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Writers Guild Seeks Investigation Into Colbert Cancellation as Hosts Debate Partisan Risks

Industry figures warn that late-night’s political turn risks alienating viewers as CBS insists the move was strictly financial.

LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS -- Episode 1678 -- Pictured: Host Seth Meyers during the monologue on July 23, 2025 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC)
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Jay Leno (left) and Piers Morgan (right) have weighed in on the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's CBS show. (Getty; CBS)

Overview

  • The Writers Guild of America has called on New York Attorney General Letitia James to open a legal inquiry into Paramount’s abrupt cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
  • CBS has defended the cancellation as a financial necessity in the face of steep late-night losses, rejecting allegations of political retaliation.
  • Jay Leno argued that late-night hosts who heavily lean into political commentary alienate a significant portion of their audience and urged a more neutral approach.
  • Piers Morgan accused major U.S. late-night hosts of acting as “hyper-partisan activist hacks” and suggested more shows will be cut.
  • Seth Meyers admitted that the shifting entertainment ecosystem and corporate consolidation have heightened his anxiety over his show’s longevity.