Stephen Colbert has a simple message for Donald Trump, who celebrated the cancellation of The Late Show.
The veteran comedian, actor and TV host didn't mince his words in his monologue on Monday (July 21) night, stating that the 'gloves are off' for the rest of the show as it winds down in the next 10 months.
The top-rated late-night talk show host appeared in his first broadcast since The Late Show announced it would be cancelled, and chose to directly address the POTUS.
In a Truth Social post last week, Trump wrote: "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.”
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The president also pointed fingers at the iconic Jimmy Kimmel, writing that the Jimmy Kimmel Live host was 'next' and has 'even less talent than Colbert.'
Taking aim at the post, Colbert said: "How dare you, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?”
Then looking into the 'Eloquence Cam,' he said simply: "Go f*** yourself."
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He also jumped to the defense of Kimmel, adding: "Nope, no, no. Absolutely not. Kimmel, I am the martyr. There’s only room for one on this cross. And the view is fantastic from up here. I can see your house!”
His comments come as CBS confirmed it would be axing the show in 2026, alleging 'financial decisions'.
Bosses said ending the show after more than three decades comes down to dwindling ad revenues and high production costs, however, others believe the move has been politically motivated.
Not only does the decision, coincidentally, come at the same time Paramount is planning a $8.4bn merge with Skydance, a production company funded by pro-Trump billionaire Larry Ellison, but sources told The Independent that the cancellation is part and parcel of the 'Trump shakedown'.
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They claim it all started when the channel's parent company Paramount settled a $16m lawsuit for its interview with Kamala Harris on 60 Minutes, which Trump claimed was 'election interference'.
Colbert commented on the legal action last week, stating it amounted to a 'big fat bribe', and joked it was his dream to have a sitting president cheer for the end of his career.
"They’re pointing out that last Monday, just two days before my cancellation, I delivered a blistering monologue in which I showed the courage to have a moustache," he said. "I mean, obviously, CBS saw my upper lip and boom, cancelled. Coincidence? Oh, I think not. This is worse than fascism. This is stachism.”
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An anonymous leak over the weekend revealed CBS allegedly tried to suggest the show had lost $40 to $50 million last year, reports The Guardian, to which Colbert joked he could account for a $24m loss before adding: "Where would Paramount have possibly spent the other $16m?... Oh yeah.”
The star also said since the network was 'killing off' the show, while he is still standing, he vowed to speak 'unvarnished truth to power.'
Colbert's fellow hosts also jumped to his defense, with Jon Stewart denouncing Paramount for trying to 'censor and control' the team.
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On The Daily Show, Stewart said: "The fact that CBS didn’t try to save their No 1 rated late-night franchise that’s been on the air for over three decades is part of what’s making everybody wonder, 'Was this purely financial, or maybe the path of least resistance for your $8bn merger?'”
"If you believe – as corporations or as networks – that you can make yourselves so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavourless that you will never again be on the boy king’s radar … Why would anyone watch you? And you are f***ing wrong.”
He then led the audience to break out into a chat of 'go f*** yourselves' aimed at corporations who toe the Trump line.
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