Bruce Springsteen Backs Stephen Colbert on Penultimate Late Show, Citing Trump Pressure Behind CBS Cancellation
Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · May 21
Bruce Springsteen Backs Stephen Colbert on Penultimate Late Show, Citing Trump Pressure Behind CBS Cancellation
9 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · May 21
Bruce Springsteen used Stephen Colbert’s penultimate Late Show on May 21 to publicly back the host, saying Colbert was “the first guy in America who lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke.”
Springsteen also accused Larry and David Ellison of seeking favor to “get what they want,” echoing speculation that Paramount canceled the CBS show to smooth regulatory approval for its Skydance merger.
He then performed “Streets of Minneapolis,” a protest song tied to ICE’s immigration crackdown in the city and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
CBS has said the cancellation was “purely a financial decision,” but Colbert’s final weeks have become a high-profile sendoff featuring guests including Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and David Letterman.
The appearance sharpened the political framing around Colbert’s exit, which the host has linked to the Trump administration’s hostility toward comedians and anti-authoritarian satire.
As corporate pressures on media grow, where will audiences find unfiltered commentary and dissent?
When big media mergers depend on government approval, how is creative and journalistic freedom affected?
What are the cascading economic effects on cities from large-scale immigration enforcement actions?