Stephen Colbert Says CBS Cancellation After 11 Seasons May Have Saved His Life

2 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · May 19

Stephen Colbert said CBS may have “saved my life” by ending “The Late Show,” as he prepares to sign off on May 21 after 11 seasons.
In a People interview published May 19, the 62-year-old host said the daily grind took “a lot of bone marrow,” and that leaving now gives him time and energy for other work.
Colbert said the cancellation became “much realer” as the end neared, recalling he was lying on a couch before a show when his manager called with the news last July.
The exit came amid scrutiny over Colbert’s criticism of Paramount Global and its Trump-related “60 Minutes” settlement, though Paramount said the move was purely financial and unrelated to content or performance.
Trump had celebrated the cancellation in a Truth Social post, but Colbert said he does not fear retaliation and has no fixed next step beyond writing a new “Lord of the Rings” film with his son.

As Colbert’s show ends, is the era of the high-budget network late-night host being replaced by cheaper, outsourced programming models?

Colbert felt ‘saved’ by his show’s end. How many other leaders are secretly wishing for an exit from unsustainable, high-stress roles?

With network shows shying away from political satire, where will this influential form of public commentary resurface and evolve?