Stephen Colbert's Finale 'Ghosted' by CBS After Late-Night Host Mocked Network's Botched Trump China Coverage — 'It Was Unprofessional and Unprovoked'
Stephen Colbert's final 'The Late Show' episode was ignored by 'CBS Mornings,' according to insiders.
May 26 2026, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
Stephen Colbert's farewell from CBS may have ended with applause and celebrity tributes, but behind the scenes, tensions at the network were reportedly boiling over, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
CBS Mornings completely ignored Colbert's final episode of The Late Show last Friday, and insiders claim the silence was no accident.
CBS Accused of Deliberate Snub
The 'ghosting' was apparently 'not an oversight.'
Puck founder Matthew Belloni claimed CBS executives ordered staff not to acknowledge Colbert's farewell during the morning broadcast, despite it being one of the biggest TV moments of the week.
"And that wasn't an oversight," Belloni wrote on Tuesday, May 26, noting there were "no highlights" and "not a single mention of a pretty major event on its own network."
Belloni added: "I'm told the ghosting was a specific directive from CBS News president Tom Cibrowski."
According to the report, the alleged tension stemmed from Colbert's recent comedy segment mocking the network's botched China visa situation involving anchor Tony Dokoupil.
The Joke That Crossed the Line
CBS executives were reportedly furious over Colbert's mockery of Tony Dokoupil's China coverage while Trump was visiting.
During the segment, Colbert mocked Dokoupil after the anchor was forced to report from Taiwan instead of mainland China during President Donald Trump's trip overseas.
The host sarcastically referred to the situation as reporting from "The Wrong China" before airing a fake clip showing Dokoupil with his head stuck inside a pumpkin.
The sketch escalated further when an actress portraying Bari Weiss entered the scene and hit him with a mallet as the audience laughed.
But insiders claimed CBS News executives were furious.
"Colbert 'kicked colleagues when they were down,'" one CBS News source told Belloni. "It was unprofessional and unprovoked."
Trump Celebrates Stephen Colbert's Exit With Brutal AI Video
rump celebrated Colbert's exit with multiple attacks on Truth Social.
Trump marked Colbert's The Late Show exit by posting a disturbing AI-generated video that appeared to show the comedian being thrown in a dumpster.
The post came just hours after Colbert wrapped his final episode with an emotional farewell, ending an era at the Ed Sullivan Theater.
The president wasted little time gloating over Colbert's departure, taking to Truth Social with a blistering attack on the longtime host on May 21.
"Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life," Trump wrote at the time. "He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street, and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he's finally gone!"
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The president also said Colbert was 'untalented' and 'nasty.'
A day later, on May 22, Trump doubled down on his celebration of Colbert's departure and hinted other late-night stars could soon be pushed out as well.
"Stephen Colbert's firing from CBS was the 'Beginning of the End' for untalented, nasty, highly overpaid, not funny, and very poorly rated Late Night Television Hosts," Trump wrote. "Others, of even less talent, to soon follow. May they all Rest in Peace!"
