We’re nearing the end of an era for late night, with just over a month to go until CBS’ Late Show cancellation is made complete. Stephen Colbert’s swan song episode is hitting the 2026 TV schedule on May 21, after which the network will replace the esteemed talk show with another hourlong, Byron Allen-produced comedy series, giving the mega-producer the full two-hour late night block that was once held down by the likes of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson. As one might imagine, Letterman isn’t exactly applauding CBS’ efforts.
As the creator of The Late Show, David Letterman obviously has a vested interest in the general topic of late night, even if he’s got little skin in that game at this point. (He’d since taken his interviewing skills to Netflix, where My Next Guest… is still going strong.) During a recent installment of The Barbara Gaines Show, the Emmy winner shared his take on CBS’ choice for filling the Late Show slot, calling it a money-saving tactic. In his words:
