cohen.
A nod, perhaps, to that now-viral Coldplay concert moment—but this time, the hugs and cheers were all for Colbert.
Jon Stewart Rallies Support on The Daily Show
Over on The Daily Show, Jon Stewart—Colbert’s longtime friend—voiced his own frustration.
He pushed back on the network’s apparent attempt to appease Trump and called it a misguided move.
“This is not the moment to give in,” Stewart declared.
“I’m not giving in. I’m not going anywhere. I think.”
Colbert Sends a Message to His Supporters
Colbert wrapped the night on a heartfelt note, thanking everyone who had shown him support since the cancellation news broke.
“Some people see this show going away as the sign of something truly dire,” he said.
“And while I’m a big fan of me, I don’t necessarily agree.”
Instead, he reminded viewers that his show’s goal was never to change the world—but simply to make people feel a little better at the end of their day.
Or maybe, he added cheekily, “the next morning when you watched on your phone—which is why broadcast TV is dying.”
What Happens Now?
As The Late Show heads into its final stretch before wrapping in May 2026, questions linger: Was this really just a financial decision? Or is there more going on behind the scenes?
One thing’s certain—David Letterman isn’t buying it.
And neither, it seems, is Stephen Colbert.