Stephen Colbert’s Response to Trump’s Remarks
Stephen Colbert delivered a sharp retort aimed at President Trump just days after Trump celebrated Colbert’s firing on social media, stating, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.”
In his opening monologue on Monday, Colbert responded by saying, “Go f— yourself.” This episode marked his first appearance since CBS announced the cancellation of “The Late Show,” ending the program after over 30 years.
The abrupt decision by the network, described as a “purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” shocked both Colbert’s devoted audience and fellow late-night hosts, while providing satisfaction to critics like Trump. On Truth Social, Trump commented that Colbert’s “talent was even less than his ratings” and took a jab at Jimmy Kimmel, suggesting he had even less talent than Colbert.
During the monologue, Colbert declared that in the months leading up to the show’s end in May, he would speak “unvarnished truth to power” regarding Trump. Colbert, who took over the show in 2015, has been critical of Trump since before his presidency. Trump’s antics have provided ample material for Colbert and his late-night peers.
Colbert expressed his confusion over CBS’s cancellation rationale, questioning how it could be a purely financial issue when “The Late Show” has been at the top of the ratings. He highlighted reports estimating losses between $40 million and $50 million, joking, “Where would Paramount have possibly spent the other $16 million — oh yeah,” referencing a settlement with Trump over a lawsuit.
Reacting to Trump’s jibe on social media, Colbert humorously positioned himself as a martyr, saying, “There’s only room for one on this cross, and I gotta tell you the view is fantastic up here.” He has received support from other late-night hosts, including Jon Stewart and John Oliver, who publicly backed him during this difficult time.
On Monday, during a segment that parodied a viral incident involving a kiss-cam at a Coldplay concert, guests such as Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Weird Al” Yankovic participated, with a comical animation displaying Trump cuddling the Paramount logo. Meanwhile, Stewart dedicated part of his latest episode to the cancellation, criticizing CBS for “killing a show you know wrinkled a fragile and vengeful president.”
