As the sun shines hot over Miami and newsrooms buzz with the latest entertainment drama, a fresh controversy has made waves between two famous faces in American media: late-night host Stephen Colbert and right-wing activist and podcaster Charlie Kirk.
Colbert’s Show Gets Axed, Charlie Kirk Jumps In
Just yesterday, CBS made a surprise announcement—“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will end its historic run in May 2026. This decision, the network stressed, was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and not about Colbert’s performance or content. Colbert told his studio audience in a moving monologue:
“Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May. […] It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of the Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away.”
While fans processed the shock, Charlie Kirk—founder of Turning Point USA and vocal supporter of Donald Trump—took the opportunity to jab Colbert on social media. On July 17, Kirk posted an old video of Colbert’s “The Vax Scene” segment, mocking the show’s tone and humor with the snarky line:
“Stephen Colbert was so unfunny he killed The Late Show. Great job.”
The post quickly made rounds, with Kirk’s supporters echoing the sentiment and critics calling it opportunistic.
Political Undertones and Tensions
Charlie Kirk’s dig was about more than just comedy taste. Colbert’s Late Show has been one of the staunchest voices against Donald Trump in late night TV. The timing of the cancellation, just hours after Congress rescinded public broadcasting funding at Trump’s request, led some to believe politics might still be the show’s undertone, even if CBS denied it. Colbert himself addressed this tension, calling CBS’s recent settlement with Donald Trump a “big fat bribe” on air before learning of his show’s fate.
No Actual Interview—But Online Feud Steals The Spotlight
Despite the buzz, it’s important to clarify—there has not been an official interview between Stephen Colbert and Charlie Kirk. The controversy right now is mostly happening in the press and online, especially after Kirk’s viral X post. If some readers were hoping for a direct Colbert-Kirk TV showdown, they are out of luck… at least for now.
What’s Next?
With the iconic Late Show winding down and political divides as strong as ever, social media is sure to amplify every barb and response between Colbert and Kirk in the coming months. Even as fans say goodbye to one of late night’s last giants, it’s clear that the culture wars will keep playing out on new stages—both digital and real.
(If you ask me, maybe it’s time these two just sat down for a real interview. A bit of classic TV drama never hurt anybody.)