David Letterman Speaks Out Against CBS Over Stephen Colbert’s Cancellation
David Letterman has openly criticized CBS’s decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a recent interview, Letterman expressed skepticism about the network’s rationale for the cancellation, labeling CBS executives as "lying weasels."
"He was dumped because the people selling the network to Skydance said, ‘Oh no, there’s not going to be any trouble with that guy. We’re going to take care of the show. We’re just going to throw that into the deal. When will the ink on the check dry?’ I’m just going to go on record as saying: They’re lying,” Letterman stated in an interview with The New York Times.
Reinforcing his earlier comments, Letterman added, “Let me just add one other thing. They’re lying weasels.”
CBS has maintained that the cancellation was a purely “financial decision.” Colbert addressed this claim shortly thereafter on his own show.
When Letterman learned of the show’s cancellation, he expressed his shock, stating he was in “disbelief.” He noted that while CBS does not share its financial details with him, he believes that "all of television seems to have been nicked by digital communication and streaming platforms.” He added, “TV may be not the money machine it once was. On the other hand, what about the humanity for Stephen and the humanity of people who love him and the humanity for people who still enjoyed that 11:30 respite?”
The Late Show hosted by Stephen Colbert is set to conclude on Thursday, May 21, with Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed taking its place starting Friday, May 22.
