In a bold move, US late-night host Stephen Colbert responded to President Donald Trump’s celebration of his show’s cancellation with an expletive-laced remark during Monday’s episode of The Late Show.
The verbal jab came after CBS announced the cancelation of The Late Show, citing “a challenging backdrop in late-night” as the reason.
President Trump, who has been a long-time target of Colbert’s criticism, took to social media to express his delight, saying he “absolutely loves that Colbert got fired.”
In his first appearance since the cancellation announcement, Colbert declared that “the gloves are off” and vowed to speak truth to power without restraint.
He questioned the network’s justification for canceling the show, which is currently the number one ratings leader in late-night television.
Colbert also alluded to Paramount Global’s recent settlement with President Trump over a 60 Minutes story, suggesting that the $40 million to $50 million loss may have influenced the decision. He further poked fun at the President’s rejoicing, saying “go f*** yourself” in response.
The Monday episode featured a star-studded audience, including Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Jon Stewart, and John Oliver, who showed their support for Colbert.
A parody segment of the infamous “kiss cam” video featured an animated version of Trump cuddling the Paramount logo, further emphasizing the tensions between the TV host and the President.
As the controversy surrounding The Late Show’s cancellation continues to unfold, Colbert’s bold move is likely to spark further debate and discussion.