Stephen Colbert Shares a Hilarious Moment with John Dickerson on His Last Day at CBS Evening News
Stephen Colbert gives the middle finger to CBS after embracing John Dickerson on his final day as anchor.
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Slate/Instagram
### NEwS HIGHLIGHTS
– Stephen Colbert appeared to convey a bold message to CBS during an event on December 18.
– While celebrating John Dickerson at Slate’s Political Gabfest, Colbert raised his middle finger after hugging his fellow CBS colleague.
– Dickerson completed his tenure with CBS Evening News that same day, while Colbert’s Late Show is scheduled to conclude in May 2026.
During the Slate Political Gabfest event, Stephen Colbert delivered a defiant farewell to CBS while honoring John Dickerson, whose final day on CBS News was December 18. Colbert’s gesture, captured in footage from the event, drew an enthusiastic response from the audience.
As host David Plotz introduced the panel, which included both Dickerson and Colbert, the Late Show host left his seat to embrace Dickerson. After the hug, he raised his middle finger in what appeared to be a pointed message to CBS, particularly in light of the network’s recent decision to end The Late Show, which met with applause from attendees.
In a post on social media on October 27, Dickerson, 57, announced his departure from CBS after 16 years, saying, “At the end of this year, I will leave CBS, sixteen years after I sat in as Face the Nation anchor for the first time. I am extremely grateful for all that CBS gave me — the work, the audience’s attention, and the honor of being a part of the network’s history — and I am grateful for my dear colleagues who’ve made me a better journalist and a better human. I will miss you.”
Colbert’s announcement on July 17 regarding the end of The Late Show precipitated discussions about his future, as well. “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away,” he stated, acknowledging the support from CBS during his tenure.
The financial rationale provided by CBS for the show’s cancellation coincided with public discourse surrounding the network’s recent actions, including a controversial settlement involving former President Donald Trump. “It is self-evident that that is damaging to the reputation of the network,” Colbert remarked in an earlier interview, voicing concern about the implications of the settlement.
Dickerson, who co-anchored CBS Evening News alongside Maurice Dubois, addressed similar sentiments about the potential erosion of trust within journalism amid such controversies. “When it doesn’t [work], the stakes are real, a loss of public trust, the spread of misinformation,” he emphasized during his remarks on CBS Evening News Plus.
At the Political Gabfest event, Colbert and Dickerson also discussed the prospect of collaborating on future projects, expressing mutual enthusiasm for potential endeavors outside of CBS. Colbert stated that he hoped to utilize his newfound free time to pursue learning and growth beyond his current experiences.
