EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Colbert's Claws Are Coming Out! Late Night Host Ready to Take Revenge on CBS After Network Axed Show – 'It's Ending Badly'
Stephen Colbert is looking to hit back at the network that booted him.
Aug. 22 2025, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
Stephen Colbert is livid about CBS axing his Late Show – and as the huffy host stares down the May 2026 end of his TV reign, he's secretly aiming to deliver as much payback as possible on his way out the door, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Colbert, 61, announced the cancellation himself in front of his show's audience on the July 21 broadcast and joked that bosses kicked him to the curb because of his now-shaved mustache.
"This is worse than fascism. This is 'stache-ism," the funnyman quipped.
Fellow Hosts Rally Around Colbert
Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel rally behind Colbert after his 'Late Show cancellation.'
An insider said: "He can joke about it all he wants, but that doesn't take away [the fact that] he's losing millions. It's going to hit him hard."
According to the tipster: "furious" Colbert is a "money-hungry guy" whose ego is wounded – especially because he believed the show's ratings were better than his rivals.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was reportedly canceled over financial pressures, the heated political climate, and declining viewership.
David Letterman mocked CBS, saying 'you can't spell it without BS,' following Colbert's ouster.
The sharp-witted satirist has received support from industry colleagues, including The Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon; Jimmy Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!; and David Letterman, his Late Show predecessor, who retired in 2015.
The insider claimed: "Colbert's going to be calling on those people that fired him and the network as a whole."
Shortly after news of the cancellation broke, Letterman, 78, ridiculed the Network on social media by writing: "You can't spell CBS without BS."
CBS Stands By Their Decision
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CBS executives defend axing 'The Late Show,' citing financial losses and declining viewership.
However, sources said execs are standing by their decision to end The Late Show for good.
The insider claimed: "The show's bosses said Colbert was losing them money and insisted they held on as long as they could. They think it's outrageous that he has a bitter taste in his mouth after they paid him so handsomely.
"It's ending badly with the way Colbert's handling it and getting worse because he's getting angrier and feeling righteous – especially with the support he's receiving."
