David Letterman, who hosted “The Late Show” for decades before Stephen Colbert took over, doesn’t believe “lying weasels” at CBS are being truthful about why the program was canceled.
CBS announced last year ahead of a long-planned merger that put CBS’ parent company under new ownership that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would be canceled, with its final episode set for May 21. CBS insisted it was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” but many believe the decision was made to appease President Donald Trump and the FCC ahead of Skydance Media’s acquisition of CBS parent company Paramount.
Letterman told The New York Times he was in “disbelief” when learning the “The Late Show,” which Colbert took over from him in 2015, was canceled. Letterman admitted CBS doesn’t “share the books” with him but feels the network hasn’t been truthful about why the plug was pulled.
COLBERT ACCUSED OF ELECTION ‘STUNT’ TO PUSH TALARICO AHEAD OF CROCKETT IN TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
“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 told the Times.
“Let me just add one other thing,” he continued. “They’re lying weasels.”
When reached for comment, CBS reiterated to the Times that it is a financial decision.
Letterman noted that “all of television seems to have been nicked by digital communication and streaming platforms,” and “TV may be not the money machine it once was,” but suggested CBS could have kept the show around anyway.
STEPHEN COLBERT MOCKS PARAMOUNT WHILE ACCEPTING WGA AWARD FOR CONFRONTING ‘SOCIAL INJUSTICE’
“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?” Letterman said.
Despite speaking out, Letterman said he doesn’t feel a sense of ownership of the show any longer.
“Time has separated me from the genealogy of the show. On the other hand, if there’s outrage to be directed at management, either real or imagined, I’m all in. Let’s go,” he said. “It’s like driving by your old neighborhood and realizing that where you used to live, they’re putting up an adult bookstore.”
BROADCAST BIAS: LATE-NIGHT COMEDY DEATH SPIRAL SHOWS HOW LEFTIST HATE KILLED THEIR HUMOR
Skydance did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The network will lease Colbert’s old time slot to Byron Allen’s “Comics Unleashed,” a comedy talk show. The programming move by CBS is a unique one — and perhaps lucrative — since Allen Media Group is the one footing the bill for airtime, not CBS.
“They don’t want to spend any money, so they’re going to make money,” Letterman previously told Barbara Gaines, a former producer on his program. “They charge Byron Allen some reasonable price. He sells all the advertising for his ‘Comics Unleashed,’ and it’ll be, I think, 90 minutes or two hours of comics talking about funny stuff.”
Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
