Stephen Colbert says he personally congratulated Byron Allen after learning that CBS would replace The Late Show with Allen’s comedy program Comics Unleashed, marking the end of one of late night television’s longest-running franchises.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Colbert revealed that he sent Allen a message shortly after the network confirmed the programming change.
“When I found out, I wrote him the next morning and I said, ‘Hey, congrats. I heard you got the time. Good for you,’” Colbert said.
The outgoing host also referenced Allen’s historic appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at age 18, joking that Allen should “drop Mr. Carson a note.”
CBS previously announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end later this month, concluding a 33-year late-night franchise that began with David Letterman in 1993 before Colbert took over in 2015. The network described the cancellation as a financial decision tied to broader challenges facing late-night television.
Beginning May 22, Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen will move into the 11:35 p.m. CBS slot, while Allen-produced game show Funny You Should Ask will air afterward.
Unlike traditional network late-night programs, Allen’s arrangement reportedly operates through a time-buy model, where his company covers production costs and sells advertising directly. CBS executives say the deal allows the network to return the time slot to immediate profitability after years of losses in late-night programming.
When asked whether replacing The Late Show with a non-traditional format bothered him, Colbert avoided criticism.
“It’s none of my business,” he said.
The interview also touched on Colbert’s future projects following the show’s finale. He confirmed he is co-writing a new film set in the The Lord of the Rings universe alongside screenwriter Philippa Boyens and his son.
Colbert’s final episode is scheduled to air on May 21, closing a major chapter in American late-night television as networks continue rethinking the economics of the format in the streaming and digital era.
